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I just installed a Thule system on my Mini, and was distressed with the whistling noise coming from the load bars at 25 mph and above. I went back to the bike store that sold me the rack, and they said a fairing could be added that directed the air flow over the bars.
I didn't like the way that looked. I found that when the rubber inserts are installed in the top of the load bars that helped but didn't solve all the whistling noise, which was truly irritating. The last thing to examine was the 3" to 4" cutout in the bottom of the load bar (the manufacturer's device to permit installation on a variety of cars). Covering this with slot with duct tape solved the problem completely- no noise at all now.
But using duct tape anywhere around a brand new car is still not my idea of automotive perfection.
youd think theyd have some rubber inserts or something, but i guess the fairing is thier answer.
maybe some dense foam rubber you could cut and insert?.. the only Thule rack im familiar with is the one on a friends MS3, but I assume theyre similar, though i dont know what these holes look like.
I used to sell Saris racks- similar problem- the adjustment range on the bottom of the bars whistle. Yeah you need some rubberized strips to seal the bottom edges. Go to a bike shop that sells saris and ask for the rubber strips to go in the gap.
The rungs on ladders whistle too when they're on truck racks. Some guys shoot some expanding foam in the ends to seal it up. Not sure if that would work on the Thule.
