If you are planning on a staycation or taking your car on holiday, rooftop storage is a great option which allows you to take everything you need (including the kitchen sink) for you and your family to have a great time away. But few things ruin a holiday like seeing your possessions flying down the motorway, or having to pay out for vehicle damage thanks to the use of too-heavy loads.
Knowing what you can and can’t carry on your car safely can prevent holiday stress and help to keep you and other road users safe. In this series, we cover everything you need to know about dynamic loads, weight limits, and safe driving with a roof load. First up: roof bars, racks and rails: what are they and how do they differ?
The primary differences between roof racks, roof bars and roof rails are the direction that they run in and their functionality.
Roof bars vs rails: direction
Some cars have roof rails fitted as standard. These run down the length of the vehicle. Roof racks and bars, in contrast, sit across the body of a vehicle. Roof bars tend to consist of two bars that are fitted individually, either to the roof rails or to fixings in the roof of the vehicle that are usually concealed by coverings. Roof racks are usually modular. They will consist of more than two bars and can be made up individually or as a single unit designed to securely carry goods.
Roof bars v rails: functionality
Roof rails are usually part of the design of a vehicle; they can come in different designs, including raised rails, known as elevated roof rails, which sit proud of the roof with a clear gap, and fitted rails (flush rails) which form an integrated part of the roof to offer better aerodynamics. The main purpose of a roof rail is to provide a fixing point for racks and bars; they can’t be used by themselves to stow luggage.
In contrast to roof rails, roof bars are specifically designed to carry luggage and/or equipment. From surfboards to roof boxes and even elevated tents, the right roof rails can considerably increase the capacity of your vehicle.
Static vs dynamic roof load
Before you load up your vehicle and go, it is important that you understand the difference between static and dynamic roof loads to prevent damage to your vehicle, not to mention preventing potential hazards on the road. With both roof bars and racks, your car will have a recommended static and dynamic roof load. We will go into more detail about these metrics in the next blog post, but in short: the static roof load is the weight that the bar, rack or vehicle can cope with when the car is not moving. The dynamic roof load is the weight that they can safely accommodate when moving.
If you would like to know more about making the most of your vehicle, or if you would like to get a roof rack or bars safely fitted, consult your local garage. In the meantime, don’t forget to follow Trust A Garage on Facebook or X.