What Weight on Pop Top Roof Bars?
Posted: 07 Mar 2011, 09:27
Hi All,
I'm looking at putting some roof bars on the van to take a roof box so as to negate the need to take a trailer with us. I have the roof brakets that bolt into the side & sit in the rain gutter but still allow the roof to raise. I was planning on getting some heavy duty gas struts (a la Jed the Spread) so as to aid the lifting of the roof when the kit is on top. My question is, what kind of weight could I safely put in the roof box without running the risk of knackering the roof up? I'm sure it would be quite sturdy when the roof is down & the weight is predominently being held on the rain gutters, but when the roof is up....what then? I suspect that most of the time the roof box will be emptied prior to raising the roof, such as when we are on a campsite, but there will be times, aires in France for example, when the roof needs to go up without the hassle of removing the kit.
I was planning on filling the roof box with an awning, fold up camping table, fold up camping chairs and maybe the odd box of wine . The awning is quite weighty though.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Matt
I'm looking at putting some roof bars on the van to take a roof box so as to negate the need to take a trailer with us. I have the roof brakets that bolt into the side & sit in the rain gutter but still allow the roof to raise. I was planning on getting some heavy duty gas struts (a la Jed the Spread) so as to aid the lifting of the roof when the kit is on top. My question is, what kind of weight could I safely put in the roof box without running the risk of knackering the roof up? I'm sure it would be quite sturdy when the roof is down & the weight is predominently being held on the rain gutters, but when the roof is up....what then? I suspect that most of the time the roof box will be emptied prior to raising the roof, such as when we are on a campsite, but there will be times, aires in France for example, when the roof needs to go up without the hassle of removing the kit.
I was planning on filling the roof box with an awning, fold up camping table, fold up camping chairs and maybe the odd box of wine . The awning is quite weighty though.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Matt