Roof racks

[Mrs Sea]

We are looking to buy a replacement motorhome but need a roof rack strong enough to carry open canoes or sea kayaks. We initially looked at low profile coach builts but are worried that the GRP roof won't be strong enough to take the rack and boats. Any comments?

 

We are now looking at panel van conversions instead. They aren't as high off the ground and being originally a commercial vehicle feel it will take the strain/weight better. The Trigano Tribute on the Fiat Ducato has an integral rail for fitting a roof rack and we have seen a superb galvanised rack with roller bar and canopy attached too. No idea where this was fitted though.

 

Any thoughts, Pros and Cons re racks on panel van V coachbuilt or recommendations on where to go to buy a heavy duty/commercial rack would be gratefully received?

 

Thanks

[Lee1st]

Hi Mrs Sea,

My coachbuilt (Geist Phantom) has a roof that you can walk on and there's a roof rack on it. Not sure what the load capacity of the roof rack is (or the weight of your kayaks) but I'm sure the website would tell you. I know there's also been a lot of talk about putting too much weight up high upsetting handling etc. which makes a lot of sense.

Hope this helps, I'd be interested to know how you get on as I was thinking of getting a kayak/canoe of some sort myself.

Lee

[colin]

Try Thule (if I've spelt it correctly) rack, I have used these for carrying large amounts of Windsurf racing gear and 2 man sailing canoe.

[Mrs Sea]

Thanks to both of you.

 

We've been told that the german coachbuilts are the only vans you can/should walk on the roof so guess your Geist is one of them Lee.

 

We weren't aware Thule did racks for coachbuilt motorhomes Colin. What van have you put yours on?

 

Our biggest concern is not the strength of the rack or even purchasing one but whether non german coachbuilt roofs are strong enough to take the load. What can you fix the rack to in a GRP roof? Won't the screws pull out too easily?

 

I really would prefer a small coachbuilt rather than a panel van conversion, (though my other half has the opposite view) but carrying canoes is a major priority so unless we can be reassured about GRP roofs, it will have to be a Panel van.

 

Thanks again to you both.

[messerschmitt owner]

our old Elddis Autoquest 400 was capable of taking 20 stone on its roof (and, no I don't weight that much - the manual said so).

 

Our current Rimor has a full width rack at the rear and it can take my weight - of course, it has to, how else does one use it!

 

However, one of the issues for a kayak would be the length and awkwardness of being able to manhandle it ten feet in the air, as well as the hassles of avoiding low bridges, etc.

 

If you're buying new I would just clarify that the roofrack can handle you and the weight put on it before handing over your hard earned. Not that I think a manufacturer would build a van with a roof rack you couldn't use........

 

Campbell

[Mrs Sea]

Thank you. Its not the rack that appears to be the problem its the fitting of it to the roof. Apparently, according to dealers we've asked, the fixing screws are likely to part company with the van as they have nothing solid to fasten into. Has anyone had this happen or am I being given duff info - can't see why a dealer should try and put me off buying a van with a roofrack.

 

Thanks

[Randonneur]

Mrs Sea - 2007-05-19 11:30 PM

 

We've been told that the german coachbuilts are the only vans you can/should walk on the roof so guess your Geist is one of them Lee.

 

 

We asked the same question when we bought our Rapido coachbuilt and was told most definately that you could walk/stand on the roof, otherwise, why did the manufacturers fit a rear ladder. We would only be doing this to clean the roof or if something went wrong with the solar panel.

[Brambles]

You have a couple of options. One is to locate the wood beams in the roof and mounting points are attached and bolted through them to the inside of the van, along with additional straps onto the side edges/corner. If you have moulded rounded edges this is a little hard to do but I believe in always having a back up fixing.

A better option might be to go for roof bars. Fiamma do them. basically you have two rails bolted along the sides of the roof ro the corner structural members. Across these rails you place bars. You can then attach things direct to the bars or a roof rack to the bars.

Take a look here for what I am mentioning.

http://www.agentfiamma.co.uk and look under fixing bar in left hand menu.

You are correct you cannot rely on screws into the fibreglass. You need to fix right through the roof panel construction and put reinforcemnet plates on inside, or screw directly into frame along edge and needs to be done properly with the right size screws. Mainy motorhomes now come with rails all ready fitted and all you need are the cross bars.

Jon.

 

[Brian Kirby]

If you buy a panel van, you should be able to find a commercially produced rack that will fix securely to it.  Those I've seen/noticed sit in the gutter, so I assume that is where the strength lies.  The snag would be with post fitted high tops, where I'd guess no one manufactures to accommodate their shapes/sizes, and because many of these roofs seem also to seal onto the gutters, elevating roofs which won't with a roofrack on them, and possibly high tops, where I'd guess the range of suitable racks will be very limited.

Fitting roof rack/rails to a coachbuilt - I'd say don't!  If they're already there, and were original factory fit, fine.  If it's a current production van, and you have it done via a dealer with a proper workshop, who knows the van and fits the manufacturer's purpose made rack/rails, probably OK.  Otherwise, I think it's a recipe for leaks.  You absolutely must fix to cross members within the roof construction, the roof itself must be adequate for the load, and suitable to walk on, and sealing of the fixings requires great care.  Motorhome roofs aren't as flat as they look, and many have more or less permanent puddles sitting on them where rainwater doesn't drain away.  Sod's law says at least one of your rail supports will have to be fixed right where a puddle normally lives!  The roof material is frequently quite thin sheet aluminium overlying ply.  This moves around independently of the ply as it expands and contracts in heat.  If the roof covering is flat sheet GRP, the same applies only more so!  This, and the placing of suitable cross-members, forces the rails to the outer edges, where they are close to the edge seals.  When the rails are fixed down, it is possible the edge seals will flex.  Most of these joints are mastic sealed, mastics harden with age, and new movements are liable to overstress old mastic, leading to leaks at the roof/wall joint. 

So, back to my original comment, don't do this!  Buy a van with original fit roof rails.

[Mel E]

Adding a roof rack to a van conversion: be careful. You may find that the standard commercial roof rack (the van's manufacturer will offer one) foul your skylights. Worth checking this point.

 

Mel E

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