Roof Rack specs

[tomtnt]

Hi,

Is the stated weight limit on the roof-rack the dynamic or static weight?  Most vehicle manufacturer and roof-rack manufacturer state the dynamic weight limit with the static weight limit approximately 2-2.5x the static weight limit.  is that the case here?

 

Thanks

[John C. Harris]

150 pounds is the static weight limit. I guess “dynamic weight limit” is a measure of how violent an impact the racks can survive.  That I do not know. I do know that the rack mounts are quite a lot sturdier and more secure than the Thule racks on my VW Golf. So they’re really strong.

[tomtnt]

the dynamic load specified is the weight that the racks/vehicle can sustain while moving.  ie, due to the forces of wind, sudden braking etc, the roof and the racks can only support a certain weight limit.

When not moving, the rack should be able to support more weight given the absence of those forces…

 

[cpieper]

That’s a good question… The static load limit likely means that the unit is not accelerating (or moving with wind resistance). I would think that a worse case loading could be during a hard braking incident with a load having a center of mass well above the camper top — this would put a moment (torque) on the mounts/rack which may be problematic. For example, if you had a 150 pound load but it’s center of mass was high, this would cause a greater moment during breaking than a load of the same weight that has a lower center of mass… There probably isn’t an easy answer to this question, but it makes sense to keep in mind the difference between a static load and a dynamic one.

[Author]

Posts