What To Look for In a Roof Rack?
Whether it’s perfect weather for a weekend out in the woods or maybe you are planning an adventurous road trip with your friends, chances of traveling with numerous luggage are high. However, finding room for everyone’s gear with tight storage can be challenging. A roof rack tends to be a space-saving alternative for your caring cargo and equipment as it allows you to carry almost anything that you can’t fit in your vehicle.
However, while some vehicles already have roof rack systems, others like a more customized option. So, if your truck holds factory crossbars, you might not require to buy a roof rack system, but if your vehicle doesn’t hold factory crossbars, you must purchase a roof rack system. Additionally, roof racks are not similar for all the vehicles as they come in different sizes, strengths, designs, and types. Here is everything that will help you invest in the right roof rack system for your vehicle.
Contents
What is a Roof Rack System?
A basic roof rack system includes crossbars and supports. However, you might require two crossbars to go through your vehicle and a way of attaching those bars to your car. Following are the components of your truck roof rack system.
- Load Bars consist of two crossbars
- Foot Packs/Towers are the supporters of the crossbars
- Fit kits/clips are vehicle-specific footpads or brackets to help attach the foot pack onto your vehicle.
Also, the load bars are available in different lengths, contingent on the vehicle size. Besides, basic bars usually hold square or round shapes, but if you want, you can opt for flatter, wider bars with an aerodynamic airplane-wing-shaped profile which are often quieter.
Types of Roof Rack System
- Standard/naked roof racks have a smoother texture and don’t hold any rails or tracks. With a bare roof, you require a clip kit, leg kit, and crossbars to get a complete roof-rack system.
- Raised roof rails are often factory-fitted in SUV cars. Such roof rails run from front to back on your vehicle with space between the side rails and the car.
- Continuous/flush rails share similarities with raised roof rails as they are factory fitted and offer a sturdy mounting point for the roof racks. These hold an easy installation process among other rooftop types.
- Fix points: Several vehicles with points intended for mounting a roof rack are available. These are often covered with metal, plastic, or rubber cover.
Ways to Help You Choose the Right Roof Rack
1. Check the Weight
Nowadays, you will find a variety of roof racks, from steel and aluminum roof racks to wood roof racks; however, one should always opt for a stronger one over a heavier one. Considering many roof racks are clumsy and hold heavy material like steel, avoid sacrificing strength to lose weight. Aluminum racks are 30 percent lighter than steel, with more strength and load-carrying capacity.
2. Accessories are Vital
Before investing in a roof rack, ensure to consider the accessories you will need. These days, different accessories open the door for endless adventure possibilities, including kayak carriers, roof baskets, bike carriers, and cargo boxes. Ensure your roof rack can accommodate rooftop tents, bikes, skis, surfboards, axes, canoes/kayaks, and whatever else you may need. Since brands make it challenging to put competitors’ accessories on their rack, ensure that you don’t end up out of options you want.
3. Product Support
Numerous unreliable brands offer shoddy roof racks, so it’s vital to stick with those brands that have been around for decades. Additionally, ensure you are getting live customer service to assist in rack installation or questions about performance.
Also, find a brand that makes roof racks and accessories for a broad range of vehicles. Varieties in racks and accessories simply indicate more options to choose regardless of what you are driving.
4. Design and Styles
There are different roof rack designs and styles available for consumers. However, you must determine which one is the best fit for your vehicle as every luggage on a roof rack affects its fuel economy and noise. For that reason, you require roof racks that are strong and lightweight, lessening the impact of noise and fuel use.
The rack needs to be lightweight for easy loading and unloading. This also ensures easy access to the low-packing garage while requiring little effort. It’s worth mentioning that roof rack material also determines its life span, as several materials are more resistant to corrosion than others.
Wrap Up
Roof racks are versatile equipment that enables the user to store luggage and other bulky items (sports equipment), including tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, pillows, camp chairs, and more. Besides, there are different accessories available, so ensure to choose the right one so that you can use it for multiple purposes. Lastly, stick to those brands that offer good quality roof racks along with a live support facility to resolve your queries about the performance and rack installation.
