16 replies to this topic

[Nearlyroadready]

Just started a 3 month road trip Andive got all the toys with me for some fun. All I have in the roof box is a pair of skis and some empty backpacks. It seems that the outer roof rails are bending under the weight. I followed and on installing a yakima rack to the roof on the outside and figured it would be fine since people have detailed putting way more weight up there than me.
It seems my options are: ditch the rack, support it from the inside every time I pop it up, or put hard foam supports under the bars on each roof member to try and defray the weight over the whole roof. Has anyone dealt with this? Suggestions? Thanks!
Luke

[CALIcamperdad]

The FWC roof is bending or the cross bars on the rack are bending? My first thought is that you may want to get some flat track, then mount the feet for the cross bars on that, the flat track widens the surface area to carry the load and also makes your positioning of the rack bars easy you can slide them fore and aft for your various needs etc. The typical Yakima bars are rated for a standard 150lb static load.

Edited by CALIcamperdad, 25 February 2015 - 07:31 PM.

[CALIcamperdad]

Picture for reference

https://images.searc...901&fr2=piv-web

[Nearlyroadready]

The roof is bending, not the bars. I thought about going that way but didn't have the budget and all the weight would still be focused on just two of the roof's inner aluminum tubes.

[lqhikers]

nearlyroadready.

 

maybe the way i built a roof rack would end your problem.

i used 1" thin wall steel tubing as 3 cross bars .

cross bars were mounted to the edge of roof with 1"flat stock approx 6" for each

mounting point (6 total),t shaped with single t pointing up,to this the cross bars were wielded.

brackets were then screwed to roof edge with 4 screws for each bracket.

carried kayak (double 90# at least)

 

never had any failures.

 

pictures might give you ideas.

 

Les,lqhikers

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[CALIcamperdad]

The roof is bending, not the bars. I thought about going that way but didn't have the budget and all the weight would still be focused on just two of the roof's inner aluminum tubes.

Sounds like you need to spread the load out over a larger foot print along the edge of the roof so your getting less load in a very small area. The flat track idea run along the outer edge of the roof frame should do the same thing regarding spreading the load out vs a small foot print etc. The flat track would also let you add a cross bar if you wanted too.

Edited by CALIcamperdad, 25 February 2015 - 08:39 PM.

[Stan@FourWheel]

Any pics?

[bike4mee]

sure would like to see what "Les,lqhikers" is doing with a closeup pic. I use yakima towers to side mounts and long crossbars. I have had no problems even carrying 4 kayaks except a sag in the middle. This can be supported with a foam block. Many a pickup camper shell employs this same technology, look around a parking lot. I wonder what part of the roof is bending?

[lqhikers]

bike4me,

 

as many know i have a hard time with posting,just got back into being able to post pictures,so what i posted is the best i can do.

took me a while  to figure out before just clicking on thumbnail makes it bigger!

do not know if it works for you.

 

you can tell how they mount do not really close up to figure out,just basic wielding skills! ha.ha.

 

the cradles for the kayak just bolt onto cross bars.

 

Les,lqhiker

[Nearlyroadready]

Here's a picture of the roof up. Harder to tell, but it is bent under the minimal weight of 1 pair of skis and a few empty packs. Nothing substantial at all. 

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