What kind of roof bar fixation does your vehicle come with?
Open rail
The side rails of your vehicle that run from front to rear of the roof. They will have a gap in between both the roofing and rail. This gap is typically large enough to accommodate your fingers in.
Rails that are flush or closed
The same as open rails however, with no gap. The rail will be contacting the roof of the car along the entire length.
Fixed point
Your car is not equipped with side rails. However, it has slide tabs that can be removed that reveal an opening for screw fixing. The fixing points are located on the roof, in both front and back, as well as at both ends of your car.
Normal roof
The car you are driving is without rails for fixing points for the roof. Bars are designed for “normal roof” vehicles fit into the doors. There are times when cars have holes for location that is visible in the event that the doors are opened. Certain 3 door models allow the rear bars to slide into the edges of the window at the rear However, some need both of the bars to be clamped on the opening of the front door and the gap between bars could be tiny. When this happens, we’ll show the distance.
What are the roof bars going to be used for?
Roof bars are commonly utilized by sports enthusiasts or holiday-makers, as well as trade professionals to put large items over the top of their cars that might not fit inside , or for those who want to add more room in the interior. Some popular car travel accessories include:
Bike racks
Roof boxes
Racks for kayaks and canoes
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 becoming wider to reduce air drag and noise, that can create issues for accessories being installed. If you own existing bicycle racks for cars, 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 vary from 32mm to 70mm, and this is a crucial factor to consider when making a purchase.
What are the limits on weight for roof bars?
Roof bars are tested and rated to ensure a safe load weight typically between 60kg and 100kg. This is the maximum weight that can safely be carried on the roof bars. Also, go through your vehicle’s manual since it will reveal the weight limit that your roof can support. It is possible to purchase 100kg bars, however your vehicle can only hold 75kg. It is essential to stick to the weight that is lower.
What is the main difference between aluminium and steel roof bars?
This choice will be based on the budget, load weight and the design.
Steel bars
Steel bars come with less cost, making them suitable for people who only will use them on occasion However, they are heavier and generally rectangular in form, which means they aren’t as silent as aluminum bars.
Aluminium bars
Aluminium is lighter and usually stronger when it comes to heavier weight limit. They are also aerodynamically formed and have a more fashionable appearance. They often come with T track slots, which provide the possibility of fitting more options. Be aware that aluminium bars are wider than steel, and care has to be taken when evaluating whether current or future fittings will fit the size. We provide bar widths as well as fitting widths for accessories in our descriptions of all our products.
How simple is it to install roof bars?
Bars generally take between 15 and 30 minutes to put on first time, and after the distances are installed, it will take between 5 and 10 minutes per time fitted on the vehicle. It is recommended to remove the bars when they won’t be used for any length of duration. This will help reduce the use of fuel as well as wind noise.
Do I have the ability to lock the roof bars of my vehicle?
All of our bars are equipped with a mechanism for connecting the bar onto the car’s roof. It is usually in it’s form of cover made of plastic that is secured over the bolts that attach to the roof. Every model and brand is distinct and are described on the product’s page. The locks on roof bars are used to discourage thieves but aren’t completely safe. They are intended to put away the potential robber.
Which roof bar brand should I pick?
We carry a variety of brands, offering the consumer a wide selection, while making sure that all of our products are tested for safety and approved. They are also simple to install. Farad and Modula bars are manufactured in Italy and then imported directly from us, which guarantees the lowest price possible. Both brands provide an excellent value, high-quality and a perfect fit.
How can I prevent my rooftop bars from whirling?
Typically, roof bars begin to make a high whistling sound when you’re moving at higher speed on highways. The reason for this is due to the force of wind blowing between and through bar roofs. There are more contemporary and premium bars designed to help keep 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 lessen wind noise. These include ensuring that you have the bars on your roof installed in accordance with the directions 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, it is possible to move the bars slightly towards the front or backwards to see if that will make an impact. The roof bars can be padded using surf pads or using rope to wrap around the bars might hinder airflow and lessen whistling noise.
What is the difference between t-track slots and U-clamps?
T-Tracks: Some roof bar accessories use T-track fittings. The accessory fittings and screws are inserted into a slot at the bar’s top via the sides and are then placed into the. This makes for a quick installation and lets you use all the length of the bar’s roof. We have our Farad Aero & Wing and Thule WingBar ranges feature t-track slots.
U-clamps: These fittings do not slide over the roof bars, but instead form an unidirectional loop which wraps around the bar for your roof instead. They are typically used to older roof bar steel, other accessories which use u-clamps, and roof bars without the sliding slot of the t-track. We offer our Modula square and Thule SquareBar series typically go with accessories that utilize U-clamps.
Are you able to clean your car with the roof bars in place?
Technically, you can, however we wouldn’t recommend this. If you’re planning to go to an auto wash that is hand-operated with minimal contact between the bars, it shouldn’t pose too difficult to do so. If you’re at an petrol station, we’d recommend removing your roof bars the same way you would do with a car antenna while going through an automated car wash. The possibility of damaging roller brushes to the vehicle is much higher and we strongly recommend not to go through them while carrying other accessories to your rooftop.
Do roof bars damage your car?
There are some points to be considered in order to protect your vehicle while carrying roof bars. The first is the maximum load they are able to support. You need to determine the two points. The roof bar’s maximum capacity of load (generally approximately 75kg) is the maximum weight bars on the roof can handle without causing damage or harm to the roof of your vehicle. Additionally, you need to look up your car’s 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 have been installed in accordance with the instructions provided and also making sure you’re not tightening too much on any fittings to stop any injuries from happening. Utilizing a sunroof when your roof bar is still in place can increase the chance of causing damage to your car. we suggest setting your sunroof at the desired position prior to embarking for your trip and examining the manual of your vehicle manufacturer for tips on using sunroofs on cars when you’re driving.
What is different between roof racks and roof bars?
Roof bar and racks for roofs are basically 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. When the term “roof racks’ is employed, we usually be referring to lines of products which function as crates, or baskets that are placed on the roof of the vehicle typically, larger vehicles and vans are used to transport cargo that needs basket-style roof racks for transporting the trading material.
Do roof bars impact the amount of fuel consumed and performance of your car?
The answer is simple: that carrying additional weight over the top of your car will result in a higher fuel consumption. How much will depend depending on the type of car, the amount of roof load and the speed at which you drive. The studies vary with respect to the amount of fuel which is burned, but our suggestion is to make sure the security of all equipment and to limit speed to 60mph when it is possible to keep the consumption at a minimum. Also, make sure you take off the roof bars when they’re not needed.
How to choose which bar for my roof will work best for me…
Now that you’ve gone through the buying guidelines, you’re now ready to look through our roof bars to find the perfect 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 additional filters such as aluminum, steel, open rail types. For the most precise results, enter your registration information in the yellow box, and we’ll show you all of our products which are specifically designed to your specific vehicle.
