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What makes a great roof rack?
What is a roof rack?
The first question we need to consider when we ask what makes a great roof rack is what a roof rack is? By definition, a roof rack is a manufactured item attached to the roof of a vehicle to carry long loads.
Roof racks have been used since almost the inception of motor-powered cars to assist in the carting of long and heavy loads. Put simply roof racks allow you to carry that extra stuff, that just will not fit into your vehicle no matter how hard you try.
Fast forward nearly 100 years, and a roof rack has become so much more. In Australia alone the industry surrounding roof racks and their manufacturing has grown to cover over 50 different vehicle manufacturer's producing hundred's of different models.
How have they changed?
From the early days of simple pipe, tube bars clamped to a roof gutter rail right through to current where roof racks are being manufactured from aluminium like our Oval aluminium roof racks or precision grade steel tube, like our Oval Steel roof rack range or even sometimes a mixture of composite materials.
Even roof rack fitments have changed dramatically; the percentage of vehicles manufactured with roof gutters is now well under five per cent. Most vehicles now have roof racks fitted via their factory inserted bolt points or via rivet methods.
This change in vehicle design has necessitated a much more sophisticated approach to how we design, test and fit roof racks. Another massive difference to the industry is the number of vehicle models available. Never before has there been such a choice of different vehicles for whatever use you may intend.
Tradesman roof racks as an industry leader have had to move with this change and develop fitments to cater for whatever vehicle choice you make, whether it be a Toyota HiAce for work or a Land Rover or LandCruiser for going bush.
What are the best roof racks?
The best roof rack is one that serves its purpose. Whether you are a tradie delivering to site on your roof every day or travelling through our beautiful country with kayak's, bikes, firewood or any other item you may need out on the tracks.
Here at Tradesman Roof Racks, our primary focus is to build a roof rack that is entirely fit for your purpose. When selling a roof rack, our priority is understanding our customer's need; We consider many factors in the design of your roof rack. For example, if you were a tradesperson carrying timber around Melbourne or Sydney, your priority would be to have maximum strength while minimising overall vehicle height so you can fit in those low clearance inner-city car parks!
Whereas if you are a retired travelling caravaner your priorities for your roof rack would be completely different. In this case, the best roof rack is one that can carry all your extra camping goods without exceeding your vehicle's GVM (gross vehicle mass). With these differences in mind, all our trained salespeople and agents look at your unique situation and help you choose a rack that correctly serves your requirements and will not let you down.
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Types of roof racks and their uses
Roof racks are many and varied, and often the choices available can be very confusing; therefore, advice from a professional can be beneficial. Roof racks can start as simple as two crossbars to suit a small car right through to a full fabricated roof rack on a 4wd or commercial vehicle.
Light duty
Light duty racks like simple crossbars can be fitted to almost any vehicle and used for a variety of tasks like carrying light luggage or perhaps roof carriers or boxes. Generally, this type of roof rack fits using rubber clamps around existing roof rails or over a door lip.
It is important to stress here that this type of rooftop rack is ideal for light-duty work only and are not generally suitable for extended use in harsh off-road environments like the Australian outback.
Medium duty
Medium duty roof racks will also often be individual crossbars fitted to SUV's or 4WD and will usually be mounted to factory rails but also can often use riveted fixtures to attach to the vehicle roof.
While this kind of roof rack may be suitable to carry a light load offroad etc. often they will be subject to an offroad rating safety factor requiring their load-carrying capacity to drop when used on unsealed roads.
Heavy duty
Roof racks in this sector will often be a full piece assembled product, usually fitted to heavy 4wd vehicles, SUV's or vans and utes as well as a lot of different canopy variants.
This kind of roof rack carries heavy and awkward loads like sheets of plaster, rolls of carpet, boats or kayaks. It is in this space that Tradesman roof racks excel.
Here at Tradesman, we have been perfecting heavy duty roof racks manufactured in Australia since 1978.
Roof racks are many and varied, and often the choices available can be very confusing; therefore, advice from a professional can be beneficial. Roof racks can start as simple as two crossbars to suit a small car right through to full a full fabricated roof rack on a 4wd or Commercial vehicle.
Light Duty
Light duty racks like simple crossbars can be fitted to almost any vehicle and used for a variety of tasks like carrying light luggage or perhaps roof carriers or boxes. Generally, this type of roof rack fits using rubber clamps around existing roof rails or over a door lip.
It is important to stress here that this type of rooftop rack is ideal for light-duty work only and are not generally suitable for extended use in harsh off-road environments like the Australian outback.
Medium Duty
Medium Duty roof racks will also often be individual crossbars fitted to SUV's or 4WD and will usually be mounted to factory rails but also can often use riveted fixtures to attach to the vehicle roof.
While this kind of roof rack may be suitable to carry a light load offroad etc. often they will be subject to an offroad rating safety factor requiring their load-carrying capacity to drop when used on unsealed roads.
Heavy Duty
Roof racks in this sector will often be a full piece assembled products, usually fitted to heavy 4wd vehicles, SUV's or vans and utes as well as a lot of different canopy variants.
This kind of roof rack carries heavy and awkward loads like sheets of plaster, rolls of carpet, boats or kayaks. It is in this space that Tradesman roof racks excel.
Here at Tradesman, we have been perfecting heavy duty roof racks manufactured in Australia since 1978.
Where does Tradesman Roof Racks fit?
Tradesman Roof Racks can build you a roof rack that works for what you need. Through our unique custom roof rack approach, we can make your roof rack a reliable investment that lasts for many years to come. Tradesman has two store locations in Australia, one in Bayswater Victoria, where our manufacturing is based and the second in Prestons Sydney.
We also have an extensive network of roof rack specialising resellers around Australia who can help you build the perfect roof rack for your requirements.
Here at Tradesman roof racks, we consider ourselves the tradie roof rack specialists with over 40 years experience and are currently one of the last manufacturers of heavy-duty roof racks manufacturing in Australia.
Not just Tradie racks
Although our name is Tradesman Roof Racks, we also specialise in off-road applications. With over 40 years experience in getting people around Australia and back, we believe we can help you with your ultimate holiday.
Whether it be building an ultra-strong roof rack or adapting it to suit all your roof rack accessories to optimise the space on your vehicle, we can help.
Many of our customers have requested to fit specific accessories to their roof rack. Tradesman offers the following accessories that suit our standard racks.
- Hi-lift jack and shovel holder
- Spare wheel carrier
- Shovel Holder
- Jerry Can holder
Sometimes we don't manufacture the accessory you require for your application. Fortunately, due to our flexible manufacturing capability here in Australia, we can often work things out to include an accessory of your choice, these accessories can often include:
- Bike carriers
- Kayak carriers
- Roof boxes
- TRED or max track brackets
- Awning adapter brackets
- Gas bottle holders
- Many other accessories (ask for more information)
More Information
This website helps you make an informed decision. If you are struggling to find the information you are looking for or you need more help, please do not hesitate to make contact with one of our friendly staff members or visit one of our stores or trained resellers in your area.