[gummidge]

Looking for help and advice on roof racks which I know has been covered before but doesn't answer my questions.

Im looking to install roof rails and bars to carry a couple of longboard and kayak. It seems that most of the companies selling them tell you their products are for styling only or carry less than 25kg. None of them seem to be load tested.

I understand that the T4 doesn't have the manufacturers fixing points and so the strength is ultimately on the fixing method but you would think someone out there would have a made and tested solution (other than Thule)

Thules 496 rack I personally think is an ugly solution, apologies if anyone has them. Besides I had one for a VW golf and the thing ripped off my roof and bent the body work so I don't entirely trust them.

and as for carrying boards inside the van - I have two kids who are travelling in the back and I regularly have to crawl through the van to humour them on long trips. Besides the bus is usual pact leaving little room.

Has anyone found a roof system that ticks the boxes of style and strength. It might need to get something custom made down the local metal shop.

Help and advice appreciated.

Gummidge

 

[Or_GazM]

I have these on my van:

https://www.veedubtransporters.co.uk/shop/t4-polished-stainless-steel-roof-bars-s-w-b/

Used with Thule cross bars and a 80kg (rated load) roof box.
Never had a problem with it/them....and it's had way more than 80kg in it!
BIG box, and the mount points are about 10-12" from each end of the bars.

Small footprint, 4mm thick S/S feet, allow fitting in the gutter, where the roof is double thickness.
Good quality silicone underneath, never had a drip even with 2 feet of snow on the roof for 3 weeks.

 

[scruffytoo]

I have these on my van:

https://www.veedubtransporters.co.uk/shop/t4-polished-stainless-steel-roof-bars-s-w-b/

Used with Thule cross bars and a 80kg (rated load) roof box.
Never had a problem with it/them....and it's had way more than 80kg in it!
BIG box, and the mount points are about 10-12" from each end of the bars.

Small footprint, 4mm thick S/S feet, allow fitting in the gutter, where the roof is double thickness.
Good quality silicone underneath, never had a drip even with 2 feet of snow on the roof for 3 weeks.

Gaz, they look really nice quality (would like them in 306) T:T:

 

[BigDefNeil]

Are you sure you need/want the roof rails?
Pros: they can look good and the roof bars might then be removable
Cons: will you actually remove the roof bars? if not then they increase the height of the van.

I've just fitted a set of KRS bars to my T5 to carry my canoes and kayaks. They are oval cross section - so look quite sleek and are quiet/silent. They have T-track - so you can fit various accessories. The feet are low profile - which minimizes the extra height. They are rated at 50kg per bar - so plenty strong enough.

Available from https://www.axiomlimited.co.uk/krs-van-roof-bars/ or speak to rudis_dad on here.

No connection - just happy customer.

 

[BigDefNeil]

Oh, and they are used by the BT and Openreach fleets.

 

[gummidge]

Gaz - Thanks for the tip. I spoke to Veedubtrans on the phone and they gave some good tips. Do you have problems with clearance from the roof when carrying if they're fitted in gutters? Also did you just use captive nuts or a bolt through with a plate on inside?

BigDefNeil - Cheers for this link. Ive just spoken to John at Axiom and hes going to send some pictures of the rails bars to his T4. They do a fixing for T4s with the usual captive nut fitting. It seems that either way I would need to have a permanent fixing point.

Thanks again for responses

Gummidge

 

[gummidge]

Ill post the photos of the Axiom bars when they send me them through. Probably Monday.

 

[Or_GazM]

No problems at all with clearance.
I can even still open the rear sunroof half way with the roofbox on.

Fitting was bolt through with S/S domed Torx head bolts, a "penny washer" on the inside and then locking washers and nuts.
No advantage to Riv-Nuts that I could see, as if you removed the rails, you'd then have 4 holes to let water in!

This is the box I have:

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/ro...boxes/thule-touring-780-black-glossy-roof-box

Fitted to Thule "Aero Bars".

The roof bars themselves look to have about an inch clearance from the bottom of the tube to the centre of the roof.
(If I look from one side, I see an inch space in the centre of the roof, if you understand what I mean....not easy to explain, but let's say I could poke a piece of inch thick wood from side to side, under the bars.)

Oh, and it's stayed in place at over 100mph in Germany many times. T:

 

[gummidge]

Cheers for the extra info - makes perfect sense. Is it this type of aero bar fitting that attaches to the rails?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292010221095?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true

 

[gummidge]

You went over a 100 in your van! what have you fitted to make it run that fast or was it down hill and bone shaking?

 

[g60edition]

If you use aero bars you will need specific clamps for say a roof box as the are flatter and tend to be wider if you don't use the T rail fittings.
I use the T rail fittings and done many a mile across Europe with a fully loaded roof box with no snags.Oh 100mph is achievable as I have also found out whilst crossing Germany

 

[scruffytoo]

If you use aero bars you will need specific clamps for say a roof box as the are flatter and tend to be wider if you don't use the T rail fittings.
I use the T rail fittings and done many a mile across Europe with a fully loaded roof box with no snags.Oh 100mph is achievable as I have also found out whilst crossing Germany

Steady on chaps.

I remember riding pretty quick along a dual carriageway one night, when confronted by a roof rack with suitcases attached. A couple of hundred metres later there were 3 people runnig furiously back, from a badly parked car with hazard lights on :jd

If it had been maybe only moments sooner, that roof rack may have been attached to me.

Yet another visit to hospital only just avoided

So maybe at 102 MPH the roof box becomes detached, excuse me if I'm not behind you whilst testing that LOL:

 

[gummidge]

The reason Im interested in getting the right set up is following a Thule roof rack that failed at 50mph on the M5 with a wicker cupboard strapped to the top of my vw golf M3. Heard a pop looked in the rear view mirror to see the full load mid air then bouncing several times and luckily coming to a rest in the hard shoulder. Shear luck that I didn't kill anyone or at least cause a pile up. Twisted the edges of the roof and snapped the steel clamps on the roof bars. Don't want a repeat of that!

 

[g60edition]

And thats why I didn't go for the clamp on style roof bars.I have fixed roof rails and use cross bars that lock on to them. Dont worry scruffy.It was only the once against an identical T4 to mine and not till he passed me I noticed it was the 151 version and by God it was quick and it had a kayak,roof box and three bikes on the back

 

[scruffytoo]

And thats why I didn't go for the clamp on style roof bars.I have fixed roof rails and use cross bars that lock on to them. Dont worry scruffy.It was only the once against an identical T4 to mine and not till he passed me I noticed it was the 151 version and by God it was quick and it had a kayak,roof box and three bikes on the back

g60, thought it was a bit out of character for you ......................... just looking after your Multivan; even if it is a foreigner LOLLOLLOL:

Yeh those 151's don't hang around, should have bought one years back. A good mate has a V6, that is pretty nippy, just not too keen on auto, or 9 to the gallon

 

[Or_GazM]

And thats why I didn't go for the clamp on style roof bars.I have fixed roof rails and use cross bars that lock on to them. Dont worry scruffy.It was only the once against an identical T4 to mine and not till he passed me I noticed it was the 151 version and by God it was quick and it had a kayak,roof box and three bikes on the back

How the h*ll do fit all that on the BACK?

 

[gummidge]

So Axiom sent me a photo and some drawings for their roof bars. The bars are all good but I think the adapters are a bit utility in style and are elevated off the roof which in my opinion looks odd. Thought I would post them anyway just in case it suits someone else.

Cheers for all the advice.

https://www.axiomlimited.co.uk/

 

[BigDefNeil]

So Axiom sent me a photo and some drawings for their roof bars. The bars are all good but I think the adapters are a bit utility in style and are elevated off the roof which in my opinion looks odd. Thought I would post them anyway just in case it suits someone else.

Cheers for all the advice.

https://www.axiomlimited.co.uk/

I agree that they look a bit utility - but they are up on the roof of a van, and in a channel, so they don't particularly stand out normally.

 

[gummidge]

Okay its been a while since I've posted on this thread but its taken a while to get info. SCA through Banwy (http://www.banwy.co.uk/sca-roofs/sca-spares/sca-roof-rack-system.html) do a 30mm width rail that fits in the gutter which thule or karitek cross bars can be used to span. But there is a problem with the roof camber at just over 9 deg.

I've been in touch with a company who does Neoprene hard rubber extrusions which would counteract the camber and have got a price. Only problem is that to do a run on my own would be a tad excessive. Which is what I expected.

Question is how many people out there would want this product for conversions? Is there a way on the forum of doing a pol?

Any one got ideas?

Thanks

Rich

 

[Or_GazM]

If you sign up as a member and pay 10 quid, you can open a poll quite easily.

Start a new thread. and at the bottom there is an option to start a poll.