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 configuration—bare roof (no rack at all), roof rails (no crossbars), or complete rack—with these suggestions, you’ll quickly have your gear loaded and prepared for your next family vacation.
In This Article...
Can a car without a roof rack have one installed?
You have a choice between two mounting configurations if your automobile just has a roof. You have two alternatives: either you choose a system that clips into your door jams, or you permanently attach a rack to the roof, much like the factory mount options.
What distinguishes roof rails from roof racks?
You’ve probably thought about acquiring roof rails or roof racks if you want to expand your car’s cargo space. The best, safest method to transport luggage, bicycles, kayaks, and a variety of other items that simply won’t fit inside your car is using roof rails and roof racks. To support a roof basket, baggage box, ski rack, bike carrier, or kayak carrier, even a basic roof rail rack foundation may accommodate a wide variety of attachments and accessories.
Roof rails are another easy method to give your car a distinctive appearance and flair while also allowing you to secure cargo to the roof. The information provided here should assist you in choosing between roof rails and roof racks if you want to improve the load carrying capacity of your automobile but aren’t sure which option will work best.
Both roof rails and roof racks let you carry things safely on top of your automobile. This makes them extremely comparable. The direction in which these are positioned on top of your vehicles’ roofs is the key distinction between the two. For instance, roof racks are fitted across the roof and roof rails run the length of the car’s roof attached by feet or other installations.
Roof rails offer points of attachment for crossbars or other add-ons like a cargo box, a ski rack, or a cargo carrier. When necessary, it is simple to add and remove these baggage attachments. Vehicle roofs with flush-mounted roof rails lie flat with no gap between the rail and the roof.
Another distinction between the two is that roof racks are more durable and made to support heavier loads. It is crucial to have roof racks properly fitted since they can select the appropriate kind of roof rack for your requirements. They will also discuss the risks associated with loading the roof rack beyond its capacity.
Surprisingly, most people are unaware of the risks posed by a vehicle top that is overloaded. In addition to endangering the safety of the vehicle and its occupants, an overloaded roof rack can invalidate auto insurance claims in the event that the automobile is involved in an accident and its overloaded roof is found to be the cause.
Does It Fit My Car?
Although most roof rack systems contain some modular parts, your specific options will depend on the year, make, and model of your car. For the majority of vehicles, brands like Yakima and Thule currently provide one or more solutions, but at ReRack, we are able to offer a wide range of options, from now-discontinued designs to the most cutting-edge racks. Contact us if you’re unsure about the parts your car needs! We are glad to assist. See this section of our guide for a description of the common roof rack types.
How Much Is It Going To Cost?
For our clients, price is typically the most crucial consideration. We attempt to stock as many return and used things as we can because you’ll save money and it’s better for the environment (the majority of a rack’s carbon lifecycle occurs during original construction). We also provide a wide selection of brand-new roof racks, of course!
At ReRack, we only offer racks and accessories made by reputable companies like Yakima, Thule, and Rhino-Rack. These roof racks often have greater weight and gear capacities than stock manufacturing racks. The cost of a base roof rack will vary depending on if you want new components, an aerodynamic profile, and the year, make, and model of your car. Complete roof rack systems range in price from about $150 for a secondhand rack on older vehicles to more than $500 for a brand-new, top-of-the-line arrangement that is aerodynamic.
What Do I Want To Carry?
The majority of the time, people purchase a roof rack so they may attach specialized mounts (such as bike racks, kayak carriers, cargo boxes, etc.) to them or because they already have roof mounts. Purchasing a roof rack and roof rack mounts from the same brand is the easiest and least expensive option.
While some goods can be used with several crossbar types, others need additional adapters that must be bought separately or simply won’t function with particular crossbars.
Consider your needs and whether a certain brand is best suited for the equipment you plan to place on your roof rack.
What’s Going To Look Good?
Everyone has own tastes, right? You might choose square or round crossbars; you might need more height; you might prefer silver or black; you might prefer round crossbars or square ones. Before making a choice, compare a few different rack manufacturers because they all have slightly distinct designs.
Do roof racks merit the cost?
As I’ve already indicated, roof racks can be utilized to transport a variety of tools and enjoyable items. Roof racks are the greatest way to transport everything you need if you like activities like biking, skiing, surfing, and many more.
Roof racks are also helpful for keeping your car cleaner and roomier. You have lots of room on your car’s roof, so you don’t have to jam everything inside.
Roof racks, in my opinion, are valuable for those two factors alone! You can always resale it online if you discover a few years down the road that you didn’t utilize it all that much.
Does every roof rack fit every car?
Unfortunately, not all roof racks will fit every car because every car has a different roof profile and requires a roof rack that is specifically tailored to that roof profile. Your car may have a variety of roof designs, including the following:
- fabricated elevated rails
- fabricated rails
- Gutter systems
- And frequently, automobiles devoid of any of the aforementioned
- Default mounting points
Our engineers create and develop legs and fit kits particularly to suit every mounting method to suit the style of roof on your car, not only to look excellent but also to fulfill industry regulations.
Simply visit the Rhino-Rack website, select the Fit My Vehicle page, enter the make, model, and year of your car, and it will show you the roof rack systems and mounting options that are available to you.
Do roof racks function on all vehicles?
Roof racks are not a standard feature on all cars, so if you’re planning to buy a car and need more storage space, a roof rack might be something to think about. They are also the most stable way to move equipment.
What position should roof bars be in?
The bars should be spaced between 24 and 36 inches apart, measured from the same position on each crossbar, unless otherwise specified in the construction instructions. The most support for Thule products mounted on roofs is offered at this distance.
Do roof racks have to have crossbars?
We strongly advise owning a roof rack. They let you transport practically anything that your automobile can’t or won’t fit. Large items like bikes or boats may be involved, as well as filthy items like hockey or camping gear.
Some automobiles have rack systems fitted from the outset; others do not. If your crossbars are factory-installed, you might not require an aftermarket rack system and instead can purchase attachments (like kayak carriers) with universal attachment mechanisms that will snap right onto your factory-installed bars.
You’ll need to purchase a rack system if your bike doesn’t come with factory crossbars. Your roof’s appearance and the items you intend to carry will determine the type of rack you purchase.
What is a rack system?
Crossbars and supports make up the foundation of a rack system. To span your car, you’ll need two crossbars and a means of fastening those bars to it. The elements you’ll hear us discuss are:
What distinguishes crossbars from a roof rack?
Roof rails are frequently included in the design of your car. They communicate in a variety of ways. Some have a raised design that results in a space between the rail and the car’s roof. Others are seated right up to the car’s roof. These rails’ main use is to give roof racks mounting points. They do not act as carriers in and of themselves.
In contrast, roof racks serve as a transporter for your cargo. They often have a platform or rack of some kind in addition to a set of crossbars or roof bars. This platform could be a modular rack system, a kayak rack, or a cargo box. The vehicle’s current roof rails are where the roof bars are mounted.
We notice the distinction in the names of roof bars and roof racks when we examine them more closely. Roof bars, also known as crossbars, are a group of typically two bars that span the top of the vehicle. In contrast, a roof rack has multiple crossbars and frequently has a modular design. The racks occasionally observe a fixed layout with a predetermined number of crossbars.
In some cases, the roof rack system can be mounted at the same locations as the existing rails. In order to install the roof racks, you must here remove the rails. Typically, flush roof rails are installed in this manner in automobiles. The method for installing the roof racks depends on the type of rails your vehicle has. Your choice of roof racks will also affect how they are installed.
Do roof racks reduce fuel efficiency?
The SUV’s mileage, on the other hand, showed less of a decrease, as we discovered when we examined bike racks that were hitch- and roof-mounted. Fuel economy was reduced by almost 2% when the roof rack was empty, which equates to a little over a gallon of gas. At 65 mph, the mileage decreased from 41 mpg to 40 mpg. The RAV4’s fuel economy decreased to 35 mpg with the pod added, a 13 percent decrease, or slightly more than 5 mpg.
Note that the extra bike rails were present in the empty racks when we tested rooftop bike racks.
When not in use, consumers should remove the rooftop carrier and roof rack, according to our experts. Owners of sedans in particular experience significant reductions in fuel efficiency when only the roof rack is installed. However, even for SUV owners, there is no need to waste fuel by driving around with an empty pod and rack.
My profession is a direct result of my father purchasing a 1965 Corvette and me choosing an Audi A4 over a Chevy Tahoe. My passion for automobiles was sparked by the Corvette, and the Audi introduced me to automotive journalism, track days, and do-it-yourself vehicle repair. No matter the season, I cycle as much as I can in my spare time.