With a roof rack, your car becomes an all-purpose, trip-taking machine for your active family. Even while basic roof racks are a common feature on many vehicles and SUVs, if your vehicle doesn’t already have one, you can install one yourself.
Whatever your car’s starting configurationbare roof (no rack at all), roof rails (no crossbars), or complete rackwith these suggestions, you’ll quickly have your gear loaded and prepared for your next family vacation.
In This Article...
Full Roof Rack
Your objective has already been mostly completed if your car has roof rails and crossbars. You merely need gear adapters, that’s all. For example, customized adapters clamp to your current crossbars to transport a bike or a kayak.
Installation takes only a few minutes and only a few simple tools, if any at all, are needed. To make moving your equipment even simpler, several automakers, like Subaru, sell individual parts. After installation, load your equipment in accordance with the manual that came with the adapters.
RoofRailsOnly
Your car’s roof rails are really just a smaller version of a full roof rack. A set of crossbars is the ingredient that is lacking. Although your car’s manufacturer presumably makes crossbars specifically for your particular make and model, you can also likely find aftermarket crossbars that connect to your existing roof rails. Use the provided tool or a set of simple hand tools to attach them. Once the crossbars are in place, you must locate the proper adapters to mount the particular equipment you are towing.
Bare Roof
Factory and aftermarket alternatives can get you and your gear on the road with minimum hassle even if all you have to work with is a plain roof. Your service center can typically provide the templates and drilling needed for factory roof racks. On the other hand, you can install a set of factory roof racks in about an hour with the right equipment, factory instructions, and persistence.
There are alternatives to factory roof racks. Bolt-on roof racks will demand careful consideration while designing and building, especially with regard to waterproofing. When not in use, clamp-on roof racks are simple to mount and demount without the need for drilling.
Things to Keep in Mind Regarding Roof Racks
Depending on your car, aftermarket roof racks could not come as a kit but rather as individual pieces. Similar to this, gear adapters are specialized, e.g., for a cargo basket or snowboard, so you just need to acquire what you require. Look for security elements that can help prevent theft of your roof rack, adapters, and most crucially, your equipment, such as a keyed clamp, special installation tools, or a security cable pass-through.
Any non-factory racks, or at the very least the crossbars, should be taken off while not in use. Even empty roof racks can significantly harm your car’s aerodynamics, reducing its fuel efficiency. Of course, you won’t have to worry about this if you’re actually carrying stuff.
Be careful when loading and unloading your gear because roof racks are high, possibly even above your head. You might damage yourself, break a window, or scratch the paint. However, if you put in a little extra work, you’ll soon be cruising to the beach or the slopes without any mess!
Consider shopping for all the cargo accessory products on NAPA Online or having your regular maintenance and repairs handled at one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare facilities instead. Consult a qualified specialist at your nearby NAPA AUTO PARTS shop for more details on roof racks.
Can an Audi A3 have a roof rack?
Includes: 4 feet, 2 Thule Standard bars, and a fitting kit made specifically for the Audi A3.
Maximum Load: The total load capacity of this AUDI A3 roof rack system is 75kg. Please double-check your vehicle’s maximum roof load capacity.
The most widely used roof bars worldwide are probably the Thule Standard Square Bars.
These bars have a black plastic coated surface and are made of high load bearing galvanized steel.
At a reasonable cost, the square bars provide exceptional quality, strength, and functionality.
- High-strength galvanized steel box sections
- Black plastic covering for defense
- Adaptable to a variety of accessories
Can every automobile have a roof rack?
As you might anticipate, the crew at Roof Rack Centre has a lot of experience loading kayaks, bikes, and roof boxes onto vehicles. Their professional guidance will be helpful for your specific, nearly unique requirements because loads and autos differ greatly. They are delighted to provide this.
Everything you may possibly need for leisure or professional use on your car is available for purchase at the “Roof Rack Centre,” a special section of your Canoe & Kayak Center. Thule, Whispbar, Yakima, and Rhino-Rack are a few of our brands.
Particularly in New Zealand, there are many foreign automobiles that frequently require a different roof rack solution than what you could discover in a fit guide. We can provide more guidance on these.
- the horizontal bar that spans the width of the roof.
- the bottom of the bar’s feet
- a mounting kit made specifically for the vehicle
Although roof racks are compatible with 98 percent of automobiles, you will need particular equipment to attach them to your car.
Any roof rack that is put on your car’s rain gutters will almost probably work, although you might need to adjust the foot height and bar width. Most likely, you can use a rain gutter to transfer the rack from one vehicle to another.
The majority of roof racks, however, are made for vehicles without gutters because most current automobiles lack them. Others of these include rails, fix-points, or clamp mount systems, while some of them combine detachable and permanent mount designs.
The bar, “feet,” and “fit kit” that attach to the upper edge of the door jam to secure the roof rack to your gutterless car make up the roof rack. While each kit is tailored to fit a particular vehicle, the feet utilized are compatible with a wide range of vehicle types.
On each side of the roof, roof rails extend from front to back. Frequently, they come factory equipped. They cannot serve as roof racks on their own.
Roof bars that are clamp mounted (attached to the door frames using fit kits), fixed to factory installed fixpoints, or roof rail mounted run across the roof.
No, roof rails need internal roof mounts and are often installed during the manufacturing of the car. Although technically possible, the expense generally wouldn’t be justified since we already have a tailored solution for your vehicle. You can discover a roof rack that will fit your car without having to purchase a set of longitudinal roof rails.
Integrated Roof Rails typically consist of a raised, moulded profile that runs from front to back along both sides of the roof. Between the rail and the roof, there is NO GAP. These are often found on Subaru Legacy and Outback vehicles.
A fix-point is a vehicle’s recessed, roof-mounted fixture point. Typically, it is a metal profile or threaded hole that is hidden by lift-up covers, slide-back covers, or plastic plugs.
A particular fit kit or bracket is available to clamp the roof bars from the inside of the door frame because some vehicles lack a fixpoint or rails. Contrary to popular belief, these systems are quite secure and only seldom need to be checked for tightness.
I don’t have any roof fixing points or rails. The roof bars are attached in what way?
One bar between the front doors and one bar between the back doors will typically clamp on. For example, look under the rubber door seals for any hidden fixing points. Keep in mind that the minor curvature you notice as you tighten some steel clamps on roof bars is very natural.
Typically, the top of the bar is 115mm above the roof. The majority of the time, the distance between the rail and the top of roof bars attached to longitudinal roof rails is 60mm.
Yes, as long as you stay within your vehicle’s permissible roof carrying weight limit, you are permitted to transport roof boxes and roof racks with the following widths. The through mount mechanism provides more weight carrying capacity in this situation.
Manufacturers of roof racks no longer produce a single rack that fits all vehicles since rain gutters are being phased out of new cars. However, some roof rack systems can be modified adequately using various fitting kits.
Most roof racks can be installed on vehicles without the use of special tools, but if they do, those tools are provided with the kit. We offer a free fitting service at the Roof Rack Center. (Permanent mount systems are an exception to this.)
No drilling is necessary unless you’re installing a permanent mount system or factory-style track. Don’t be afraid when it’s required. The identical techniques and supplies used on the production assembly line by the vehicle’s manufacturer will be used by us to complete the task for you.
Traditional rain gutters are becoming less common on automobiles, leaving either track mount or permanent mount systems as alternatives. We can drill holes for you safely here at the Roof Rack Centre. We carefully align the roof rack according to the mounting positions advised by the roof rack manufacturer, mark the locations of the mounting holes. We clear the region of all filings and trash before drilling to a safe depth; (this is very important). After that, we apply a specific anti-corrosion paint and a non-curing silicon compound to the drilled holes. With the aid of a specially shaped self-sealing rivet, the tracks or mounting pads are fastened to the surface of the roof.
NO RUST, NO LEAKS are guaranteed by the cleaning procedure, the anti-corrosion treatment, the use of Silicon compound, and the design of the self-sealing rivet.
Your vehicle won’t be scratched or harmed by a rack when it is placed correctly on a spotless roof. We advise you to frequently remove your roof rack to brush off any accumulated road grime.
Most racks are equipped with a common security locking mechanism. One can be ordered as an accessory if one is not included as standard.
For particular carrying capacity information, refer to your “owner’s manual” or the strength of your roof. The design and name of the roof rack can also affect this.
In most cases, no, however roof racks occasionally produce a tiny whistle when the aerodynamics of the car are changed. Frequently, shifting the front bar a little bit to the front or back will alleviate this minor annoyance.
According to our observations and the manufacturer’s advice, if you use your roof rack often but take it off the recommended number of times a year to clean it (and the car as well), you should have many years of reliable service.
Most roof rack systems can be easily removed, unless you have a permanent mount system in which the roof rack is welded to a track or your roof. But most owners continue to use them. If you choose to take them out, follow the removal instructions in reverse order after consulting your installation manual.
Although there are many different kinds of roof racksincluding inflatable and foam racksthe most secure solution in the long run will always be a sturdy aftermarket roof rack installed on the roof of your vehicle. There are handy and readily accessible accessories, such as kayak or canoe cradles and vertical bars (Fold-a-Poles), to which the kayak can be tied.
Otherwise, place your kayak upside-down on the roof racks if your car has them and no other fancy accessories to avoid the hull from being damaged. Find a comfortable spot for the kayak to rest on the roof racks by moving it about. Adjust the space between the roof racks as necessary.
However, turning most kayaks on their side is the best way to move them. Use a series of vertical posts called Fold-a-poles fastened to your roof rack bars. Transporting composite/fiberglass kayaks on kayak cradles is recommended.
Foam padding should be placed between the racks and the boat. Once everything is set up, the kayak should be fastened to the roof racks using tie downs. It’s a good idea to also secure the boat’s bow and stern to your car’s bumpers if you’re carrying a long boat.
If you decide to secure your kayak with rope or bungee cable, keep in mind that certain rope will stretch, especially when wet, making your kayak less secure. Because bungy is never substantial enough, we don’t recommend utilizing it. We sell specialized tie downs that are made for the purpose for about $50 per pair.
We advise tying down the bow and stern to the towing eyes on the truck, especially with longer boats. Use a tow flag that is affixed to the back of the load as well as a nighttime light to avoid a $350 fine. We have bow and stern straps that are affordable and simple to use at the Roof Rack Centre.
Here are some things you should be aware of because not all roof rack mounting types are appropriate. In general, bars with fixed point, vehicle-specific track, or gutter mount legs can be used to mount a rooftop tent. Use of non-specific vehicle tracks or clamp-style fitments is NOT advised.
When a rooftop tent is installed and operated, the following requirements MUST be recognized and followed:
When traveling on open roads, the combined weight of all items mounted on the roof, including a rooftop tent and bars, never exceeds the load rating of the vehicle’s roof. The load rating of the roof should be reduced by 30% when traveling off-road.
The total weight of the tent in use, including any occupants and possessions within, should never be more than double the load rating of the vehicle roof or roof bars in a static (stationary) situation.
There shouldn’t be any concentrated weight at either end and the load should always be distributed evenly throughout the bars.
Remember, call your neighborhood Roof Rack Centre if you have any questions about the best system for your car. We provide free installation, free consultation, and most importantly, a prompt and courteous service.