On vacation or at leisure, for work or a move, the roof bars or roof bars are useful to take advantage of the car roof to carry suitcases, packages, bicycles, and much more practically and safely. This buying guide shows how to choose them based on your car and the best roof rack cross bars, how much they cost, and how to use them.
The roof rack cross bars support mounting luggage racks, travel boxes, bike racks, and many other tools for transporting objects on the car’s roof.
When the trunk of the car is too small or already occupied by suitcases and luggage, all that remains is to take advantage of the car roof. Not to mention the objects that must necessarily remain on the roof like bicycles, skis, surfboards, canoes, or other bulky objects for space reasons.
The roof rack crossbars are two metal bars with rubber or PVC finishes attached transversally to the roof of the car through special fixing systems that can vary depending on the design of the bar itself and the type of car on which they must be mounted. In addition, there is a raceway to attach various accessories to the bar, which will use to transport the items and luggage.
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How to choose roof rack cross bars: Types and Features
We need to consider the car model, the type of objects, and the maximum weight we want to carry to choose the best roof rack cross bars. If we want to carry a couple of suitcases for a weekend out of town, a pair of cheap universal roof bars are more than enough.
If, on the other hand, we want to transport more delicate and bulky loads more frequently, we will have to orient ourselves towards top quality, robust and reliable roof rack cross bars, perhaps leaving them mounted on the roof so that they are always ready when needed. So let’s see in detail what the characteristics are to consider before purchasing roof rack cross bars.
Compatibility with the car
Many universal and telescopic bars that adapt to different sizes in the manufacturers’ sites are indicated brands and models of the car to ensure total compatibility. In addition to the roof’s length, it is necessary to consider the car’s type of handrail or railing.
In cars with open or traditional railing, the railing protrudes from the roof, while the integrated railings cannot be detached and are lower or attached to the roof. Finally, some cars do not have railing or handrails. For these, special roof racks are available for cars without handrails.
Dimensions of the bars
The roof rack cross bars are sold in different sizes to adapt to more cars. Most of them are telescopic. They adapt to different lengths. The bars must never protrude beyond the car’s roof because they compromise the load’s stability. Most bars have lengths between 30″ and 47″, while the XL-sized bars reach about 55″.
Maximum load capacity
The maximum weight that the bars can carry is indicated with maximum load capacity. We can find roof rack cross bars of 110, 165, or 220 lbs in this regard. Must also consider this range based on the car roof, tiny cars.
The load must be carefully placed with the heaviest luggage in the center and the lighter ones on the sides and possibly on top. According to the highway code, the luggage cannot protrude to the sides, and on the front of the roof, it can only protrude on the back of the roof when talking about whole pieces, for example, skis and canoes.
Anti-theft system
An anti-theft system is necessary given the ease of dismantling and mounting the roof bars. Therefore, above the fixing points, masks are fitted, which can only be opened with the key. This solution is essential to avoid disassembling the bars whenever we park the car.
Materials
The best roof rack crossbars are made of aluminum. The purpose is to guarantee maximum resistance against a minimum indispensable weight. The side parts and the fixing hooks are made of non-slip rubber or PVC to prevent scratches on the car and the transported objects.
Design
The roof rack cross bars’ design is essential, and the models proposed in recent years are increasingly oriented towards an aerodynamic and silent solution. When the bars remain mounted on the car even without a load, the aerodynamics allows the roof bars not to resist during the car’s race.
The design allows the wind to slide along the structure without acting as a brake, resulting in fuel savings. Another consequence is silence. The wind does not produce noise in contact with the bars. These features, typical of top-range roof rack cross bars, allow them to be left in the car without disturbing them.
Approval
Like all car accessories, the best roof rack crossbars are approved and tested to withstand the load, the wind, the impact tests and offer the best performance. In this case, we find TUV approval, city-crash, and compliance with EEC directives specified by many manufacturers.
[divider style="solid" top="10" bottom="10"]Top 10 best roof rack cross bars for cars to buy
Below is the best roof rack cross bars’ ranking with their respective characteristics and prices.
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