Caravan Roof Racks – Beginner’s Guide
A caravan is meant specifically for hauling your gear. However, due to certain reasons, you may need additional storage space for your caravan.
This means that you have no other option than to go for a roof rack. However, before you take the plunge, you must know that there are various types of roof racks for your campervan. This is a beginner’s guide to ensuring that you choose the best product for your vehicle.
If you have an additional roof rack on your campervan, you will have extra storage space for carrying your gear. This additional space means that you can travel with all you can travel with.
The roof of your campervan is excellent for carrying large items that cannot be stored inside the van. This means that you can easily haul your rooftop tents, bikes, kayaks, and surfboards. This also allows you to carry along some bulky essential loads like toolboxes or extra tyres.
There are so many essential roof racks for your campervan. However, before we look for the best caravan roof racks, it is important to know how to buy one. This means that you need to look out for the following essentials when buying your roof racks.
The Best Caravan Roof Racks: Things To Consider
If you are going to be buying a roof rack for your campervan, you should look out for certain things. Buying a roof rack for a sedan is quite different from a caravan.
This is why you should know what to consider in each case. This beginner’s guide helps you to understand the things to consider when buying one.
Think Safety First
Buying a good roof rack is sure a good investment. This is why you should consider safety when buying one. There are so many roof racks for Caravans out there. Many of which are cheap and prone to breaking quickly.
You should get a product that is durable, reliable, and safe. It can be dangerous for a roof rack to break while it is on the move. This is why it is essential to consider safety first when buying one for your campervan.
Think Durability
Roof racks aren’t cheap. At least, the brands that make quality and standard roof racks do not sell them at cheap prices. They are a bit expensive. This is why you shouldn’t purchase one twice.
As an investment, you want to buy something that will guarantee serviceability and durability. You should choose a roof rack that has been made from all metallic parts.
This is as against one that has been produced from a mixture of plastic and metallic parts. Plastic parts are more vulnerable to breakages. A roof rack that is made completely of metal means that you shouldn’t be concerned about dirt.
It also means that you do not have to worry about any potholes to get to your destination. Weaker roof rack frames may struggle with vibrations and bumps when they are off-road.
Check The Warranty
You may want to also check your roof rack warranty. Ask the company about any possible aftermarket support should there be breakages. It is better to purchase one that comes with the right warranty.
Go For A Lighter Option
Durability and safety are important deciding factors when choosing a roof rack. Another important factor to consider is its weight. Lightweight and strong roof racks are always recommended for Caravans.
Most lightweight roof racks are produced from aluminium. Aluminium is 30% lighter in comparison to steel. A lighter roof rack improves your fuel economy.
This is good both for the environment and your wallet. Also, try to know the weight capacity of your Caravan.
It is not recommended to exceed the weight capacity of the car. Exceeding the weight limit of your car can lead to serious consequences.
Choose One With A Wide Range Of Accessories
It is advisable to choose a roof rack with a wide range of accessories. This means that it can support multiple gears.
This makes it easy for you to be able to travel with any equipment or tool that you need.
A versatile roof rack with multiple accessories means that you can easily haul any type of gear.
Your accessory range easily increases the versatility of the roof rack. To buy a good roof rack for your Caravan, check the accessories that come with it.
Mounting The Roof Rack
With a Caravan, it can be a bit challenging to install a roof rack. This is different from an ordinary car with a simple roof system. This is because the camper carries more items.
Talk about skylights, roof vents, solar panels, and so on, the roof usually carries more items. It can be difficult to install your roof rack after installing all other equipment on the roof.
Also, the best way to ensure a good result is to design the full layout of the roof. This way, you can use your space optimally.
Do Roofs With Pop-Tops Support Roof Racks?
It could be that your Caravan comes with a pop-top roof, and you want to install a roof rack. The question here is will this work? The answer is yes. It is possible to install a roof rack onto a camper that comes with a pop-top roof.
However, it is important to confirm the weight allowance of the campervan. This way, you will not damage the roof of the vehicle.
Also, it is important to note that you will have to take off any gear on the roof before it is opened. As soon as you open up the pop-top trunk, the roof will be unable to support the weight.
Why You Need A Roof Rack For Your Caravan
A caravan or a minivan is the perfect vehicle for a family or group adventure. You don’t want to compromise the fun and enjoyment by cramping your items and everyone onto the cabin of the vehicle.
A roof rack could spare you from having a disastrous trip. The following roof rack benefits will help you understand why you need one.
Benefits Of Installing A Roof Rack On Your Caravan
Roof rack products have had major improvements from the previous items in the market.
With so many options in the market, there are usually various products to choose from. However, before choosing and buying one, it is important to understand its benefits.
1. Allow You To Haul Heavy And Bulky Items
Your minivan comes with enough cabin space to accommodate you. However, there are times when you may need additional space for the storage of gear and items.
Adding a roof rack to your caravan means that you can increase the fun of your trip by going with your bike, canoe, or surfboards. These are oversized items that may not be able to be inserted through the cabin.
2. Connection For A Vehicle Rooftop Tent
If you are a camper with a caravan, a roof rack allows you to take the fun even further. This means that you now have the perfect platform for your tent.
Hoisting your tent onto your minivan gives you a feeling like never before. This means that you are now able to create a home in the middle of nowhere. It is good to choose a remarkable and versatile roof rack system. This way, it does not stop you from transporting other items that may not be compatible.
3. Make Your Journey All The Way Comfortable
One major factor that deeply influences the experience we have on our road trip is the comfort that we have ourselves.
People will be greatly uncomfortable when you have to fill up the car with excess luggage and bags. This means that you will have to force people to squeeze themselves into limited spaces in the minivan.
If you install a roof rack in your caravan, the people in your vehicle will not have to cramp themselves in such a small space.
4. A Generally Improved General Appearance Of The Vehicle
Your caravan will be given an upgraded look when you buy any roof rack. This improved appearance is a useful property to guarantee your safety.
Roof racks are useful in helping caravans and campers navigate rough and challenging terrains. This is hardly the case for vehicles that have their luggage in the trunk.
A roof rack for your vehicle makes it a lot easier to control your vehicle in off-road conditions. This is also a useful element to consider when moving uphill on a road.
Because of the roof rack, vehicles carrying excess weight may be spared. This also prevents your engine from overheating.
5. More Space For Storing Your Items
A roof rack for your caravan makes it possible for you to store more items. This is a good extra carrier if you are out with family on field trips or simply just a group meeting.
If all the seats in your minivan have been taken, a roof rack can easily give you more storage space. Roof racks are especially useful during the holiday season when the entire family usually travel with guests and friends.
Squeezing items and people can generally be unsafe and uncomfortable. A roof rack will make it possible for everyone to be comfortable while in the car.
6. Use Accessories To Create More Options
Many roof racks are versatile and used for multiple purposes. A simple roof rack can be transformed into another type of carrier with the use of accessories.
Roof racks have numerous accessories that can be used to convert them based on their purpose. Purchasing multiple accessories for one roof rack will help you extend your options.
This means that you can use the roof rack for some other purpose. One good example here is the roof tent. With the right accessories, your roof tent can be connected to your roof rails.
7. Easy Installation
One of the primary benefits of the roof rack system is due to its easy installation and mounting processes. Installing a roof rack is not meant for scientists alone.
Many brands and roof rack companies have reduced the complexities of their roof racks and embraced open designs. Because of their versatility, the roof rack comes with easy installation procedures and techniques.
The Best Roof Racks For Your Caravan
If you own a Caravan, then you may want to consider getting the following roof racks for your vehicle.
The Rhino Rack Pioneer platform may come at a rather expensive price. However, This initial hefty price tag is justified. You get a roof rack that is sturdy and durable.
This roof rack product from Rhino is especially of good quality. Also, you get to use a roof rack from a reputable brand just like Rhino.
Another important feature of the Rhino roof rack system is that they come with lots of accessories to easily carry your gear and items. This is among some of the best roof racks that you can buy for your caravan.
It is versatile, durable, and lightweight. Possessing a low profile and made from aluminium, it barely adds more weight to the vehicle. With this roof rack, you are sure to save some money at the fuel pump.
The good thing about this roof rack is the fact that it is offered in various size variants. This makes it possible for people of different vehicle sizes to purchase the item.
The Rhino Rack pioneer platform comes with an elaborate design. As a prestigious red dot winner, the product was recently awarded the gold category for its good design.
This means that you are guaranteed good performance inspired by a durable and well-conceived design. The product material is made from aluminium with fibreglass. It is also reinforced with nylon for added strength.
The Rhino Rack is a versatile product that can be utilized for various purposes. Its design supports a faster installation process while it also comes fully integrated with a measuring strip.
This is an innovative product from Rhino Rack. Therefore, you are guaranteed the performance of the product.
The Arksen Cargo rack is another viable option for your caravan. This roof rack is an affordable product that is offered in various size variants.
This is useful for people who do not use their vanes excessively for yearly adventure trips. This is a cargo rack that is offered in three various size variants.
The sizes depend on the number of items you want to haul off. It comes with a configuration that uses a vehicle crossbar for its mounting process.
If your caravan does not come with a crossbar, then you will have to buy the mounting system for the roof rack. The Arksen cargo rack is a product that has been manufactured from steel.
This is why it is robust and durable. Although, it is slightly heavy compared to aluminium roof racks.
The Smart Clamp is another product from Swedish roof rack maker, Thule. This product is distinguished by its lightweight aluminium profile. It also comes with a wide range of accessories.
Thule is a very innovative and reliable maker of roof racks.
They also make various accessories for mounting roof racks on minivans. These accessories include bike carriers and awnings.
The SmartClamp is a type of roof rack that is suitable for a wide range of caravans. It is offered in different lengths based on the size of the vehicle.
The SmartClamp is a roof rack that involves the use of crossbars. It does not need a platform base, this means that it comes with fewer mounting points for securing your gear.
However, the good news is that you can also add more bars to secure heavier gear like kayaks and so on.
This SmartClamp from Thule is made from aluminium. This is why it is a lightweight roof rack product that adds minimal weight to your vehicle. This means that it will help with your fuel economy.
Another great feature of this roof rack is its easy installation process. You can easily install the roof rack without necessarily drilling holes onto the roof of the caravan. Rather, you can easily fix the roof rack by using the fixing system from the van.
This is a handy and compact roof rack that comes at an affordable rate compared to other products on this list. It comes with a universal fit which means that it is meant for various vehicles and caravans.
This is a good inexpensive product that provides basic performance. The Curt Rooftop cargo carrier can be used to provide additional storage space.
It is useful for storing smaller items such as an extra tent, climbing gear, and bedding.
But you may not be able to haul off large equipment like surfboards because of its limited size.
The Yakima Lock-n-Load roof rack platform is another roof rack that works with your caravan. This roof rack comes with integrated T-slots that make it possible to secure all items and gear.
The T-slots are located on every outer frame and slat. This is a roof rack from Yakima that is offered in six different sizes. This means that you can choose to have the roof rack span across the length of the van.
You can also choose if you want the racks to span over a portion of the roof of your van. The Yakima Lock-n-Load roof rack comes with a 165-weight capacity.
Another remarkable and excellent roof rack for your caravan is the MaxxHaul Universal Steel Roof rack. This is an all-steel carrier system that comes with an easy installation process. It also adds a 150 cargo capacity instantly to your vehicle.
The roof rack can be installed onto the crossbars of the vehicle. This is made possible with a universal mounting system called the U-bolt system.
The MaxxHaul universal steel roof rack is offered in two different size variants. This means that you can use existing rooftop accessories to increase your storage options.
The MaxxHaul Universal Steel Roof Rack has also been optimized to enhance airflow. It has been designed aerodynamically to ensure that drag and noise are eliminated.
This means that you have a product that enhances the fuel economy of your vehicle. Also, this roof rack is weather resistant to withstand all types of extreme weather.
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The Avenn rooftop cargo carrier is also another excellent cargo transportation product for your caravan. This is a cargo carrier that comes with a waterproof bag. It also has an anti-slip mat that helps to prevent any potential slipping of your rooftop cargo. The product can be used for transporting luggage and other gear.
This is while it is suitable for camping, travelling, and adventurous trips. The product itself is from a reputable brand in the roof rack industry for caravans. This cargo carrier has been produced elaborately to protect all gear being transported.
You get durable tubular bars that have been reinforced to handle all types of loads and weights. This rooftop carrier also comes with a 6 inches tall side.
The sides stop your gear from moving and falling off during movement. You also get a frame holder that is used to stop your gear from moving the wrong way. The front fairing is used to enhance the aerodynamics of the rooftop cargo carrier.
The fairing has been tapered slightly to help enhance the flow of air through the cargo carrier and over the top. This helps to reduce the drag and noise as you move the vehicle.
One benefit of this cargo carrier is that it can be easily assembled and taken apart. It comes supplied with screws that help simplify the installation process.
However, this is a cargo carrier system that works with vehicles with mounting crossbars and rails. The installation is further enhanced with the supply of elaborate accessories.
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