Travel Made Easier With A Roof Rack

With the help of a roof rack you can carry almost everything from a suit case to bulkier items such as kayaks, canoes, camping equipment and fishing gear without using the passenger space.

The market is flooded with options for roof racks however if your vehicle already has factory fitted roof rails then all that is required are cross bars to attach to the side rails. These racks consist of a clamp around the rail to which is also attached to cross bars. They are easily fitted

There are other types of racks that have straps that attach to the roof mounts to hold it firmly to the edge of the roof. The cross bars are attached to the mounts making a complete assembly.

Car design is a key factor in determining the roof rack to be chosen. If your vehicle has rain gutters then you will need a roof rack that will fit into the gutter and also be mindful that height of the support is related to the height of the roof. Some roof heights may be as low as 130mm while others may need a height of 290mm.Newer model passenger vehicles generally are not made with rain gutters

Vehicles that do not have a rain gutter are designed for attachments, or straps, that are fixed to the roof mount and cross bars. Straps are not universal and must be selected to suit the make and year model of the vehicle,which the rack manufacturer will specify. It is possible that when changing vehicles the same rack can be used if the mount is comparable to the replacement vehicle simply by fitting a different strap specified for the vehicle

Before you purchase a roof rack it would be desirable that you discuss your requirements with experienced roof rack specialists to ensure that the rack is suitable to your needs and also meets the manufacturer's requirements.

All said and done every vehicle has a load limit and mostly the load rating is quite low, therefore any increase in height and load may affect the stability of the vehicle If you take for example the Prado which has a load limit of 100kgs, 2/3 of it would be 66kgs and if you deduct the weight of a basket, if fitted, with a weight of up to 30kgs you are only left with 36kgs of pay load.

For safe motoring do not overload your vehicle and always make frequent checks to ensure the load has not moved due to the movement of the vehicle and also if straps have been used they have remained tight.

When carrying a canoe or kayak the front of the item should be fastened by a rope to the front bumper of the vehicle to prevent the load lifting due to wind pressure.

Ankita has been writing articles online for over 2 years now. She is an expert writer who writes on Roof Rack, Roof Racks & Rail Racks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ankita_Perfect