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.
In This Article...
Do BMW roof bars fit Audi ones?
The tabs on the threaded rodstwo in front and two in backthat stick out from under the roof box are received in the channel of each bar. The channel on the Audi carrier bar is 1/8 in. narrower and a tiny bit shallower than the one on the BMW carrier bar. I ground each tab to the appropriate width so that they would fit into the channels of the Audi carrier bars.
Who makes the roof bars for Audi Q5?
These Audi roof bars were created especially for the Q5 and SQ5 cars that come equipped with roof rails. The roof bars provide the foundation for installing useful roof transport devices like kayak racks with a T-groove system, luggage boxes, ski and snowboard carriers, and bicycle racks. With plastic cover covers, the basic carrier is built of powder-coated, aerodynamically shaped aluminum profile. The combined total weight of the bars and mounted parts may not be greater than the maximum permitted weight.
Features:
- includes a profile cover, two carrier rails, and assembly tools.
- anti-theft locking device to prevent theft
- Provided: 1 set (2 items)
- Materials: An aerodynamically molded, powder-coated aluminum shape with plastic mounting components
Roof racks: are they universal?
Depending on the size of your vehicle and the amount you intend to transport, the load bars come in a variety of lengths. Basic bars come in square or round shapes, but you may upgrade to wider, flatter bars that have an aerodynamic profile resembling an airplane wing. These are frequently quieter.
What type of rack system do I need?
Depending on what your car’s roof has (or doesn’t have), there are four primary categories of basic car racks:
A foot pack that clips on to raised rails is available if the rails along the sides of your car roof are elevated (there is a space between the rail and the roof). Since a vehicle-specific fit kit is not required, your costs are reduced by over $100.
Solid rails are also known as continuous rails or flush rails if they run along the sides of your roof without a gap. You will need a foot pack and fit kit specifically for them.
Fix points – Some cars have points that can be used to mount a rack. These are frequently hidden by a sort of plastic tab and can be challenging to see.
Naked roof If your roof is empty, you will want a foot pack and fit kit that is made to clamp into the door jamb.
Trucks
There are various configurations for your rack system if you have a truck. Some truck owners install a rear hitch mount crossbar and a crossbar over the cab (components are offered in half-packs for this purpose). You can put a rack system on the cab and/or cap of your truck by installing tracks on the cap. A premium truck bed rack system is also available, and it may be adjusted in height.
What is it going to cost?
A universal system with suction cups costs around $200, but depending on the model of your car, you may want to spend between $360 and $500 for a square bar system or $620 for a wing-shaped bar system if you anticipate using the rack frequently.
Accessories to consider
After investing in a rack system for your car, you may add a variety of accessories to it to transport equipment like skis, bikes, kayaks, SUPs, and other watercraft.
If you want to lock your rack to your car, you might want to think about obtaining locks. Lock cores are insertable into your foot packs and cost roughly $75 for a four-pack. You may purchase locks in packs of 2, 4, 6, and 8 so that one key will secure both your rack and your accessories.
Some cars have roof shapes that cause the crossbars to whistle when air passes over them. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to predict this until you’re on the road. Choose the wing-shaped bars if this concerns you. If you already experience this problem, you can spend approximately $100 on a fairing that attaches to your front bar and directs airflow upward, reducing noise.
Purchasing your rack system
When you visit the store, we will search up the year, make, and model of your car and present your alternatives. Load bars and foot packs are generally always available, however fit kits typically need to be ordered.
We will install your new rack for you and walk you through the process of taking it off and putting it back on for a modest cost. Typically, this is a straightforward procedure.
There is normally a rack that fits your car, though you might want to first look into roof rack possibilities if you plan to buy a brand-new model. Sometimes Thule has to wait a few years before they can start producing parts for new cars.