Yakimar Whispar setup
 

Just fitted my roof bars ready for a week's holiday. The S8 has a big boot but all the bulky stuff children have takes up a lot of the space!

I feel that the pads on the roof are too far in and should be more on the roof gutter area. The problem is that if I did that then the adapter brackets won't tighten. Any opinions?

Attachment 22028

Roof rack (THULE)
 

I've still got a roof rack for my original A8 in my dad's shed but haven't tried it out yet on my A8L. I suspect that it will still fit, despite the extra 5" wheelbase length. From what I remember, my roof rack bars (made by THULE) sat snugly in the channels both front and rear.

Your roof rack/bars should really fit in the channels and look to be a few inches out. The rubber feet on the bottom of my roof rack/bars were shaped to fit and worked well. It might be that the 'feet' supplied may be the wrong ones but that's just a guess on my part.

Thanks Johnny. I don't think these have a separate foot pack for different vehicles, I had to order the metal brackets which are specific. It does have a rubber foot which molds to the shape a little.

I have noticed the thule ones fitting further out like yours, I may play around a bit more and see if I can move it more into the channel. The rear ones seemed to be further out.

Attachment 22030

The metal brackets on your roof rack feet seem to me to be quite long. I'm sure my Thule ones were shorter but in order to check, I'd have to go round to my parents house which won't happen until Monday. Hope you manage to get it sorted. You have now prompted me to try out the roof rack on my A8L to see if it does indeed fit, which is something I've not tried before - I can't believe that they'd make one especially for the LWB version but I could be wrong.

Have a pleasant trip, wherever you're off to...

The genuine d3 racks thr foot sits it the little sort of gutter resess which I guess is stronger. Its always a worry that it will dent the roof.

Thank you. +++

Pete,
Both replies are correct.
The strip pulls out of the slot, the bar's feet then fit in the slot.
Normally the bars would only be fitted for a short time (holiday) and when removed the strip could be refitted.
I guess if you planned on keeping the bars fitted then the strip could be cut to fit.
To be honest not my choice to fit things on the roof but needs must. The only annoyance I have with my D4 is that sometime a roof rack has prsumably been fitted, the strips lost and replacement ones badly fitted after a less than perfect spray job. I will have to purchase new ones and then see if we can manage a better colour match. Problem is that I have an Audi Exclusive paint.