QA

Question: What Is A Roof Rail

What is the point of roof rails?

Roof rails are mounted onto 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.

What are roof rails on cars?

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.

Are roof rails necessary?

We highly recommend having a roof rack. They allow you to carry almost anything you don’t want or can’t fit inside your vehicle. It could be big things like boats or bikes or nasty things like wet camping gear or hockey equipment. Some vehicles come with factory installed rack systems, some don’t.

What do roof rails look like?

Types. Roof rails are usually one of two types. The first type resembles a long, inverted “C.” In this type of roof rail, the feet of the roof rail are attached to the roof of the vehicle, and the rail itself forms an arc. This type of roof rail typically has several inches between the roof of the vehicle and the rail.

What can I do with roof rails?

Once the roof rack is mounted on your car, you can use it for a wide range of cargo depending on your needs: roof boxes, bike racks, racks for kayaks, surfboards and SUP boards, and winter sport racks.

What can you put on roof rails?

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.

Can you remove roof rails?

Most simply clamp around your side rails or door jamb and can be removed by loosening a few bolts. Once you’ve done this a time or two, most roof racks will only take about 5-15 minutes to remove. Start by locating the point at which the rack attaches to your roof (typically crossbars, a side rail, or a door jamb).

Are roof rails strong?

Of all the options, solid roof rails are the most durable since there is no gap between the car and the rail. In theory, that means they can handle increased weight (although your car’s roof might not).

Can you add roof rails to a car?

While installation is a bit more difficult if you’re dealing with a bare roof, you can still add a roof rack to your vehicle.

What’s the difference between roof rails and roof bars?

What is the difference between a roof ‘rail’ and roof ‘bars/racks’? Roof rails run front to rear on both sides of the roof. They are often factory fitted. Roof bars run across the roof which are clamp mounted (secured with fit kits to the door frames), mounted to factory fitted fixpoints or roof rail mounted.

Are all roof rails the same?

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.

Can you fit roof rails to any car?

Which roof bars fit my car? Although many of the roof bars we sell fit universally to most vehicles, you will need to not only check compatibility, but also consider the properties of the roof bars too.

Can I install roof rails myself?

For your active family, a roof rack turns your vehicle into a versatile, ready-for-anything, trip-taking machine. Although many cars and SUVs come with basic roof racks standard, if your car isn’t equipped yet, you can install one yourself.

Are roof rails functional?

Yes, most definitely. If you need extra space to mount luggage on your car, a set of roof rails is exactly what you need.

What are crossbars used for?

Crossbars. Usually two bars that run across the width of the vehicle roof, which you then mount your activity-specific racks to; whether it’s ski racks, bike racks, cargo boxes, kayak racks, etc. Crossbars support the weight of all the gear you’re adding to the roof and transfer the weight to the towers/feet.

Are roof rack rails?

Roof racks and roof bars are like car roof rails in that they both allow you to transport goods on the roof of your car. While they offer a similar function, they also feature many differences. Understanding the differences between these unique systems makes it easier to use.

What is a flush rail?

Flush side rails are the rails running from front to back on your vehicle which do not have space between the side rails and the vehicle Often these types of rails with have mounting holes or a ridge for the clip to attach to.