Things can get quickly confusing when we are on the hunt for the right roof rack. We have to take in consideration the load, type of car, and the availability of car roof racks available currently on the market. There are literally hundreds of different options available to carry all types of loads. Many manufacturers will provide solutions for many scenarios and types of vehicles. This leaves us to try and figure out what exactly are we going to use roof racks for.
Table of Contents
Let’s begin at the beginning
Car roof racks have one porpoise: to carry load on our car. So, the first question would be: “What kind of load am I going to carry around on my car?”. Also note that when style is very important too. A roof rack that fit our car but destroys its overall appearance isn’t a good option. So, make sure that it fits and looks good on our vehicle. There are many types of car roof racks options available for almost any car, but let’s take a closer look at some of the most standard shapes.
Raised rails
Not all cars have cross bars factory installed. This leaves us with an option to attach a cross mount on our existing tracks on our roof. There are very easy to install and anybody can do it. Just make sure to get the details as to how much you can carry with a Raised rails mount so you don’t overload.
Slotted roof
Some cars, particularly SUV’s have a slotted roof. This means that on opposing sides of the roof there are slotted lines that stretch from the back to the front of the roof area. This can be used to install many car roof racks to your vehicle. Just make sure to get the correct Landing Pads to fit the slot in your roof.
Cars without rails
Don’t worry! There are plenty of options available for your vehicle. Many cars have mounting points on the roof that are specifically designed for mounting racks on your car. If your vehicles doesn’t have those, then you can use a special clamp system to install a roof rack. The clamps go above the door edges and clamp a roof rack on your car. These however aren’t meant for heavier loads as they are not as strongly attached as other, more permanent mounting systems.
What to take into consideration
Installing a car roof racks can be quick and easy, but there are some things we have to watch out for. Let’s go over them quickly:
Installing roof racks the right way
Because we will be carrying a load, we must install our mounting system securely. After all, we don’t want our cargo flying off our roof in the middle of a highway.
Watch the weight
We must not overload the roof racks or we could damage the car. Be sure to read the certification of the max overall weight our car manufacturer recommends for our roof. Also, check the roof rack manufacturer max allowed weight.
Know the drawbacks
Car roof racks will increase car fuel consumption as they will create air resistance on the road. This can go to about 1% for an unloaded car and up to 5% or more if our roof racks are fully loaded. They also might include a whizzing sound at high speeds as the air hits them and breaks.
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