Sears sells some of the most popular aftermarket rooftop cargo carriers available in the United States. The primary reason for their extreme popularity is twofold: they are very easy to install and maintain and they increase the cargo capacity of many modern cars by almost 50 percent. Installing a Sears Cargo Carrier is quite simple, once you identify what type of securing device (U-bolt kit or Strap kit) will be required for your make and model vehicle. Sears U-bolt kits are approved for factory installations and aftermarket installations with no adverse automobile warranty effects.
Park your vehicle on a flat surface, away from any traffic. Adjust your existing roof-top rack (if applicable) so that it is in the "standard" configuration, with even spacing between all supporting slats. The goal is to provide a strong, stable surface on which the rooftop carrier will lay.
Unwrap the cargo carrier from its factory packaging, then unlock your cargo carrier with the supplied key and make sure it is empty. A universal strap kit and warranty information will be inside in a small clear envelope. Place the cargo carrier on top of the roof (or roof rack) of your vehicle, and center it evenly between the four roof posts of the vehicle. Care should be taken not to slide the roof carrier on the painted roof of the car because paint damage will result.
Insert the u-bolts from your applicable u-bolt kit, first around the support struts of your rooftop rack, then up through the holes in the bottom of your new roof-top carrier. You may need to adjust the slats on the rooftop rack to align correctly with the holes in the bottom of the carrier. Loosen all the rooftop slats, then align all the holes so that the u-bolts may be inserted into the carrier.
Insert a rubber grommet, then a washer onto all the u-bolts. Then add the hex nut or wing nut and hand tighten it only. Using a yardstick, measure the placement of the carrier so that it is perfectly centered on the top of your vehicle, in both the fore-and-aft orientation, and the left-right orientation. Adjust the carrier until the orientation is correct. Tighten the u-bolts so that the carrier is secure, then re-tighten the roof top slats of the car rack.
Attach the rooftop carrier with a strap kit if that method of installation is specified for your make and model vehicle. Begin by rolling down all four windows in the vehicle. Install a strap hook into the rain groove located above each door of the vehicle. Center the strap hooks so that they adjacent to all four corners of the rooftop carrier.
Separate the rubber molding on some vehicles (if applicable) from the roof sill, then insert the strap hooks onto the sill adjacent to the four corners of the cargo carrier, then reposition the molding into it's original location. Attach the other four loose ends of the straps to the cargo carrier's strap attachment tab. Tighten all four straps firmly, making sure no strap is noticeably tighter than any of the others.
Check the stability of the cargo carrier after it is full loaded with items, then check the carrier again at each fuel stop while it is in use. Periodic adjustments of the straps will be required after they initially stretch. U-bolts nuts may require tightening periodically due to vibration.
