Whether you simply don't have the space inside your car or you would rather not clutter your cargo area, a roof rack will provide you with a space-saving alternative for carrying cargo and equipment. You can mount large and unwieldy items that will not fit inside your car or SUV. You can fill a rooftop cargo carrier with wet or dirty gear to ensure that your trunk or cargo area remains clean and dry. And you can quickly and easily get your sporting gear to the trail, beach, lake or mountain.
With a roof rack you can securely transport:
The first step when choosing a roof-rack system is determining what it is that you want to carry or, more precisely, how you intend to use your rack. If you're a contractor, for example, and you may end up using your roof rack for work equipment, then Rhino-Rack's Heavy-Duty square crossbars will likely be a good choice. If, on the other hand, you wish to carry only a couple of bikes, then any bars will suffice.
Most roof-rack-mounted carriers and accessories will fit nearly all square, round, aero and elliptical bars on the market. But if you have a specific idea of what you want to transport, then you may want to consider choosing your carrier first so you don't run into any compatibility issues.
To learn more about the different types of racks and accessories, click on the following links:
The type and amount of cargo or equipment that you can carry with your roof rack is largely dependent on your specific application and the type(s) of carriers that you choose. To a certain extent, you can estimate how many or how few carriers you can fit onto your rack based on the crossbar length.
Typically, if your crossbars measure up to 50" long, you can carry the following:
If you use bars that are between 53" and 60" long, you can carry approximately:
If you use bars that are longer than 60", you can carry approximately:
Always be aware of weight limitations. The maximum capacity of your roof-rack system will be dependent on the lowest-rated part of the system. So, if you have a roof-mounted cargo box that has a weight capacity of 150 lbs, roof-rack crossbars that are rated at 200 lbs, and these are on a roof rated at 100 lbs, then you cannot load more than 100 lbs.
To determine your roof's maximum weight capacity, check your vehicle's owner's manual. Typically, your vehicle will be the limiting factor.
The other factor that will certainly affect what you can carry on your vehicle's roof is the roof itself. We have an in-house Roof Rack Application Guide that will help you determine which rack systems are best suited for your vehicle. Most setups are vehicle specific, from the recommended length of the crossbars to the custom foot packs.
Typically, you will have a few choices in roof-rack systems so that can you pick your crossbar style. One area in which you will not have as many choices, though, is the mounting kits, most of which are vehicle specific. Our fitguide will walk you through the process of finding the perfect rack for your application, but before looking up your vehicle, you need to be able to differentiate between the different roof types. This will help to ensure that you get a kit that offers a perfect fit.
Your vehicle's roof should fall into one of the following categories:
Vehicles with naked roofs have no tracks or rails. With a naked roof, you need a fit kit, foot pack and crossbars to create a complete roof-rack system. The etrailer.com fitguide will automatically group these items together for you to make choosing and ordering your roof rack easy.
These pictures detail the components required for a naked-roof vehicle.
A. Each fit kit is custom-designed to create the best, strongest fit for your specific vehicle. These kits include pads that contour to your vehicle's roof and sturdy clips that fasten to the outer edges of your roof, either by connecting to pre-drilled holes (as seen in the first image) or by clamping around the door jamb (as in the second image).
B. The podium-style foot pack includes four feet that connect to the custom fit kit and provide attachment points for the roof-rack crossbars.
C. The crossbars (or load bars) are the last part of the system to be installed. These provide the usable portion of your roof-rack system where any carriers or accessories will be mounted.
Occasionally, certain naked-roof vehicles require a short-roof adapter. This item is most commonly used on small two-door vehicles with short or curved rooflines. A short-roof adapter:
Short-roof adapters are custom fit. Adapters are available for the following crossbars:
Raised side rails are most common on minivans and SUVs. They run from front to back on your vehicle and can provide attachment points for an aftermarket roof-rack system. To mount a roof rack on a vehicle with this type of roof, you will need a foot pack and crossbars.
The pictures above detail the components required for a vehicle with raised side rails.
A. The foot pack for factory rails includes four feet that clamp onto or wrap around your vehicle's side rails and provide mounting points for the roof-rack crossbars.
B. The crossbars (or load bars) are the last part of the system to be installed. These provide the usable portion of your roof-rack system where any carriers or accessories will be mounted.
Factory flush rails run from front to back on your vehicle and may provide attachment points for an aftermarket roof-rack system. To mount a roof rack on a vehicle with this type of roof, you will need a fit kit, foot pack and crossbars.
The pictures above detail the components required for a vehicle with flush factory rails.
A. Each fit kit is custom-designed to create the best, strongest fit for your specific vehicle. These kits mount to your factory rails.
B. The podium-style foot pack includes four feet that connect to the custom fit kit and provide attachment points for the roof-rack crossbars.
C. The crossbars (or load bars) are the last part of the system to be installed. These provide the usable portion of your roof-rack system where any carriers or accessories will be mounted.
Factory flat tracks run from front to back on your vehicle and can provide attachment points for an aftermarket roof-rack system. To mount a roof rack on a vehicle with this type of roof, you will need a fit kit, foot pack and crossbars.
The pictures above detail the components required for a vehicle with flat tracks.
A. Each fit kit is custom-designed to create the best, strongest fit for your specific vehicle. These kits mount to your factory track rack.
B. The podium-style foot pack includes four feet that connect to the custom fit kit and provide attachment points for the roof-rack crossbars.
C. The crossbars (or load bars) are the last part of the system to be installed. These provide the usable portion of your roof-rack system where any carriers or accessories will be mounted.
If your vehicle came equipped with a roof rack that has crossbars, you may not need an aftermarket roof-rack system. Most roof-rack-mounted carriers and accessories on the market will fit factory load bars. If the carrier that you would like to use does not fit your factory bars, adapters may be available.
Be sure to check your owner's manual for the capacity of your factory roof-rack system. Many OEM racks are designed more for aesthetics than utility and, therefore, are not built to support much weight. If you intend to use your roof rack for heavy loads, you may want to add aftermarket crossbars to boost the carrying capacity of your system. To do this, follow the instructions for Factory-Installed Raised Side Rails.
The fun part of choosing an aftermarket roof rack is picking the type of crossbars that you want your system to have. Sometimes this will be determined by the application or what you intend to use the rack for. For example, if you want to carry lumber or ladders with your system, Rhino-Rack's Heavy-Duty bars might be a good fit. There are multiple accessories that cater more to contractors and fit only these bars.
For the most part, roof-rack-mounted accessories and carriers that clamp onto or wrap around load bars will fit all types of bars. There are always exceptions though, so be sure to read accessory product descriptions carefully when determining compatibility.
| Crossbar Type | Shape | Wind Noise | Drag | Top Slots | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thule AeroBlade Bar | Aero/Kamm-tail-like | Least of all bars | Minimal | Yes | Aluminum |
| Thule Rapid Aero Bar | Oval/Elliptical | Minimal | Minimal | Yes | Aluminum |
| Rhino-Rack Aero Bar | Oval/Elliptical | Minimal | Minimal | Yes | Aluminum |
| Yakima Round Bars | Round | Fairing recommended | Fairing recommended | No | Vinyl-coated steel |
| Rhino-Rack Heavy-Duty Bar | Square | Considerable | Considerable | C-channels | Aluminum |
| Thule Square Bar | Square | Fairing recommended | Fairing recommended | No | Plastic-coated steel |
Need a complete roof rack for a 2014 Sonic hatchback. Will carry a 110 pound rooftop tent. recommendations 84709
The best roof rack system we have available for your 2014 Chevy Sonic hatchback is the Rhino-Rack Vortex setup that consists of parts # RRVA118B-2 , # RRRLKVA , and # DK399 . 67852
I have yakima control tower landing pads on a 2011 Honda Element with cross bars that do not extend 4 inches past the edge of the vehicle. what crossbars do I need to use hullavator racks? 84428
You can simply go with longer Yakima bars. I'm not sure what length you currently have, but I would think 60" bars # Y00426 are plenty long enough to provide the needed overhang for the Hullavator. 67548
I have Thule square bar system. Will the Thule square bars fit the Inno stays for factory side rails? 82239
I believe you're asking if Thule square crossbars will fit Inno mounting feet. As long as you have the older Thule bars (which do NOT feature a channel on the bottom of the bars) they will work just fine. The older Thule square bars and the Inno square bars share the same dimensions, so they're interchangeable. 67547
Interested in setting up my 2014 Kia Rondo for adventures. Kayaking, snowboarding, biking, camping, gear, etc. Can you assist me with learning more about these systems and buying the proper gear? 81927
As long as your Kia Rondo has factory flush rails that run front to back, we have a nice selection of Thule setups that will work perfectly. I specifically recommend the WingBar system that consists of parts # TH711220 , # TH460R , and # THKIT4036 . From there it's up to you what kind of accessories you need/want to add to transport all your adventure supplies. I've linked our selection of roof kayak carriers, bike carriers, and cargo baskets that you can look through below. 67312
Helpful Links
dept-pg-watersport_carriers-sf-kayak-pt-roof_mount_carrier.aspx
I have a 2018 Hyundai Tucson Value. What rack could support 2 kayaks? 79211
If your 2018 Hyundai Tucson Value has the factory flush side rails that run front to back, I highly recommend the Thule WingBar system that consists of parts # TH711220 , # TH710601 , and # TH186013 . This will provide you with a quiet, sturdy setup more than capable of supporting a couple kayaks. For the carriers themselves I recommend a couple of the etrailer # e98878 . 64168
I have a Forest River NoBo 19.7 with the roof rails, literature says Rhino system. What do I need for Aero-Bars? Assume 4 risers and two bars? Rails are about 64" apart on roof of NoBo travel trailer. Do you have set? What is cost? Thanks 76927
It looks like that camper is equipped with the Rhino-Rack Track System, so you can use the Mounting Feet # RRRLT600 (includes 4 feet) and a set of Vortex Crossbars like the 71" # RRVA180B-2 . Pricing is listed on the product page. 62519
I have a 1997 Toyota landcruiser, and want to put a Freespirit Odyssey Hard tent on top. The unit weighs 154 pounds... and the specs show the tent can hold up to 750 pounds. My question, is by adding crossbars to my existing Factory siderail/rack bars on the land cruiser.... will the new side rail support the tent and weight? Can you suggest which rail to use? 76668
You'll want to add aftermarket crossbars to the factory side rails on your Land Cruiser (it looks like the Odyssey does clamp around the crossbars) for proper support. The Thule WingBar setup, parts # TH711420 and # TH450R will work perfectly. I actually recommend checking with Toyota directly regarding capacity - weight applied from a tent (and its inhabitants) is a bit different than what would otherwise be listed as a capacity in the owner's manual, since the vehicle isn't moving when the tent's being used. The roof (and rail's) capacity when parked is much higher than its dynamic capacity, which is what is normally looked at when adding roof top accessories. 62518
I would like a rack to hold 2 Kayak for a Sorento Kia. What do I get. 76032
I would be happy to get you set up to transport 2 kayaks on your Kia Sorento. Can you tell me what model year the Sorento is? 62134
Would the rhino rack rs 2500 aero roof rack fit a 2018 Ford Fusion se ecoboost? 72565
The RS system has actually been replaced within Rhino-Rack's line with the ROC25 series, which still offers that sleek flush design. For your Ford Fusion you will need part # RR52SR . 59588
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