Roof Racks And Load Bar Advice On Roof Racks And Accessories

Is a roof rack a good investment?

Roof racks are a valuable investment as they take the load from in your vehicle to on the roof. You do need to be mindful though to stick to the weight your vehicle manual states to remain compliant for warranty reasons.

Roof racks come in different styles and designs as no two vehicles are the same and it is vital when getting your roof rack fitting done that you inform the company the make, model and year your vehicle was manufactured.

You can buy roof racks yourself, but you need to be 100% sure that you have the correct ones, going to an established, long standing, experienced roof rack fitting service like Bars N Racks will guarantee you to get the correct ones for your vehicle and your needs. You can also customise after speaking to our fitting team to ensure you have the ideal set of roof racks. You can get ones that permanently sit on the roof of the vehicle while others can be removed or even locked with a key! The options are there should you have a vehicle that allows you to make a choice from a few options. You can also add items to your roof racks like a roof top tent, bike rack, kayak carriers the list is quite large.

Roof Rack Pros:

*Make lots of valuable storage space
*They can be modular as you can build sections on top
*They are strong for multiple usages.

Roof Rack Cons

*They can be heavy depending on the ones you choose
*They are not cheap, but they are a long term purchase
*They can add extra fuel usage depending on the weight you add

Roof racks can also allow you to add solar panels which are extremely useful if you want to go completely off the grid camping and not rely on batteries. You can even throw some swags up and secure them with tie down straps to keep them secure. You can even add things like a boat or kayak carrier, surfboards and bikes.

Types of roof racks

Did you know that there are different styles of roof racks? It’s all depends on whether your roof line has tracks or side rails. If you are unsure of what your roofline is. Bars N Racks have a roof rack fitting service. We can supply and install the right roof racks that you need for your roofline. Once you have discovered this the team at Bars N Racks can work with you to see what you are using the roof racks for and show you some samples for you to choose on. Failure to work this out will lead to disastrous endings when you want to use the system but realise, they are not the correct ones to suit your vehicle.

What can a roof basket do for me?

Roof racks is a great investment when you are looking at using it for a range of items that you can remove from your boot and instead change to the roof. You can take the luggage from inside the vehicle and put them in the basket, strollers, portable cots, eskies. Once you have filled the basket you can cover it with a tarp or cargo net, and this will secure the load safely with some straps to keep the cover secure for your trip.

Roof Basket Pros

*Very lightweight to add onto your roof
*Reasonably priced
*Can hold large amounts of gear.

Roof Basket Cons

*Bound by the walls of the basket
*Can cause wind drag and extra fuel usage
*Can be bulky when looking at compared to just loading on roof racks.
*Need to buy roof racks to clip them onto the roof with u bolts

Mounting an awning off your roof racks

An awning can be a great investment if you like spending time on the great outdoors. Bars N Racks is the ideal roof rack shop in Sydney that can chat to you and get you fitted with a set of roof racks that can hold an awning. An awning gives you protection from sun and showers and are great for when you go off road and pull up for a spot of fishing or picnic lunch. You can even use them to store your gear when you are out and about camping in your roof top tent.

A roof box is a great purchase for all climates

Roof boxes are a great alternative to a roof basket. The roof box has a solid base and lid that is weatherproof so you have the comfort in knowing whether summer or winter your gear will be protected. Roof boxes can be removed and stored after you have used them in a garage until the next time you need them. You can put bags of clothing in them, water gear like life jackets, radios, fish finders, children’s small scramble bikes etc.

Bike racks are great to transport on your roof

Bike racks can be added to your roof rack to take the pressure off the back of your vehicle and allow you to still have access to the back of the vehicle. You just need to remember when you do this that the height of your vehicle changes as the height is increased. Remembering when entering the carpark, you need to allow for the additions to your roof, otherwise the result could end up in disaster.

Ski/Snowboard Carriers

Love the snow and tired of having wet skis, and snowboards inside the car at the end of a fun day in the snow? Then a set of ski carriers allows you to remove them from the vehicle to the roof and lock them in. A ski carrier can carry up to 6 skis or a snowboard. They are not expensive and can be added and removed on the roof racks for winter so they can then be easily stored in the garage.

Straps for securing your load

Straps are vital for securing your load on the roof. There are a few different kinds of straps you can purchase. Ratchet straps or tie downs are very secure and essential when you need to ensure that the load is safely tied down. They are very easy to operate and can be securely tightened to ensure nothing will move when you use these.

Bungee cords are not to be used as the primary ropes BUT they are useful to stop wheels on bikes from moving during transport or adding to larger items to assist in making the load secure.

Cargo netting or tarps are amazing for making sure your load is fully covered to ensure nothing blows around while in transit. Tarps assist in keeping the load waterproof and stop airborne debris from getting into your load.

Rope is versatile and can be added to securing the load, but rope should not be used alone. If using rope, you need to ensure you know how to tie knots confidently to ensure they don’t come undone while in transit. Sometimes it’s good to learn how to tie these knots correctly. If you are not confident, then we will suggest you stick to using the ratchet straps.

Finally

At the end of the day, the reality of all this is you need to sit down and plan on what you intend on placing on top of your roof racks. Once you do this you then need to assess the weight as you need to stay within the vehicle manufacturer guidelines for the total amount of weight you will be storing on the roof of the vehicle. If you plan on carrying fuel, solar panels and other heavy gear you will limit greatly the amount of weight on the roofline. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are not placing too much weight on the roof just to free up space inside the vehicle. There are still requirements you need to adhere to.