It’s no secret that most vehicles do not have enough space to carry large items such as kayaks, bikes or snowboards. Roof racks are the solution to this problem as they let your car carry them on the top so that the passengers do not have to be squeezed in.
The inventory at Burnaby Hitch offers a selection of quality roof racks along with vehicle accessories that can get you to your destinations. Having been in the business for over 30 years, we knowwhat exactly our customers need. We provide various equipment and services including RV towing, LINE-X spray on bedliners and more. You can always count on us for getting the job done right the first time.
What Is a Roof Rack and What Is It Comprised Of?
Basically, a roof rack is simply a set of bars attached on top of the vehicle. Some are designed for specific cargo types. The concept behind it is really simple, and it is mostly made of a few parts:
The mount – This is the component that will be attached to your vehicle. It will bear the weight of everything on the roof. It will be very particular to your car’s make, year and model. The type will change on the basis of the rack that is mounted.
The tower – This is the part that joins the mount to the next component, which is the crossbar. It mostly comes with a locking ability, so your roof rack will not be removed by anyone.
The crossbars – These are the bars that run across the width of the roof. They bear the weight of the items that are put on the roof and transfer the weight to the tower.
Accessories – Once you have the rack on your vehicle, you can fix accessories to the crossbars to transport your stuff.
Choosing the mount is the most important part of the process. The tower will always be the right one for the mount.
The Roof Rack That Will Fit Your Car
The kind of roof rack you can use will depend on your vehicle’s roof. Roof rack options for cars can be temporary (can be removed) or permanent (can’t be removed after installation). The main roof types are:
Naked/ Bare Roofs
Cars that have plastic strips which run front-to-back on the roof are called naked roof cars.
The best roof rack for these types of roof is clip fit. It can tension around the door frame that does not have any pre-installed attachment points. These fits need an exact measurement for ensuring correct installation. Brands that provide clip towers include
Yakima Q Tower
Yakima BaseLine
Yakima 1C SST Tower
Thule 400XT
Thule 480 Traverse
Doing a custom permanent installation by using either fixed or track point mounts is the second main option. These will be permanent and offer greater flexibility in positioning the roof rack.
Side Rails – Raised and Flushed
Many wagons, SUVs and crossovers come with factory-installed side rails. These rails run front-to-back on the roof. These are strong attachment points devised to bear a roof rack system.
Raised side rails are lifted off the roof in a manner that a tower can be assembled around it. Brands that provide raised side rail towers include
Yakima TimberLine
Yakima LowRider
Thule 450 CrossRoad
Flush side rails are placed straight against the roof and normally have pinholes to fit in towers. Brands that provide flush side rail towers include
Yakima RidgeLine
Yakima RailGrab
Thule Podium 460
Yakima Locking EZ Rider
Fixed point or factory track
Several cars come with roof rack mounting points which are built into the roof. Certain ones also come with tracks installed on the roof. These enable easy installation of base towers. Brands that provide a fixed point or track towers include
Yakima 1A High Rise
Yakima 1A
Thule 953
Thule 300
Let Burnaby Hitch Help
Whether you are heading to the mountains or the countryside, we have you covered. You can trust our experienced staff in selecting the right roof rack for your car. We provide equipment from only the best brands in the business at affordable prices. Have a look at our gallery to see some of our workmanship.
For information on choosing a bike rack, read our blog post - How to Choose a Bike Rack
Call us today to learn more about our cost-effective services.