Roof racks / vehicle buying advice

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mdf

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#315616 30-Jul-2024 21:05

I need a weekend runabout to ferry me around the DIY Golden Triangle (Home --> Bunnings --> Tip --> Repeat). I want something that will take a reasonably robust set of roof racks, mostly for timber lengths and sheets of plywood. I've only ever used the gutter style of roof racks before and have just been reading up about roof rack styles you can fit to cars. The clamp or strap style seems to me to be asking for the paint to rub off and rust to set in (I live coastally). Should I be looking for something that has factory roof rails to save myself some heartache later?

If it makes a difference, I'm currently thinking station wagon. The Toyota Corolla Fielder looks ideal for what I need, but most don't have roof rails. So also looking at Ford Mondeo, Hyundai i30 and Mazda 6 / Atenza. Any recommendations of what to look for (and avoid) gratefully received.

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#3266467 30-Jul-2024 21:26

Prorack are great dont need rails , I take mine off the car every winter as use the roof pod in summer as well as get ply and timber. Havent scratched the roof at all. Fielders are pretty good wagons as well.

Ge0rge

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#3266468 30-Jul-2024 21:35

I have a set of Rhino Rack clamp on rails, that have a flat platform on them. The clamps have rubber protection top and bottom so there is no risk of metal on metal damage, and the clamps do up very securely - if they are moving and rubbing the paint, you have much bigger problems.

Despite being reasonably aerodynamic, they do make a bit of noise at 100k, and more so if you have something on them. I have also noticed, just once, that a particular cross wind at highway speeds made a very annoying whistle.

Build quality is good, and DIY fitting was easy enough

I do wonder however if, for the use case you have described, a small single axle trailer would not be a better option. Roof racks a are bit of a pain to load, especially if you are talking about construction/ diy materials. Got to lift them up above your head, tying things on is harder, and there is also the weight limit of the roof and rack combination to consider - and not just a static load, but dynamic forces when moving too. Easy to slip and damage the car too

I find the trailer to more versatile - you're not going to appreciate putting builders mix or cement on a roof rack! Trailer gives you the flexibility to carry loose loads like soil or garden waste, timber or plywood, or other awkward shaped stuff like a fridge or a couch. It's also not on the car when you don't need it, and you could probably pick a second hand one up for the same or less than the price of some roof racks. Yes, it has ongoing costs in the form of WoF, tyres etc - but trailer rego can also be left to lapse if you're not using it, and you can buy more when you need it without having to back-pay - it's not subject to continuous licensing.

Food for thought perhaps.

davidcole

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#3266479 30-Jul-2024 22:43

I have Thule wing bars.

Tiny bit of noise at 100km. More so with an attachment . But no whistles.
Made my own ratchet mount for on top.

Car had factory rails that the bars mount to with a dedicated foot.

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johno1234

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#3266489 31-Jul-2024 06:15

Whispbar now Yakima. No noise on ours. Have had others that sing like banshees. I have the car specific adapters on both cars.

Lots of accessories for bikes, kayaks, skis, boxes and so on

mdf

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#3266967 1-Aug-2024 12:34

Thanks team.

@Ge0rge a trailer is potentially on the cards too, however working on the theory that can come later. Didn't want to buy a car to realise that roof racks were going to be a problem though! I currently have a van with roof racks (gutter style) and I prefer those for dealing with longer lengths of timber than a trailer.

scuwp

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#3266969 1-Aug-2024 12:37

Just be aware that the vehicles roof rails and the roof racks have weight limits. Choose something that can carry what you intend to carry. My last 2 (Wispbar and Thule) were 80kg from memory, so not huge.

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Wheelbarrow01

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#3267917 4-Aug-2024 00:17

I've got a 2013 Corolla wagon with roof racks - unsure of the brand but they sit on rubber pads on the roof and have clamps to the door openings. Mine definitely had a workout in a previous life as I bought the car from my wife's workplace, so prior to my ownership it had 10 years of carrying locksmith & CCTV installer ladders & supplies. I checked under the racks and there are no signs of any wear on the roof/paint.

To be fair I haven't used the racks much because I have an 2.4 x 1.2 caged trailer which takes care of most of my domestic cartage needs (fits standard sheets of gib, plywood etc), but the roof racks are still useful for the odd 4.8 or 6 metre length of timber....

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mdf

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#3280543 9-Sep-2024 21:35

Update: a Hyundai i30 has been purchased. While it did come with roofracks, that is because they are thoroughly seized/rusted and wouldn't come off. I can get the key into 3 out of 4, but not turn it sufficiently to release anything. I knew about the rust before I bought it and reflected in the purchase price so that side of things is fine.

Question 1: any suggestions for how to get them off more delicately than using an angle grinder? The angle grinder is an option I guess if it really comes to that, but was hoping for something less potentially catastrophic in the event of an oopsie.

Qustion 2: any views about best brand and style of replacement? I see a few suggestions in this thread already.

Wheelbarrow01

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#3280546 9-Sep-2024 21:51

Do you need to get them off? If not, I'd probably just leave them on so you can use them when you need them. To prevent further rust, you could mask/cover the roof of the car well and then brush on some rust killer/converter to the affected brackets.

Unfortunately my go-to solution for rusty fasteners (a MAPP gas torch) is almost certainly a no-go due to the plastic componentry (and proximity to the roof paint). Maybe a daily spray of CRC into the locks/nuts etc for a couple of weeks might eventually loosen them up but it's hard to say.

Ge0rge

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#3280547 9-Sep-2024 21:56

Having not had experience with that design before, does the key turn that rusted bolt, or does it unlock to expose a bolt head underneath?

Either way I'd be starting with nutkrakr or some other sort of penetrating oil - a mix of acetone and hydraulic oil works absolute wonders. The follow on from there would depend on the method they are designed to come apart.

mdf

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#3280549 9-Sep-2024 21:59

Wheelbarrow01:

Do you need to get them off? If not, I'd probably just leave them on so you can use them when you need them. To prevent further rust, you could mask/cover the roof of the car well and then brush on some rust killer/converter to the affected brackets.

Unfortunately my go-to solution for rusty fasteners (a MAPP gas torch) is almost certainly a no-go due to the plastic componentry (and proximity to the roof paint). Maybe a daily spray of CRC into the locks/nuts etc for a couple of weeks might eventually loosen them up but it's hard to say.

I had a similar thought, but at least one of them is sufficiently corroded it seems to drip rusty water on the roof. Which I don't want in itself, but also not super keen on the idea of it giving way with a load and sudden braking. If I could get them off intact, I could probably gauge the state of play better. Not sure whether that is possible though!

mdf

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#3280553 9-Sep-2024 22:11

Ge0rge: Having not had experience with that design before, does the key turn that rusted bolt, or does it unlock to expose a bolt head underneath?

Either way I'd be starting with nutkrakr or some other sort of penetrating oil - a mix of acetone and hydraulic oil works absolute wonders. The follow on from there would depend on the method they are designed to come apart.

That is an excellent point! I had no idea and couldn't find a brand name on it. I had assumed the key turned the bolt and it wouldn't turn because the whole thing was seized. But have just been watching installation videos and there seem to be a few similar in concept that have the key unlock a slider to expose a bolt. Certainly much easier to go full gorilla on a bolt than a key. I will give that a go.

Ge0rge

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#3280561 9-Sep-2024 23:53

Do keep us posted, or come back when you know more, small engineering challenges like this are always fun.

mrdrifter

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#3280575 10-Sep-2024 08:16

If it's anything like all of the other roof racks I've seen, the key should just be securing the plastic cover over top of the bolt mechanism, it may require something just to loosen up lock pins, there's usually not much to them.

mdf

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#3280703 10-Sep-2024 16:18

Progress! After only a small amount of cursing, I managed to get the cover off one of the roof racks. As others suggested (credit to GZ!), the key only held on a cover than in turn covered the bolt. No joy getting the other three locks to unlatch, but they are currently sitting in as much CRC as I could get into the lock. Trying the easy solution first! Having seen how everything works now, I'm pretty confident I will be able to get into them with something well short of an angle grinder - worst case scenario looks like potentially a flat head screwdriver and a hammer.

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