The automotive industry has come up with several innovations in today’s time. As per surveys, experts are working towards making mobility more comfortable, sustainable, and safe. You will see many moderations and advancements in-car features in today’s time, and roof racks are certainly one of them!
A large percentage of car owners are showing interest in roof racks that help free up your cargo space and help you reach your destination with your valuable luggage in one piece. So, here you will explore how you can load your roof rack with your goods in safe and easy ways!
- Keep a Basic Idea about the Limits of the Weights
When you use your car roof rack, you will get more space in your cargo. That does not mean that you put up any and everything on the rack. Racks can carry certain types of luggage. So, to ensure that, it is wise to know the weight limit of the rack and the baggage you are willing to carry!
Overloading your rack can lead to unnecessary issues like low gas mileage or excessive wind resistance when you hit the road. So, weight is one of the factors you must keep in mind. Even distribution of the goods on your rack is the first point you need to keep in mind. Different types of roof racks are obtainable online nowadays.
If you want heavyweight roof racks, the land rover discovery 4 roof rack comes with a 1000 lb static weight capacity which will serve you great in the long run.
- Strategize Your Luggage Placement
The next important thing that you will need to keep in mind is placement. When packing your roof rack, evenly distributing the weight all over the roof rack is imperative. Make sure to consider your doors and centerline as a guide when you are loading the goods across the rack.
Lighter goods can go right into the bottom part, with the heavy ones nicely placed on the top. This shall help ensure the more lightweight luggage will not fly away when you hit the rough roads or the accelerator. Lastly, you can choose to cover all the things with a tarp or a net to fix them at their respective places.
- Test Your Rack Out Once In A While
It is something that many people tend to miss out on. You must test your roof rack sometimes, especially before hitting the highways or going for a long journey. Also, you must ensure that your car and luggage are out of any risk or danger.
Check the joints, the straps, and the casing to make sure they are intact and do not need any repair. You can also keep some standard rack accessories handy for replacements. Some of them include bungee cord, ratchet straps, and tarp or cargo netting.
On-road problems and hurdles do not appear with an invitation all the time! This will help you stay prepared all the time no matter what rack-related issues occur in the middle of the road.
- Use The Tie-Down Tactic
Tie-down is one of the most common tactics people use to secure their luggage on the racks. To properly tie down your items on your vehicle roof, make sure all the windows are opened down, except the one on the driver’s seat.
You cannot open other car doors as the rope has been tied through the pulled-down windows. If you use cinching straps or nylon ropes, you can simply toss them over the luggage you are tying down. Pass them easily through the open windows and then tie them within the car.
Make sure you take at least two passes over the luggage that is front to back and side to side. Also, check if the rope is tied tightly enough to secure the luggage both width and lengthwise.
- Take Some Time to Read All the Rack Manual Instructions
It would be best to keep in mind that each roof rack varies in structure, style, and capacity. Just like every car model varies, the features of racks also differ in many ways. Hence, be aware of all the instructions that the particular roof rack demands. They may differ in terms of features, functionality, loading strategies, and many more.
Make sure that the primary aspect you are aware of is the weight of the rack. It will keep you from burdening the rack because overloading can often lead to significant dangers for the car when driving at high speed!
- Explore the Different Types of Roof Racks Available
Different people carry different types of luggage and equipment, varying from luggage bags, sports equipment, surfboards, and even heavy-duty items like bikes and more. There are various roof racks available in the market that you can explore according to your needs. Kayak racks and bike racks are some of the most common examples.
Other than that, some car roof racks even allow you to set up camps on the vehicle top. If you are going hiking or camping, investing in a sturdy roof rack is a great idea. Some roof racks are temporary, which you can remove after use, while some are permanent.
Key types of racks are flush bar, platform racks, and through bar racks. Depending on the mounting, they can be of various types like fixed point, raised bar, track mount, gutter mount, door mount, and solid rail. So it’s up to you what type of roof rack you will buy depending on your need!
The Bottom Line
Roof racks are unique car accessories if you can use them well. It will be handy if you have a large family with kids or pets and you go out often. If you are confused about any instructions, feel free to contact the manufacturer. They will be the best person to help you out with your doubts. Nevertheless, make sure you know its uses and maintenance criteria well to attain the best facilities. Start searching for your ideal roof rack online now!