If You Have More Hobbies Than Space Inside Your Vehicle You May Need To Invest In A Roof Rack
At some point, every weekend warrior faces the same dilemma: Trying to find room for everyones gear in a vehicle with tight storage. If you love to play outdoors, a versatile roof rack is almost essential.
Think of your cars roof rack as a mobile storage shed, where you can transport all manner of gear that wouldnt otherwise fit inside your vehicle. Roof racks can be the best way to haul outdoor gear and large DIY materials, too, particularly if you dont have a trailer hitch. Heres what you need to know about them.
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Find Out The Weight Capacity Of Your Vehicles Roof
Your roof can only support so much weight, especially if your car or truck also has a moon roof, and often side rails and cross bars will come with weight ratings of their own. The roof rack and load carrier capacity can be found in your vehicles owner manual, or online if you no longer have a manual in your possession.
What Different Roof Bar Options Are Available
For most cars, you’ll be able to choose from three main types of roof bars:
Square bars – Traditional bars that are made from steel and havea black coating.
Aero bars – Made from lighter aluminium, these are moreaerodynamic than steel bars, resulting in lesspetrol usage. A T-track system across the bar enables the full width of the bars to be used whenmountingaccessories.
Thule wing bars – Exclusive to Thule, wing bars are madefromaluminium, incorporate a full length T-track system, and are the most silent and aerodynamic roofbarsavailable.
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What Can I Carry With A Roof Rack
A roof rack will allow you to carry a variety of items. Many manufacturers also make accessory kits so you can effectively switch your mount type based on what youre carrying.
Here are some of the most common items roof rack accessory kits are made for:
- Water sports equipment like kayaks, canoes, surfboards and water skis
- Snow sports equipment including skis, poles and snowboards
- Bicycles, including mountain bikes, road bikes and race bikes
- Luggage or travel supplies like suitcases and coolers
- Oversized cargo like camping equipment or heavy-duty storage boxes
If you dont see your must-have equipment or cargo listed here, thats okay. Theres probably a roof rack and accessory kit available to fit the bill.
The Home Depot has a wide variety of roof racksroof racks designed to get you and your gear on the road safely. Learn how to use a roof rack and shop online to find the right option for your vehicle. Find products fast with image search in The Home Depot Mobile App. Snap a picture of an item you like and the app will present similar products.
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Yakima Are Here To Help
At Yakima, we understand with all of the options available, choosing the right roof rack for your vehicle can be confusing. Once you have an idea of the gear you want to carry you can use the weight limit as a guide. At this point consider the look and design of the roof rack. Finding the perfect roof rack for your car should then be an easy process. As always, our friendly team is available to help you out with any of your roof rack questions.
Check out our Fit My Car vehicle finder for our customised fit options or Contact Us to find out more about roof racks or any of our other products.
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Vehicles That Have Factory
If your vehicle came equipped with a roof rack that has crossbars, you may not need an aftermarket roof-rack system. Most roof-rack-mounted carriers andaccessories on the market will fit factory load bars. If the carrier that you would like to use does not fit your factory bars, adapters may be available.
Be sure to check your owner’s manual for the capacity of your factory roof-rack system. Many OEM racks are designed more for aesthetics than utilityand, therefore, are not built to support much weight. If you intend to use your roof rack for heavy loads, you may want to add aftermarket crossbars to boostthe carrying capacity of your system. To do this, follow the instructions for Factory-Installed Raised Side Rails.
Learn The Parts Of A Roof Rack
Roof racksRoof racks come in a few different configurations. The parts can also vary based on what your rack is made to carry. For example, a rack designed to haul skiing or snowboarding equipment will look different than a rack made for a mountain bike.
However, there are a variety of pieces youll get with most roof rack kits.
- A mount: this piece is what attaches to your vehicle. While some universal kits do exist, mounts are often made for certain types of vehicles.
- Cross bars: these run across the roof of your car to hold mounting hardware. Different styles exist to fit the type of mount and other hardware you choose.
- The tower : This is how your mount connects to the cross bars that provide support for your equipment. Tower and rack styles across models.
- Accessory kits: A basic roof rack kit will come with a mount, cross bars and a tower or rack. These three pieces make up the majority of your roof rack system. Accessories are typically mounted to the cross bars and help hold certain items in place. You may be able to buy a range of accessories to help you secure multiple types of equipment and cargo, helping you get the most out of your roof rack.
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Things You Should Know About:
There are two important things you should know before choosing a roof rack and all the accessories required to install a roof rack. Lets just tell them in brief.
- Look for the user manual and find the maximum weight capacity of your vehicles roof. The combined weight of your roof rack and the goods shouldnt exceed the maximum roof weight capacity of your vehicle.
- Now determine the roof setup of your vehicle. If your vehicle came with factory-side rails, you can install a roof rack .
Roof Racks For Vehicles With Factory
Raised side rails are most common on minivans and SUVs. They run from front to back on your vehicle and can provide attachment points for an aftermarket roof-rack system. To mount a roof rack on a vehicle with this type of roof, you will need a foot pack and crossbars.
The pictures above detail the components required for a vehicle with raised side rails.
A. The foot pack for factory rails includes four feet that clamp onto or wrap around your vehicle’s side rails and provide mounting points for the roof-rack crossbars.
B. The crossbars are the last part of the system to be installed. These provide the usable portion of your roof-rack system where any carriers or accessories will be mounted.
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Let’s Take A Look At Bamboli Ltd Roof Rack Types
Roof rail compatible models,
Models compatible with cars without roof rails ,
Bamboli LTD roof rack are specially produced for your car and are 100% compatible with the sunroof. All car models and years are carefully listed and prepared so that you can easily find the right product with sequential selections. You can use this link to start the selection.
You have decided to buy a roof bar, you have chosen the right product, but you are wondering how the rooftop bar works, right? Let’s look for an answer to the question of
What Do You Want To Carry
The first step when choosing a roof-rack system is determining what it is that you want to carry or, more precisely, how you intend to use your rack. If you’rea contractor, for example, and you may end up using your roof rack for work equipment, then Rhino-Rack’s Heavy-Duty square crossbars will likely be a good choice.If, on the other hand, you wish to carry only a couple of bikes, then any bars will suffice.
Most roof-rack-mounted carriers and accessories will fit nearly all square, round, aero and elliptical bars on the market. But if you have a specific idea of whatyou want to transport, then you may want to consider choosing your carrier first so you don’t run into any compatibility issues.
To learn more about the different types of racks and accessories, click on the following links:
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What Do I Want To Carry
People usually buy a roof rack because they want to put some specific mounts on them or already have some roof mounts. It is simplest and least expensive to stay within the same brand when buying a roof rack and roof rack mounts.
While some products are compatible with a range of crossbar types, others require adapters that must be purchased separately, or wont work at all with some crossbars.
Think about what you want to do with your roof rack, and if a specific brand is best-suited for the type of gear you want to mount on your roof rack.
What Is A Rack System
A basic rack system consists of crossbars and supports. You need two crossbars to go across your vehicle and a way of attaching those bars to your vehicle. The components you will hear us talk about are:
The load bars come in various lengths depending on your vehicle size and what you want to carry. Basic bars are square or round but you can upgrade to flatter, wider bars with an aerodynamic airplane-wing-shaped profile which are often quieter.
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Can Roof Bars Damage My Car
If your roof bars arent fitted correctly, then they can indeed damage your car. For example, if screws orclipsare over-tightened, then the tracks in your roof or connection points can become warped or go out of shape.Always follow the instructions when fitting roof bars, or better still let a Halfords expert do it for you.
What Makes Up A Roof Rack
Understanding what a roof rack even is will help you make the right decision when choosing one.
A roof rack is made up of 3 main elements: the mount, the feet, and the crossbars. The mount attaches to the roof of the car. Some cars have built-in elements that act as a mount.
So, a mount is not always necessary. It depends on what kind of car youre working with.
The feet of the roof rack attach to the mount .
The crossbars go across the roof of the car, from drivers side to passengers side, and attach to the feet.
So, the mount attaches to the roof of the car. The feet attach to the mount. And the crossbars attach to the feet. Thats a roof rack!
Pretty simple, right?
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What Type Of Roof Rack Is Right For Your Vehicle
The other factor that will certainly affect what you can carry on your vehicle’s roof is the roof itself. We have an in-houseRoof Rack Application Guide that will help you determine which rack systems are best suited for your vehicle.Most setups are vehicle specific, from the recommended length of the crossbars to the custom foot packs.
Typically, you will have a few choices in roof-rack systems so that can you pick your crossbar style. One area in which you will not have as many choices, though,is the mounting kits, most of which are vehicle specific. Our fitguide will walk you through the process of finding the perfect rack for your application, but beforelooking up your vehicle, you need to be able to differentiate between the different roof types. This will help to ensure that you get a kit that offers a perfect fit.
Your vehicle’s roof should fall into one of the following categories:
- Naked roof
- Factory-installed roof rack with crossbars
Choosing The Right Roof Rack For The Job
Heres the easiest way to buy the correct rack for your vehicle: Type the make and model into a website like Rack Attacks Fit Guide. From there, the site will list your options and prices. You can also walk into REI or your favorite sporting goods store and check out the printed reference guides to see what racks and accessories will work best with your vehicle.
Talk to people who own the same vehicle or roof-rack system youre considering. Ive asked complete strangers at trailheads loading their vehicles how they like their racks. They typically talk eagerly about their entire set up, including benefits or annoyances I never considered.
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What Is It Going To Cost
You can get a universal system with suction cups for about $200, but if you know you’ll be using the rack quite a bit or want a more sturdy and secure solution you will be looking at $360 – $500 for a square bar system or $620 for a wing-shaped bar system, depending on your particular vehicle model.
Measure Your Roof For Crossbars
Repeatedly installing and uninstalling your hitch-mounted cargo carrier can be a pain, especially if you need to remove it to fit in a parking space or garage. It is important to know how often you plan on using it, because you might be able to install an accessory like a folding hitch adapter to fold the carrier up against your vehicle when you arent utilizing it.
You can find our full selection of cross bars here.
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Take Care When Installing
Although it goes against many DIYers ethos, if theres an offer of free installation, take it. When I worked at a bike shop years ago, I installed several racks for customers or walked them step-by-step through the process. Many admitted they would have installed the rack wrong had they done it on their own.
You know who knows the best way to install your rack? The manufacturer. If you do need to DIY it, watching a five-minute install video in the manufacturers site on YouTube channel can save you hours of trial and error in your driveway.
Popular Products To Combine With A Roof Rack
Strength, security, and safety
At Thule our number one priority is safety. That’s why our fit kits ensure every roof rack fits your car safely and securely. Also, at the Thule Test Center, our products are only given the official seal of approval once theyve survived numerous crash tests and wear and tear simulations.
Strength, security, and safety
At Thule our number one priority is safety. That’s why our fit kits ensure every roof rack fits your car safely and securely. Also, at the Thule Test Center, our products are only given the official seal of approval once theyve survived numerous crash tests and wear and tear simulations.
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Whats Going To Look Good
Everyones got personal preferences right? You may love round crossbars, or square ones want as low-profile a rack as possible, or need extra height think that silver is a perfect complement, or go all black. The various rack manufacturers all have slightly different styles, and you should check out a few before making a final decision.
How Do You Want To Mount Your Bike
Do you want a rack that forces you to remove your front wheel for transport or one that simply latches directly onto the frame? Plus, not all modern bicycles feature quick-release front wheels, so you need to make sure your rack is compatible with the bike you own or may buy in the future.
If you own a heavy e-bike and arent an Olympic power lifter, a roof rack isnt a great option for you.
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How Roof Racks Work
Roof rack systems consist of three main components:
- Crossbars: The bars that run horizontally across the width of your vehicle’s roof on which you load your gear onto.
- Legs : These attach to the crossbars and provide the height required to allow them to clear the vehicle’s roof.
- Fitting Kit: The specific components required to securely attach the crossbar legs to the vehicle. The kit required will depend on the make, model, and year of your vehicle.
Once installed, you can then add various attachments or accessories to the crossbars which allow you to carry specific items like cargo boxes, bags or baskets, bike racks, canoes or kayaks, paddleboards, skis, snowboards and a range of other gear.
What Is The Best Style Of Roof Rack Bars
Roof rack bars, or crossbars, come in a variety of styles.
Yakima, for example, offers 4 different styles of crossbars.
Thule offers even more variety. The many other brands of roof racks offer their styles as well.
Many of the crossbars look and perform similarly. Some have minuscule differences, like variants of color, slightly different shapes, etc.
So, what is the best style of roof rack bars?
Frankly, it depends.
Each style of crossbars has pros and cons. Some are louder but offer a higher weight capacity. Others reduce drag. Some are chosen for cosmetic purposes. It depends on what you find valuable!
I have an entire guide about how to reduce roof rack noise that can read by clicking here.
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