Roof Rails – The roof rail is a feature that is found predominantly in estate cars or vans. Roof rails serve as a basic support for transporting things on the roof. With their help, the car can be put to varied use if the interior is already full. With suitable accessories for secure fastening, there is room on the roof rails for bicycles, skis, boxes, surfboards or even boats.
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What is the advantage of roof rail?
Car roof rails not just enhance your vehicle’s appearance but are also useful to carry bulky cargo or sporting equipment. Special roof mounts can be fixed to these car roof rails to take heavy items on your road trips. – Image source: Amazon When on a road trip with friends, you require space to carry your luggage. Car roof rails allow you to fix mounts needed to carry heavy luggage on the road. Typically, these car roof rails are manufactured using premium-grade plastic, which ensures their long shelf life, superior design, robust nature, and high-performance.
These car roof rails can be easily installed on your vehicle without any drilling requirement. So, if you are seeking car roof rails, take a look at some of the popular purchase options available online in India: Car Roof Rails Purchase these stupendous car roof rails from Vocado. This car roof rail comes in a 78 cm length and easy to install.
The best part of this car roof rail is that it can be installed without requiring any drilling. Ideal for Hyundai i20 Elite, this car roof rail is available in the 77 x 14 x 8.5 cm dimension and weighs around 1.69 grams. Available in black color, the offered product is appreciated for its durability, robust nature, and reliable performance.
Verse your vehicle with this car roof rail from Dhe that’s ideal for Hyundai Creta. This car roof rail is manufactured using premium-grade ABS plastic, which ensures its easy-to-install nature and reinforces fiber. Available with a self-adhesive double-sided tape of 3 mm length, this car roof rail improvises the appearance of your vehicle.
This product comes in the 50 x 10 x 10 cm dimension and weighs around 389 grams. Get this awesome car roof rail that comes in black color and is available in a set of 2 pieces. This car roof rail is designed using A-Okay ABS plastic, which ensures its premium finish, original shine, excellent finish, and redefined design.
- Moreover, this car roof rail is easy to install and has metal making in the middle.
- The offered product comes in black color and is appreciated for its water-resistance and appealing look.
- Don’t miss this car roof rail from True Vision that comes in silver color.
- This car roof rail is versed with reinforced fiber ends with a steel rod in the middle.
Along with this, the offered car roof rail is available with a self-adhesive double-sided tape of 78 cm in length. Appreciated for its weather-resistance, this car roof rail is designed using A-Okay steel and plastic. Available in the 72.5 x 11.2 x 11 cm dimension, this product weighs around 1.64 grams.
Hsekar comes up with this car roof rail that comes in silver/black color. You can easily install this product without any requirement to drill. This car roof rail is known to give your vehicle an impeccable appearance. Equipped with reinforced fiber ends with a middle steel rod, this car roof rail comes with a self-adhesive double-sided tape.
Other features include weather-proof nature, long shelf life, and reliable performance. Disclaimer: The Times of India’s journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The product prices mentioned in the article are subject to change with offers given by Amazon.
How do car roof rails work?
Your Roof Racks vs Roof Rails Guide – Roof racks like our Whispbar HD and LocknLoad Bars run east to west across the roof of your car, giving you a more secure load. Roof racks are designed to handle more cargo weight. However, it is important not to overload the roof rack and stick to the weight guidelines to avoid the danger of an overloaded vehicle. Roof rails are mounted on to a vehicle in a north-south direction running parallel with the length of the car. They also provide an aerodynamic look to your car while giving you the option to tie down items that wouldn’t otherwise fit in your car, on to the roof.
As roof rails are often factory fitted the rails themselves are not able to be used on their own. However, there is a range of different roof rails accessories to help improve your load capacity and stability. Attaching roof racks to your car roof rails is super easy to do. Just make sure you read the instructions and best to have a measuring tape on hand so you can fix the racks to the rails accurately and safely.
In summary, roof rails are good for an oversized lighter weight load, as long as you use the correct attachments. Roof rails on their own act as a carrier of oversized items. So if you’re looking for a car roof transport option that gives you maximum cargo weight, stability and safety, roof racks are definitely the way to go.
Are roof rails better?
Are they really useful? –
Yes, most definitely. If you need extra space to mount luggage on your car, a set of roof rails is exactly what you need. For those who are looking to increase the esthetic appeal of their cars, they might come in some use, depending on your taste. AutoJunkie Deeply interested in automobiles and the automotive industry. Anything that moves on wheels interests me. Sit back, and follow the blog as I write my way through the Automotive Revolution!
What happens if your car doesn’t have roof rails?
Choosing the best way to mount a roof rack to your car – While this may seem like the most complicated part of picking a roof rack, it is actually very straightforward. Why? The way you mount your rack is dictated by the type of roof your vehicle has. Raised rails
Of the various factory mounting points, raised rails are the easiest. If you’re able to wrap the rack mounting around the factory rail, then you won’t actually need a separate mounting component at all. In this one scenario, the tower will mount to the rails directly.
The most popular options for this type of rack are the Thule Evo Raised Rail or the Yakima TimberLine, Flush Rails Flush rails have quickly become one of the most common roof options you see on newly manufactured cars. Due to their subtle appearance and improved usability, many manufacturers include them on almost every trim level.
This is great since many flush rail options use similar mounting systems as fixed points, making these options much more universal. Fixed mounting points If your car doesn’t have any factory rails, don’t worry; there are still options for you to put some bars on your roof. Some vehicles (BMW, Volkswagen, and Mazda especially) come from the factory with fixed mounting points. Often these are hidden by little trap doors on your roof, and you can attach racks directly to these spots.
If this is possible, it’s almost always the best way to go and can even save you some money over some other options. Check the fit guide to ensure a proper fit before making any final choices. Nothing but a bare roof If your car has nothing but a bare roof, then you have to choose between two mounting options.
Either you go with a system with clips mounting into your door jams, or you can permanently mount a rack to the roof similar to the factory mount options. Clip System Racks With specific mounts (baseclips for Yakima, Fit Kits for Thule) made for the majority of all vehicles, this option will get you a reliable roof rack which you can remove or leave on nearly indefinitely. (Warning! you should never go into a non-touchless car wash with a roof rack on) With this style of rack, the towers sit on the vehicle’s roof, and the vehicle-specific clips fit snugly into your door.
No door-mount fit is available. Desired ability to quickly remove the cross bars from the roof. The requirement of having the bars located in places other than where a door jam mounted rack would allow (for example, a bar near the rear of the vehicle for easy loading of kayaks. Aesthetics.
There are three ways to permanently install a roof rack to your car. One is by first installing a track running along your roof from the front to back. This option gives a very factory look, but is a little more work and expense than mounting a fixed point rack. Here is a quick guide to installing a track. The second option is mounting Yakima Landing Pads directly to your roof. With this install, you can never change the location of the bars on your roof, but for almost all rack users this is not an issue. This install is a little easier and is by far the most common permanent install we do in our shops. Here is a quick guide to Landing Pad installation. The final way to permanently install a rack is to add an artificial rain gutter to the side of the vehicle. This installation method is the least common, typically used for camper-vans with a roof unable to support the weight of a cargo rack. In this case, we will mount brackets to the sides of the vehicle for attaching the rack.
It’s important to note that a permanent rack install is permanent. You will be required to drill through the roof of your vehicle to complete this installation. We guarantee a perfect fit, leak and problem-free, for all installs as long as you own your vehicle.
On most older vehicles or vans, you will have rain gutters running around the edge of your car, just below the roof. Both Yakima and Thule make rain gutter towers that clamp into these gutters, giving you a solid rack without any fuss. No extra mounts are needed for rain gutter towers.
How will a roofrack affect your car?
Handling – Heavy loads on a roof rack can impact how your car handles when driving. This is caused by a shift in the vehicle’s centre of gravity as wind hits the attached cargo and makes the car less aerodynamic. The subsequent effect is increased difficulty when steering.
Do I need roof rails car?
Roof Rails vs. Roof Racks: What are their Differences? 16 May 2019 If you want to increase the cargo capacity of your vehicle, then you have surely considered getting either roof rails or roof racks. Roof rails and roof racks are the ideal safe way to transport luggage, bicycles, kayaks, or many other things that just won’t fit inside your car.
- In fact, even a simple roof rail rack base can accommodate many different attachments and accessories that can hold a roof basket, cargo box, ski rack, bike carrier, or kayak carrier.
- Roof rails are also a simple way to add a unique look and style to your vehicle that also lets you tie-down cargo to your car’s roof.
If you want to increase the cargo carrying capacity of your vehicle, but you don’t know whether roof rails or roof racks will be the best choice, the information below should help you make a decision between the two. The Differences of Roof Rails and Roof Racks Roof rails and roof racks are very similar as both allow you to be able to carry items securely on top of your vehicle.
The main difference between the two is the direction these are mounted on top of the roof of your vehicles. For example, roof rails run along the length of a car’s roof attached by feet or other mounts, and roof racks are mounted across the roof. Roof rails provide attachment points where crossbars or other accessories such as a cargo box, a ski rack, and a cargo carrier can be mounted.
These cargo accessories can be added and removed easily when needed. Flush-mounted roof rails lay flat on the roof of vehicles without any space between the rail and the roof. Another difference between the two is that roof racks are hardier and designed to handle more cargo weight.
It is important to have roof racks professionally installed, as professional installers can choose the best type of roof rack that will meet your needs. They will also explain the dangers of exceeding the roof rack’s weight limit. Surprisingly, most people do not realise the dangers of an overloaded vehicle roof.
An overloaded roof rack not only puts passengers and vehicle at risk, but it can void auto insurance claims if the vehicle gets into an accident and it is discovered that the car’s roof was overloaded. If you are ready to install roof rails or roof racks, then bring your vehicle to Jamieson Auto Fit, one of our vehicle modification specialist can assist you in determining which roof rails or roof racks will best fit your vehicle.
What is the difference between roof rack and roof rails?
Basically, the key difference between these two is the direction that they’re mounted on the roof of your vehicle. Roof rails run along the length of your car’s roof, whilst roof racks are mounted from door to door across your roof.
Do all cars have roof rails?
Raised rails are the easiest to work with, but many cars, SUVs and vans do not have them installed. Tracks that are in place can help you install a roof rack fairly quickly without drilling.
How much weight can roof rails support?
Weight – Instagram would have you believe you should rush out and put a rooftop tent on your Subaru Crosstrek ( please don’t ), but cars aren’t actually designed to carry heavy stuff on their roofs. Most passenger vehicles have a 150-pound weight limit up top, regardless of which rack system you use.
Can you take roof rails off a car?
All-in-one tips for removal of roof molding and racks Removing hardware can usually help installers wrap farther inside a vehicle for full coverage. The same rule applies to a roof as well, especially because it can be a challenging area to wrap sometimes.
- Removing any molding or racks there can dramatically boost your efficiency and wrap quality.
- And here is an all-in-one guideline for you to deal with all standard hardware above there: Molding held by plastic clips or painted clips You should have a plastic removal tool in hand for molding like this.
Pry as close to the clips as you can to avoid breaking them. The trick is to slowly slide your fingers forward and pry the molding off gently. After removing, put the molding with the clips in a safe space (You can put it inside the vehicle straight forward).
- Do not leave it on the roof.
- Otherwise, it will scratch the surface because there is usually metal underneath.
- In some cases, there are moldings held by double-sided tape.
- It is best to leave them because those moldings can easily distort as you remove them, so they might not fit properly when you try to put them back.) Roof Rack Mostly, there is a plastic cover on every roof rack, and it can be at the front or the back (or even in the middle).
You can figure out what is holding it as soon as you pry off this cover. Roof racks are commonly held by Torx or bolts. Loosen them with a screwdriver, and you can remove the whole thing. However, there are different types of Torx. So it is best to prepare a wide enough range of tips to choose from.
- When the rack gets loose, take it up straight in the air to keep it from falling on the roof.
- Likewise, put it inside the car or a safe space.
- It is possible there is a massive amount of dirt underneath the roof rack.
- And this is the time you should clean thoroughly.
- Once all the moldings and racks are off, the roof is a flat area to wrap.
And you can proceed more quickly and smoothly. Visit for more wrap tips. : All-in-one tips for removal of roof molding and racks
Can roof bars damage your car?
Can roof bars damage my car? – If your roof bars aren’t fitted correctly, then they can indeed damage your car. For example, if screws or clips are over-tightened, then the tracks in your roof or connection points can become warped or go out of shape. Always follow the instructions when fitting roof bars, or better still let a Halfords expert do it for you.
What are rails on roof of car called?
A roof rack is a set of bars secured to the roof of a motor car. It is used to carry bulky items such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers.
How much does it cost to add roof rails to a car?
How Much Is It Going To Cost? – Price is usually the most important factor for our customers. We try to stock return and used items as much as possible, both because you’ll get a great deal, and it is more environmentally friendly (the vast portion of a rack’s carbon lifecycle is in the initial production).
Of course we also have a complete range of new roof racks to shop from! At ReRack we only sell racks and parts from top-quality manufacturers like Yakima, Thule and Rhino-Rack. These roof racks are typically able to support more weight and gear than standard factory racks. The price of a base roof rack will depend on if you want new items or not, aerodynamic profile or not, and your vehicle year/make/model.
There are complete roof rack setups starting under $150 for a used rack on older vehicles, all the way through $500+ for a new, aerodynamic top-of-the-line setup.
Are roof rails free?
Game Review: Roof Rails (Mobile – Free to Play) Oh man, is this game stupidly addictive. Roof Rails, from prolific/spammers Voodoo, is a super simple runner where your aim is to make it to the end of the course by building up your ‘bar’ so you can ride the rails and make it to the end.
- The difficulty comes from having to avoid obstacles that will shorten your bar meaning you’re more likely to not be able to make past the next set of rails.
- It’s very simple to play, exactly the kind of free to play game you would expect from Voodoo but it is easily one of their most addictive games.
It’s not that it’s rewarding or filled with tons of variety, it’s just the simplicity of it all makes an easy case for just ‘one more go’. It’s very easy to lose an hour to this. Playing level after level, especially as there is increasing difficulties and challenges.
That being said, that’s all the time most will lose as once stopped, there’s no draw to go back to it. It’s a ‘right there and then’ kind of game and the lure of unlockables just isn’t enough. Especially as Roof Rails doesn’t exactly wow with what’s available to players. Skins bought with gems that are collected in-game/watching ads.
Then of course, there is the usual. The ad spam and like all Voodoo games, you’ll quickly tire of being interrupted and either stick your device on airplane mode or just stop playing all together. As is also the norm, should you put your device on airplane mode, the game will do what it can to try and encourage you to not.
The usual bonuses and extra skins that you need to watch an ad to unlock. In no way is it worth it, the spam is just too high. Not the worst offender but still an offender none the less. If you can look past all of this (seriously – airplane mode) you’ll have some fun with this game. More fun than most free to play offerings and certainly more fun than most Voodoo offerings.
Addictive and plays well, that’s a two big positives alone there. : Game Review: Roof Rails (Mobile – Free to Play)
Can you put stuff on top of car without roof rack?
Naked Roof –
If you don’t have a roof rack (rise rails and cross rails are ideal), you’ll want to take extra precautions:
- Read your owner’s manual and all manufacturer instructions for proper use and maximum allowable weights (this is normally around 165 lbs.).
- If you don’t have a roof rack, run the tie-down straps through the doors, not the windows.
- To protect your roof from damage, it’s best to lay down a blanket or towel first.
- When securing straps through the doors, give it a twist first to help keep the noise down and prevent the amount of force on the straps.
- If there are hooks to your straps, attach them together inside the car.
-
Where is the roof rails in the car?
How Useful Are Roof Rails on Indian Cars! These days many SUVs and crossovers come equipped with rails. These roof rails are attached to the top of your car and designed to handle your extra luggage. You’d often spot these roof rails on tourist cars as they require additional space for travel.
Photo Credit: unsplash.com
Does roof rack increase fuel consumption?
ON A TYPICAL 100-MILE JOURNEY THIS COULD COST AN EXTRA £1.60P. –
- Roof box: The worst culprits in fuel cost are roof boxes. One report found an increase in fuel consumption of 50%. More typically drivers are spending between 10 – 25% more on fuel because of their roof box. This is because increasing the ‘frontal area’ of the vehicle destroys the aerodynamics. Even an empty roof rack can add up to 15% to your fuel bill. The added weight and air resistance of a roof box, bikes or luggage strapped to the roof makes it worse. The higher the speed and the smaller, more aerodynamic the vehicle, the greater the effect.
Do roof racks reduce fuel economy?
Does a roof rack lower my gas mileage? – In short, yes, roof racks do affect gas mileage. Any accessory attached to your car can compromise its aerodynamics which, by definition, is the motion of air when interacting with a solid object. The more aerodynamic your car is, the less effort your engine needs to keep your vehicle moving.
Should I remove roof bars when not in use?
Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts When Using a Roof Rack We’ve been selling and fitting here at for over 10 years and have experience with most of the popular brands available on the market today. Over the years certain queries crop up time and time again so we thought we’d put together a list of our Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts When Using a Roof Rack 1.
- Always read the instructions carefully: Blokes, as a rule don’t read instructions & in a lot of situations, that’s fine, you’ll get away with it.
- If you’re fitting a roof rack to your car we strongly urge you to read all the instructions fully before you even take anything out of the box, it will make the job much quicker, easier and safer.
Get someone to help you as well. You can do it on your own, but it’s easier with 2. Remember your car is worth a lot more than the set of roof racks you’ve just bought, don’t damage it by not not reading the instructions! 2. Pay attention to torque settings: A properly fitted and used roof rack will not damage your car.
An over tightened, under tightened, badly fitted or over loaded roof rack can damage your car.3. Lube up! Put a tiny bit of on the mounting bolt threads, it will make removing them in the future so much easier.4. Remove your roof rack when not in use Despite sleek designs and light weight materials a roof rack adds weight and aerodynamic drag to your car and will have an adverse effect on your fuel economy.
Remove it when you’re not using it! Wind noise will also be reduced.5. Get help: Loading a roof rack with big, bulky items can be quite difficult. it’s when you’re struggling and straining that things tend to get damaged so rather than scratching your lovely paintwork with that 12 foot canoe you’re trying to manhandle on your own, get someone to give you a hand.6.
- Height: When entering multi-story car parks, drive-through’s or even your own garage with a roof rack/bikes/kayak attached remember the extra height you’re carrying, especially if you drive an mpv or suv.
- You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget! 7.
- Lock it up: All the roof racks we sell come with security locks, be sure to use them.
Especially important if you’re carrying expensive equipment such as bikes or kayaks. Also attach the keys to you car key ring, we get hundreds of calls every year looking for replacement keys! 8. Check weight limits: Your car’s owners manual will include information on the maximum load that can be carried on your roof.
- Quite often the roof bars will have a higher weight rating than the roof of your car so it’s important to check and adhere to both.9.
- Tie it down: If you’re carrying canoes, kayaks or surf boards you must tie them down to the car front and back, not just to the roof rack (use the car’s towing eyes).
When travelling at speed the lift generated by these kind of products can rip any brand of roof rack clean off your car if it’s not tied down properly. Even if you’re not travelling quickly, strong winds (and it often is very windy when surfers/wind surfers are heading out) could exert forces higher than the roof rack is rated for and cause damage so this is a really important point.10.
- Speed limits: A lot of roof rack accessories, such as roof boxes come with maximum speed ratings.
- Be sure to read their instructions carefully too.
- The speed rating more than like has to do with drag and lift factors as mentioned above.
- Exceeding the speed rating could damage your car or the roof rack.
Finally, if you’re planning on taking a trip to the Safari park with a roof box attached to your rack, make sure you lock it! If you want more info on roof racks, whether they’re for business or leisure feel free to give us a shout. We have a team of experts on-hand 7 days a week.
- You can call us on 00353 14406603 or email You can also check out our which has manufacturer videos, customer submitted videos and our own fitment guides and product reviews.
- If you’re heading away on a driving holiday you might find some of our Driving Guides handy Found this useful? feel free to share it.
: Top 10 Do’s & Don’ts When Using a Roof Rack
Whats the difference between roof rack and roof rails?
Basically, the key difference between these two is the direction that they’re mounted on the roof of your vehicle. Roof rails run along the length of your car’s roof, whilst roof racks are mounted from door to door across your roof.
How much weight can roof rails support?
Weight – Instagram would have you believe you should rush out and put a rooftop tent on your Subaru Crosstrek ( please don’t ), but cars aren’t actually designed to carry heavy stuff on their roofs. Most passenger vehicles have a 150-pound weight limit up top, regardless of which rack system you use.
Do I need roof rails car?
Roof Rails vs. Roof Racks: What are their Differences? 16 May 2019 If you want to increase the cargo capacity of your vehicle, then you have surely considered getting either roof rails or roof racks. Roof rails and roof racks are the ideal safe way to transport luggage, bicycles, kayaks, or many other things that just won’t fit inside your car.
In fact, even a simple roof rail rack base can accommodate many different attachments and accessories that can hold a roof basket, cargo box, ski rack, bike carrier, or kayak carrier. Roof rails are also a simple way to add a unique look and style to your vehicle that also lets you tie-down cargo to your car’s roof.
If you want to increase the cargo carrying capacity of your vehicle, but you don’t know whether roof rails or roof racks will be the best choice, the information below should help you make a decision between the two. The Differences of Roof Rails and Roof Racks Roof rails and roof racks are very similar as both allow you to be able to carry items securely on top of your vehicle.
- The main difference between the two is the direction these are mounted on top of the roof of your vehicles.
- For example, roof rails run along the length of a car’s roof attached by feet or other mounts, and roof racks are mounted across the roof.
- Roof rails provide attachment points where crossbars or other accessories such as a cargo box, a ski rack, and a cargo carrier can be mounted.
These cargo accessories can be added and removed easily when needed. Flush-mounted roof rails lay flat on the roof of vehicles without any space between the rail and the roof. Another difference between the two is that roof racks are hardier and designed to handle more cargo weight.
It is important to have roof racks professionally installed, as professional installers can choose the best type of roof rack that will meet your needs. They will also explain the dangers of exceeding the roof rack’s weight limit. Surprisingly, most people do not realise the dangers of an overloaded vehicle roof.
An overloaded roof rack not only puts passengers and vehicle at risk, but it can void auto insurance claims if the vehicle gets into an accident and it is discovered that the car’s roof was overloaded. If you are ready to install roof rails or roof racks, then bring your vehicle to Jamieson Auto Fit, one of our vehicle modification specialist can assist you in determining which roof rails or roof racks will best fit your vehicle.
Do you need rails for a roof rack?
What is a rack system? – A basic rack system consists of crossbars and supports. You need two crossbars to go across your vehicle and a way of attaching those bars to your vehicle. The components you will hear us talk about are:
Load bars – The two crossbars. Foot packs (or towers) – These support the crossbars. Fit kits (or clips) – Vehicle specific foot pads and/or brackets to help attach the foot pack onto your vehicle.
The load bars come in various lengths depending on your vehicle size and what you want to carry. Basic bars are square or round but you can upgrade to flatter, wider bars with an aerodynamic airplane-wing-shaped profile which are often quieter.