Roof rack type opionions

Hi Shmick

In my experience the weight of the rack won't have much effect on fuel use...but the wind resistance will. Once you put things on it, won't matter what the rack weighs. I'd go for the ally rack.

cheers David

If you are worried about fuel consumption then perhaps you should be looking towards aerodynamic ladder bars and narrow pods for your load.

thanks for the quick replies. i should have mentioned im not too fussed about fuel when loaded, more so during everyday duties when its not in use (since i wont remove it when not touring).
can you think of any reasons where the side rails, or no rails will be better/worse than fully enclosed rack? i cant really think of anything except it would be easier to secure non square objects like gas bottles (which I don't use) or firewood.
i figure aerodynamically regarding fuel there should be little difference between flat platform and tradesman style (just side rails). If i can get a scenario that the front or back rails would help enormously i might go for full enclosure.
thanks again.

I have an alloy rack. I thought at first it was over priced, but I'm glad I paid the money for it. I have walked on it myself and it hardly flexed. And I weigh 120kgs. I'd like to see the difference in fuel consumption figures between a full rack and a low profile rack. Especially when they're both loaded.

This is just another Holden vs Ford, Toyota vs Nissan argument.

Hi schmck

Like 322 I have an allow - ARB full Roof rack , why as I'm only carrying gear not roof top and can be easily removed for cleaning roof with two good men.
Happy with my choice as for fuel don't care needed to carry gear fuel goes with it easy choice for my uses
Spanner

Hi SmiIk,
if you send me an Email address I can forward a heap of photos of my ARB alloy rack which was origonally on my cruiser.

Now mounted on the pipe racks on my Colorado ute and easy to remove when
not required.

Carries 12 foot tinnie and portable boat trailer.

Fuel bill must go up but certainly not by much.

Recent trip 7000 km. 13.9-----14.1 with a 16 foot "Golf Pop Top" in tow.

I am sure the boat and rack lower wind resistance of the van.

Over to you.

Have fun Haji-Baba

Jeffery, il PM email later tonight, thanks.

In terms of flat platform versus something with rails all around, are thrre any major benefits for one over the other, since everything will be tied down anyway?

I would at least get the side rails, it makes tying down things much easier.

I have a full length allow cage rack and it is great for just throwing things up there and tying down with a ratchet strap. Side and front rails take the load and the strap just holds it to the rack. Without the sides and front bars the rope/strap is taking all the side, front and up/down loads as well as holding it to the rack.

Hope that makes sense!

I don't think the weight of the rack makes much difference to fuel consumption, well not directly. Roof racks really eat into fuel. It is better therefore to take them off when you don't need them. And in my experience, that's where the lighter racks are of most value. Heavy ones can be a pain to get on and off relative to light ones, so you tend to leave them on.
The alternative is to look at a good system for removing/storing the rack. Like many people, I have a pulley/winch system in the garage roof that makes the job easy.
And whether you get a light or heavy rack, get one with a wind deflector at the front. They make quite a difference to fuel use. The big trick with wind deflectors is to position them correctly so they can do their job. You need the deflector to continue up above the windscreen so that the airflow is broken as little as possible as it goes up over the windscreen and then continues up over the rack deflector. You can never do this perfectly but the smoother that front edge flow, the better your fuel figures.
A deflector is particularly beneficial if you have a grid in the bottom of the rack.