Roof racks have proven to be the perfect solution when it comes to saving interior space, they create enough room for you to carry whatever you want conveniently. There are, however, various things to keep in mind when utilizing roof racks. Here is a list of the top five roof rack safety tips. Make sure you observe them at all times if at all you want to enjoy their full functionality without any problems whatsoever.
Select a roof rack that fits perfectly
There are various roof rack designs in the market meant for specific purposes. Regardless of their functions, each roof rack comes with its distinct attachment options. Before settling for a roof rack, you need to ensure that it fits your vehicle perfectly. Have a look at the installation design and compare it to the type of roof your car has. If your vehicle comes with crossbars or gutter rails, you need to ask yourself whether the rack system can fit the roof.
What makes fitting among the main roof rack safety tips is that if the system doesn’t fit, various things can go wrong. For instance, you are going to exert too much pressure on your car. The load may come off and damage your gear during your trip, and also, it may be hard to fit it on the roof in the first place.
Make sure you don’t exceed the weight limit
Every roof rack comes with a weight limit. That is the amount of weight that the roof rack can carry comfortably. Before you go on hauling gear on your roof rack, make sure you know its capacity. While some roof racks have a capacity of 150Lbs only, others can carry as much as 800Lbs. Your job is to ensure that you don’t go past the weight limit. Exceeding the maximum capacity puts both you and your vehicle in danger.
In connection to the roof rack capacity, you also need to consider your vehicles’ rooftop capacity. Some vehicles like SUVs and trucks can handle too much weight than sedans. That means you can carry enough load, including a roof box tent for camping. The general rule is that you should never use a rooftop tent on a vehicle whose maximum load requirement is less than 165Lbs.
Pay attention to the stability of your vehicle
Once you install a roof rack on your vehicle, the first thing that it is going to affect is the stability of the car. The more weight the rack system can carry, the more unstable your vehicle becomes. To avoid any problems, especially when carrying a kayak or a canoe, you need to make sure you fasten it correctly on the roof rack. That is going to prevent any torque, and you are going to reach wherever you are going safely.
What happens is that the load on the rack tends to increase the center of gravity of your car. It thus becomes easy for your vehicle to topple off in case you go at high speeds or negotiate corners fast. It is, therefore, vital that you either stick to carrying minimum load despite the huge capacity of your roof rack, or you drive carefully.
Always make use of cargo anchors
By now, you should be aware that there is a fine of up to $11,000 in the United States if you are found carrying unsecured load even if it doesn’t fall on the road. That is why you need to make use of the cargo anchors. These equipment ensure cargo doesn’t fall off while traveling and avoid ending up with a fine or worse. Each load needs to be stable and well contained within the roof rack. You need to make sure that you use anti skid materials to prevent long items from slipping and falling off.
Another way you can ensure you don’t experience such a problem is by packing heavy loads on top of light loads. Once you finish, carefully secure the straps and anchors. That is to prevent movement of the load while traveling. It is among the essential tips of using a roof rack that you need to need to keep in mind. Doing so will keep you from damaging your vehicle and causing accidents.
Be on the lookout
Being extra careful when driving is mandatory is at all you want to get wherever you are going safely. You should, however, be more cautious and always on the lookout when using a roof rack system. One aspect you need to know is that you have a load on top of your vehicle, and that means the height is quite high. You should thus make sure you watch out for the bridges, parking lots, and overhead wires.
Any simple mistake you drive your vehicle through a block and cause a commotion. If you feel that you are uncomfortable driving with high loads, go ahead and lessen the height. After all, there is no point in carrying everything if you will have a problem transporting them.
With those roof rack safety tips, you are going to have an easy time moving loads and gear from one point to another. It is also one of the best ways to end up with an easy time driving without the fear that something somewhere is wrong. Take note of things such as the height and the weight of the load.
