Roof Box, Rack Bag or basket ?
Submitted: Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 18:33
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Phil P
Hi all,
I have decided that for long travelling trips I need a roof rack to free up some space in the car. The only thing that needs to be stored on the roof is 4 sleeping bags, extra clothes & maybe some blankets.
Ideally I would prefer Sports Bars, that way what ever I decide to put on top I can do by myself and be able to drive the car into the garage when only the sports bars are fitted. The full roof rack systems means I can't fit the car into the garage.
I would like people's
feedback on the various options I can fit onto the Sports Bars, Steel Basket versus Aerodynamic Lockable Roof Boxes versus Rack Bag.
Thanks
Phil P
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 18:35
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 18:35
Rhino Rack with a Canvas bag works.
had a plastic car with us this weekend with that setup on it.
Remove the basket and leave the racks on
AnswerID:
28211
Reply By: Old Jack - Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 18:57
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 18:57
Roof boxes:- fixed size, once on you just can't keep pileing things on top, this is in fact a benifit if you are trying to travell light! things are kept dry, out of wind, less noise. no need to keep strapping things on/off. Lockable!
Metal basket:-unlimmits space! you can keep loading stuff on top, jerry cans, shovels, etc etc. you have to tarp up & tie everything on, unless using a good tarp or tarp bag things get wet(you are after all carryiny you bed on top). Nthing is locked up
Rack bag:- fixed size, still need a good rack to carry it! not locked up
If you are going to use it for what you are saying and two people can lift it off the top when you need to pack it away the hard lockable case would look like the go. you might have a space on a wall or in the roof to hang it from when not in use!
Happy traveling
AnswerID:
28214
Follow Up By: CirclingVulture - Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:13
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:13
I think I read some where that making your 4by top heavy can be dangerous ?
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Reply By: Williewags- Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:11
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:11
What about one of those space pods (Aerodynamic Lockable Roof Boxes).....they are plastic but very aerodynamic and presumably waterproof and you can fit it towards the rear of your vehicle. Not sure if they click on and off.
I wonder if you could mount one on the rear door?
Cheers,
Willie
Gunbarrel Highway.
Always going somewhere
AnswerID:
28217
Reply By: CirclingVulture - Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:18
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 19:18
Would digging out the garage floor be an option ?
AnswerID:
28220
Follow Up By: Williewags- Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 20:03
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 20:03
Or dropping the tyre pressures down to 10psi...would be a bit of a bother, eh?
Gunbarrel Highway.
Always going somewhere
FollowupID:
19536
Reply By: Lyds - Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 21:33
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 21:33
I originally had rhino bars, a 1m*.9m steel basket, and a rack sack of the same size. This was a good combination as it was easy to tie the sack down, and easy to remove the basket.
To get more room a 2nd spare tyre, I moved to an allow Rhino luggage tray; while lighter, it didn't have the same flexibility as it had less scope for tying things down and couldn't be removed from the bars.
Which ever way you go, the racksacks do wear against the roof rack. I recommend that you buy a foam bedroll (from BigW, Clarks etc), cut to suit and place between the racksack and the rack.
Cheers,
Stuart
- To err is human, to moo bovine -
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Paul- Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 22:20
Sunday, Aug 17, 2003 at 22:20
From what you've said, the roof box would be perfect.
AnswerID:
28251
Reply By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 09:21
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 09:21
I used a Bushranger racksack on my last trip to the Cape. It was the worst piece of kit I have ever bought. Before I got to
Townsville holes had worn in the top (yes top) of the bag from the movement of the canvas in the air flow - cost me $85 to fix - and the bag has never been used since. I now use a couple of those rheem plastic boxes for storing bulky stuff like bedding, pillows, sleeping bags and all those extra clothes my wife takes (just in case). I would suggest that you think hard before using a bag - but if you do go that way have one made that meets your requirements - ask your local sailmaker for advice.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Martyn (WA) - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 13:21
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 13:21
Patrol22,
Thanks for the advice, I have exactly the same as you mention, I only have a smallish rack sack and roof rack, I don't know how big your rack sack was, I tried to keep eveything small to prevent overloading the roof rack which is also a half size one. I've used
mine a couple of times so far and I haven't had the problems you mention but I can see how it would happen. I only put clothing and other "squashable" things in there so I always have the sack in tension with no slack bits. Very interesting points though thanks for that something to watch for. Keep the shiny side up
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:37
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:37
wanna sell the bushranger bag?
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Follow Up By: flappan - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 07:07
Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 07:07
I was told to stay clear of bushranger bags. Lots of probs.
I bought a
Southern Cross Tents Roof bag. Quality appears far better then the Bushranger one.
$270 for a 5 X 4 bag. (bigger or smaller sizes as
well).
FollowupID:
19769
Follow Up By: Patrol22 (Queanbeyan - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 19:18
Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 19:18
Truckster
I'm not ignoring you - just can't get to that part of the storage shed yet to
check out the condition of it before I say yes or no. I'm in the middle of renovations at the moment (and you think 4WD's cost a lot) and things are all over the place. I will email you details soon. My contact is peteandlyn22@bigpond.com
Regards
Pete
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 20:32
Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 at 20:32
hey Pete.
Dont worry, didnt think you were ignoring! Been through renovations, I bought a Lab pup, hes modified everything $3600 in repairs so far, and eaten most of what was left, hes only now 12 mths old :(
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Alan H - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 13:50
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 13:50
I've got a roof bag (Rack Sack?) from Bushranger as
well and never had that prob. on a trip to
Broome and back from
Perth, and a very dusty, corrugated side trip to
Cape Leveque.
I packed it with all the light stuff like bedding and sleeping bags, plus I put a removable ply floor on the roof rack to stop any chaffing on corrugations.
It worked
well, no dust inside either so I'm satisfied with that method of carrying stuff up top.
Probably if the bag was not full up, it may wear through flapping about though.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Melissa - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 15:30
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 15:30
Phil,
I'm surprised to hear others say they've had trouble with holes wearing in their rack bags. We and other family members have used them on and off for years and never had a problem so I'd swear by them. I note that the troubles reported where with the Rhino bags...maybe its a quality issue. We just measured up what we needed and got a local canvas maker to run them up out of good quality heavy duty canvas. Our method is to place a bit of light ply under the bag on the roof rack, tie it down then after packed, run two rachet type straps over the whole lot to stop flapping etc. Always found them to be dust and weather proof andhave used them on
Cape York trip, Top End, Kimberely and
Vic high country.
:o) MelissaPetrol 4.5L GU Patrol &
Camprite TL8 offroad camper
AnswerID:
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Reply By: landie - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:05
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:05
Similar to Melissa we had a strong canvas bag made up for a price simialr to the Bushranger product. It has served as
well and has never leaked.
If you are
Sydney based, give All Camping Supplies at Thornleigh a call.
AnswerID:
28304
Follow Up By: Lyds - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:26
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 16:26
do they do a similar style - ie tie downs, zip, etc?Cheers,
Stuart
- To err is human, to moo bovine -
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: landie - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 19:00
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 19:00
Lyds
They'll make it to suit your specs. Ours has tiedows approx every 50mm all double stictched. Difficult to compare to the Bushranger product as this is all canvas.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Phil P - Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 22:57
Monday, Aug 18, 2003 at 22:57
Thanks for your replies !
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Richard- Friday, Aug 22, 2003 at 18:04
Friday, Aug 22, 2003 at 18:04
So what's the answer? I have to same prolem as you and its either a Thule 500 box on sports bars or a Rhino rack and Bushranger bag. (The Thule box because the person I spoke to about top boxes said they used to rent top boxes out and they had problems with the Rhino box. Said if you used the Rhino occasionally they were value for money but on a trip around Oz he doubted it would last.)
The only problem I see with a Thule top box is if you want to carry a second spare wheel. We thought that if we went to a top box we would strap a spare tyre onto the spare wheel on the back and carry a R&R bead Breaker. We would take two smaller gas bottles that could be carried in the top box with all the camping gear.
A friend has a top box and he had a narrow basket made to fit beside it to carry spare fuel, gas bottle and other odds and ends. It seemed to work well.
So what have you decided?Richard and Leonie, The
grey nomads.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Phil P - Sunday, Aug 31, 2003 at 18:34
Sunday, Aug 31, 2003 at 18:34
Looks like the Thule Box is the way to go. Rather expensive compared to the Rhino version !
AnswerID:
29721