Modern car luggage compartments are characterized by large volumes, but even this is sometimes not enough. In cases where cargo does not fit in the internal luggage compartment, items can be placed on the roof.
Types of roof racks by purpose
A roof rack for a car can be manufactured in several variations depending on the type of cargo being transported:
• Universal roof rack is a set of 2-4 crossbars (but can be more), which are fixed on the roof with special mounts. They are made for any type of roof.
• Bike rack – a structure that allows transporting up to 4 bicycles on the roof.
• Ski rack is designed for transporting ski equipment: skis, snowboards.
• Cargo basket – an ordinary metal basket, which is characterized by high load capacity and a trivial appearance.
• Roof box is a box made of plastic, metal, or fabric. With proper placement of items in the box and reliable fixation in the internal space, reliable protection of the cargo is ensured.
Advantages of modern roof racks
• Ease of installation – most modern roof racks can be installed by car enthusiasts themselves in minutes.
• Small sizes of boxes, light but reliable modern materials of the roof rack body and mounts minimize the load exerted on the roof.
• No obstruction of the driver's view – if the box is installed correctly, it will not interfere.
• A wide selection of various mounts that allow transporting almost any cargo.
• The internal space of boxes is quite spacious.
Disadvantages
• aerodynamic interference is created during movement;
• fuel consumption per 100 km increases;
• the stability of the car on the road significantly decreases, especially when transporting tall structures on the roof;
• the need to lift cargo to the height of the car;
• the need to reduce the maximum speed to a safe 110 km;
• noise that occurs during movement.
What to consider when choosing a roof rack?
• The nature of the luggage, which determines what mounts will be needed.
• The make and model of the car – on the packaging of almost any roof rack system, it is indicated for which models it is suitable.
• The permissible load on the roof.
• It is desirable that the structure is made of aluminum, impact-resistant plastic, or stainless steel.
• Models with double-sided opening are more convenient in use, but more expensive.
• All parts and mounts: they must be reliable, resistant to loads, mechanical and chemical damage, corrosion, and made of high-quality materials.
