Weight on roofracks

[Nissoj]

Can anyone advise about how much weight a GU patrol can take on the roof?

[Bigrig]

GQ's are 100kgs including the weight of the rack, but not sure on GU boss - would have thought it a similar, if not the same, weight though.

[GRA.GU]

Nissan Australia sell a genuine GU roof rack rated at 120kg, so I assume that the limit is around there, although my understanding is that for off road the recommended maximum should be reduced by 30%.

[janderson]

So a roof top tent is out of the question, I’m 110 Kg plus roof rack and tent weight??????????

[the evil twin]

So a roof top tent is out of the question, I’m 110 Kg plus roof rack and tent weight??????????

Engineering wise there is a "dynamic" limit and a "static" limit.

The dynamic limit is the weight that the vehicle manuf will allow for in his design that can be carried on the roof before handling is adversely affected by the raised C of G. This figure can be suprisingly low EG 100 or 130 Kg's has been mentioned already.

The static limit is considered the amount of weight the roof can support without damage/collapse and is rarely specified by a Manuf.

Obviously there are so many variables in each scenario that it almost becomes a best guess by the relevant engineers because they have no control over the owners other mods (esp lifts) or how they pack the car.

Therefore Vehicle Manufacturers stated limits are normally considered dynamic IE any GQ/GU will carry a poo poo load on the roof BUT at the risk of falling over at the first corner

Roof Rack Manuf will normally state a static load but add a proviso not to exceed the manuf load.

Bottom line is that it is all a case of CYA or someone will apply a stupid interpretation, do an 8 inch lift, pack 5 jerries, two spares and a toolbox on the rack, do 110 KPH down the road and after smearing themselves and their truck over the countryside at the first corner will then attempt to sue you're rrse.

A roof top tent, rack and bit of other light kit is fine "dynamically" as you will be under the Manuf roof limit when driving and when parked up assuming a quality roof rack of say 4 mounts per side or full gutter rail then a couple of average adults should also be quite OK.

I certainly have yet to see the gutters collapse or a Patrol on it 's side in a camping ground when the occupants have moved around in a roof topper

[janderson]

Answers a lot, thanks for this. My old MQ I have had up to 5 adults on the roof watching nascars at Calder park without a problem. Good information.

[Nissoj]

Thank you very much for that info! I always worry about that weight on top. Here, in Bolivia, we also have to travel long distances were there are no gas stations, nor hotels, nor supermarkets. So we take really a lot on the roof. Sometimes as much as 250 kgr. With that weight on the roof we have to be very careful on the mountan roads... they are so bad we cannot really take much speed.

[Fred Schenck]

100kgs, however they must be spread accross the lenght of the gutter.

[Rip'n'Shred]

In regards to static load I think about how little damage there is, relatively speaking, when a car rolls on its roof. A hell of a lot more than 100kg to crush the roof in.

[megatexture]

hope it is more then 100kg as we load ours to the max on longer trips and the rack is like 50-60 kg so that dont allow much room for supplies

[Brina]

a question for someone smarter than me...If you had a full length rack, with 3 clamps/side of rack. Couldn't you add another clamp/side, spread the weight out and get another 50 kg out of the deal?

[megatexture]

that would add to the weight limit of the roof rack but you would still be limited by the limit of the car.