What type of roof bar fixing do your vehicle come with?
Open rail
The side rails of your vehicle that extend from front to rear of the roof. They will have a gap in between your roof rail and its. This gap is typically sufficient to allow your fingers into.
Rails that are flush or closed
Like open rails however, with no gap. The rail will be contacting the car’s roof throughout the length of it.
Fixed point
Your car is not equipped with side rails. However, it has slide tabs that can be removed that expose an opening for screw fixing. The fixing points are at the top, the front and back, and the sides and back of the vehicle.
Normal roof
Your car is not equipped with rails for fixing points for the roof. Bars are designed for “normal roof” vehicles fit into the doors. Some cars come with an opening for location, which is visible in the event that the doors are opened. Certain models with 3 doors allow bars in the rear to be able to fit close to the edge of the window at the rear however some models have both the bar and its clamp to be clamped to the door’s opening in the front and the gap between the bars can be very tiny. When this happens, we’ll show the distance.
What can the roof bars be used for?
Roof bars are typically used by athletes as well as holiday-goers and trade professionals to transport heavy items up the sides of their cars that might not fit in or for those who want to add more space for their interior. Some popular car travel accessories include:
Bike racks
Roof boxes
Racks for canoes and kayaks
Racks for skiing and snowboards
Large wooden sheets & materials
It is essential to think about the dimensions of the objects you want to carry. The modern roof bars are getting larger to reduce air drag and noise, which could cause problems with accessories that are fitted. If you already have bike racks for your car, roof boxes, or any other accessory make sure you check the size of the fittings as some could have a narrower bar than the ones you want. Bars are available from 32mm to 70mm, and this is an important consideration when making a purchase.
What are the weight limits the roof bars?
Roof bars are tested and rated to ensure that they can withstand a load of generally between 60 and 100kg. This is the amount that is safe to carry by your roof bars. Also, go through your vehicle’s manual because it will inform you of the maximum weight your roof of your vehicle can hold. You can buy 100kg bars, however your car is only able to carry 75kg. It is essential to stick to the lighter weight.
What is the main difference between aluminium and steel roof bars?
This choice will be based on the budget, the weight of your load as well as the design.
Steel bars
Steel bars come with an affordable price, so they are suitable for people who only will use them on occasion However, they are heavier and typically round, which means they aren’t as silent as aluminum bars.
Aluminium bars
Aluminium is lighter and more durable when it is compared to other alloys with greater weight limit. They also have aerodynamically designed shapes and look more attractive. Aluminum bars typically have T track slots that provide the possibility of fitting more options. Be aware that aluminium bars are wider than steel. Care needs to be taken when evaluating whether the fittings of any future accessories will fit the size. We describe bar widths and fitting widths for accessories in all of our product descriptions.
How simple is it to put in roof bars?
Bars generally take between 15 and 30 minutes to put on first time. Then, after the distances have been established, they will take about 5-10 minutes per time installed on the car. It is recommended to remove the bars when they won’t be used for any length of period of time. This can reduce the amount of fuel consumed and also reduce wind noise.
Can I secure the roof bars of my vehicle?
All of our bars are equipped with a mechanism for connecting the bar onto the roof of your car. This usually takes shape of a plastic cover that is secured by the bolts used to attach the bar. Each model and brand are unique and will be described on the page for the product. Roof bars with locks are designed intended to deter thieves and are not completely safe. They are designed to deter away the potential robber.
Which roof bar brand should I select?
We carry a variety of brands, offering the consumer a wide selection, while guaranteeing that our products are tested for safety and approved, as well as easy to put in. Farad and Modula brand bars are manufactured in Italy and then imported directly by us, guaranteeing the most competitive prices. Both brands provide an excellent value, high-quality and a perfect fit.
What can I do to prevent my rooftop bars from whirling?
In general, roof bars begin to make a high whistling sound when you’re traveling at higher speed on highways. The reason for this is due to the force of wind blowing through and around bar roofs. Modern and premium bars designed to help keep the noise to a minimum. be sure to look for aerodynamic on our pages for products. There are several options you can take to test whether you can minimize wind noise. These include ensuring that you have the bars on your roof set up in accordance with the specifications that are provided (you’ll be amazed to learn that we get inquiries from people who have set the bars in a reverse-to-front configuration). If there aren’t any fixed points in your vehicle, you could try moving the bars slightly towards the front or backwards to see if that will make any difference. By securing the roof bars using surf pads or using rope to wrap around the bars may aid in reducing airflow and lessen whistling noise.
What is the difference between t-track slots and U-clamps?
T-Tracks: a few roof bar accessories make use of T-track fittings. The accessory fittings and screws are inserted into a slot at the bar’s top through the side panels before being put in place. This makes it easy to install and allows you to utilize all the length of the bar’s roof. The Farad Aero & Wing and Thule WingBar ranges feature t-track slots.
U-clamps: these fittings won’t slide over the roof bars but form an elongated band that is wrapped around the bar for your roof instead. These are usually useful on older roofing bars made of steel roof accessories that make use of u-clamps as well as roof bars without the sliding slot of the t-track. The Modula square and Thule SquareBar ranges are typically paired with accessories that utilize U-clamps.
Do you think you can use a car wash using the roof bars?
Technically, you can, however we do not recommend doing this. If you’re taking an auto wash that is hand-operated that doesn’t require any contact with the bars, it shouldn’t be problematic. If you’re at an petrol station, we’d advise detaching the roof bars in the same way as you would with a car aerial while going through an automated car wash. The chance of damaging roller brushes to the vehicle is much greater and we strongly recommend not to go through them while carrying other accessories that are on the roof.
Do roof bars damage your car?
There are several points to be considered in order to protect your vehicle while carrying roof bars. The first is the maximum load that the bars are able to support. You need to determine the two points. The roof bar’s maximum capacity of load (generally about 75kg) is the maximum weight bars on the roof can handle without breaking or damaging the roof of your vehicle. Additionally, you need to verify the manufacturer’s guidelines, they’ll indicate a maximum weight for travel to make sure you aren’t putting excessive stress on other parts of your vehicle.
Verifying that your roof bars are installed in accordance with the instructions provided as well as ensuring that you’re not tightening too much on the fittings. This will stop any injuries from happening. Utilizing a sunroof when you have the bars on your roof still in place can increase the chance of causing damage to your car. we suggest setting the sunroof in its most preferred location prior to setting off on your journey . Also, make sure you check the manual of your vehicle manufacturer for guidance on how to use sunroofs for cars traveling.
What is what’s the distinction between roof racks and roof bars?
Roof bar and racks for roofs can be described as the same thing as they both are tools designed to move heavy equipment up top of our vehicles. We actually use the term “roof bars” for the majority the roof bars we have which typically come in pairs and can be placed horizontally over the top of vehicles. If the term “roof racks’ is mentioned, we usually refer to products which function as crates, or baskets which sit on the roof of the vehicle typically, larger vehicles and vans transport cargo that requires roof racks that look like baskets to transport trade materials.
Do roof bars influence the amount of fuel consumed and performance of your car?
The answer is simple: that carrying additional weight on top of your car will result in a higher fuel consumption. The amount of fuel consumed will vary according to the car model, the weight that is carried up the roof and the speed at which you drive. There are a variety of studies that vary in their percentages as to the amount of fuel which could be burned. Our suggestion is to make sure that all your items are safe and to limit speed to 60mph when it is possible to keep the consumption as low as is possible. Also, make sure you take off the roof bars when they’re not needed.
How to choose which the right roof bars for my vehicle…
After you’ve gone through the buying guidelines, you’re now ready to look through our roof bars to find the ideal set. Choose your vehicle’s model, year and make. Then, you’ll be able to narrow down on the left-hand side of your vehicle’s body style and also other filters like aluminum, steel, and open rail types. For the most precise results, input your registration information in the yellow box, and we’ll display all our products which are specifically designed to your specific vehicle.
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