soobie roof bike rack q's

[Al O'Pecia]

I recently assembled/installed my bike rack purchased at
subarugenuineparts.com (way cheaper than my local dealer, plus they
took my soobie bux

When I was putting the rack on the car, I was unable to fit the end
caps on the trays. Are these end caps necessary, or is it safe to leave
them off?

Another question, is it possible to lock the actual racks to the
crossbars? I live in NYC, and these weren't too difficult to put on, I
figure they aren't too difficult to remove. Anyone with a torx and a
hex key can get these guys off, so I was wondering how others handle
security for the actual racks themselves.

thanks in advance

 

[bigjim]

The end caps arent necessary but look nice. I wouldnt worry too much
about theft. Most thiefs think subie racks only fit subie cars. You
could use a cable lock of some sort or drill out the Torx then grind a
slot to remove. Loctite will also make bolts nearly impossible to
remove as will CA or epoxy glue but you will have a hard time removing
it too. I work in a high crime area and no one has touched my rack.