Vehicle roof racks are extremely useful for adding storage space to anything from company vans to 4WDs. Even the average family sedan can occasionally make use of a roof rack for that extra bit of storage space for sporting equipment or fishing rods. By carrying equipment outside of the car we allow more space inside, and it means that greasy tools or wet fishing gear need not dirty up our vehicle’s interior.
Cars in the 1960s were easy to fit with lightweight roof racks. Back then almost all vehicles were built with a rain gutter on the sides of the roof. This metal rim made it easy to attach a bolt-on roof rack. This was a semi-permanent roof rack that could be removed when not needed.
Cars in the late 1970s started to do away with the roof rain gutter because it tended to encourage rust. And by 1990s such roof gutters were no longer manufactured. While this was an advancement for general car design it meant that roof racks often could no longer be simply bought and added on. A few cars could still have a semi-permanent roof rack added above the door frame.
Newer vehicles can still be fitted with roof racks, but they tend to be custom-designed equipment rather than lightweight bolt-on devices. The advantage is that these new roof racks are far sturdier and capable of carrying far more weight than their earlier counterparts. And they can be designed for different business or recreational purposes.
4WD Roof Racks
Many off-road vehicles make regular use of roof racks. Car manufacturers know and often provide roof racks as an optional extra. Even if the 4WD does not have a roof rack they often have the attachments that allow the fitting of a roof rack. And the owner can decide which type of rack best suits their needs.
Aluminium Roof Rack
Modern aluminium has many advantages for roof racks. For one thing, it does not rust under reasonable conditions. For another thing, it is fairly lightweight while still being sufficiently strong. This weight factor is more important than it initially appears. A vehicle will be rated to carry a certain load weight. This includes the weight of the roof rack. If the roof rack is heavy we literally cannot carry much load as the car will be overloaded, which defeats the purpose of having the roof rack in the first place.
Options:
- Aluminium roof-rack
- Mesh baskets
- Full-length cages
- Roof Bars
- Ladder access roof-rack
- Powder-coated steel roof racks.
Roof Racks Perth
Consider a roof rack for your company or private vehicle. We have custom-designed racks for almost every make and model.
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