Roof rack weight

[danske]

Hi all , I'm wanting to know what maximum weights i can put on my rack which is a steel rack 3/4 length Tradie type rack ( about 40kg) sitting on 4 bars ( Thule cross bars from roof carrier systems in Melbourne ) I'm crossing the Simpson and carrying 10 single swags plus a spare tyre and maybe a 20 Ltr jerry of fuel. Is this too much , should I spend the bucks on a purpose biult rack such as a Hannibal ? Trying to keep costs down , but would hate to break the roof ??? Any experienced advice would be welcomed.

[KarlB]

Recommended maximum all up weight for a Defender is 150 kg including the weight of the rack. In a crossing of the Simpson or similar where the there will be a fair bit of 'pounding', I would certainly not exceed that recommended weight. You don't want to crack the A or B pillars. Roof racks are one of the most common things to fail on the Simpson. If you must carry a rack then high quality and not overloading are the best way to avoid problems. Load the full jerry and the spare in the middle of the rack to distribute the weight across all load points.

Cheers
KarlB

[greenhornet]

10 single swags?
I am all for sharing gear between vehicles to even the load across the group, but are you sure you are not taking more than your share?
I agree with above comment re keeping the load as light as possible.:)

[slug_burner]

You will be ok with the weight of the load you have described.

Swags don't weigh that much, you will probably have a volume problem instead of weight with that load.

I only had a spare up on the roof racks, carried diesel jerry inside the vehicle trying to keep the load as low as possible.

[scarry]

Puma is also 150KG,it is the manual.

If anyone is after a rack,keep an eye on fleabay,picked one up last week,ARB,still in box,half price:)

[danske]

10 single swags?
I am all for sharing gear between vehicles to even the load across the group, but are you sure you are not taking more than your share?
I agree with above comment re keeping the load as light as possible.:)

I am one of 4 vehicles with 11 blokes and 7 of which will be riding dirt bikes , so three utes will be carting , fuel food , water tools and anything else these guys need. I carry lightweight suff like fridge , gear bags , and swags. So i reckon ill be OK weight wise by the sounds of it.

[Tombie]

You will be ok with the weight of the load you have described.

Swags don't weigh that much, you will probably have a volume problem instead of weight with that load.

I only had a spare up on the roof racks, carried diesel jerry inside the vehicle trying to keep the load as low as possible.

10 swags ~7.5kg each = 75kg
Spare = 30kg
Rack = 40kg

So far = 145kg

Your pushing close to the limit - Make sure the Thules are over 'meaty' sections of the vehicle (B pillar, C Pillar etc...)

On a Deefer the solid bars fight against the twisting of the chassis and body which is what cracks the roof - using 4 bars will prevent the rigidity issues of the rack from pulling against the roof...

Dont put the gerry can up there if you can avoid it...

And IME the 6th wheel is not warranted if you have good tyres, a repair kit and some emergency tubes :) The extra weight will just help break things...

[kenleyfred]

Upgrading your rack?
I know Peter at Hannibal had a Defender 110 rack available, the powder coating was damaged but otherwise in perfect condition. He may still have it, may be worth a call to him if you are keen on a Hannibal rack.

Those 10 swags will get a lot heavier if wet.

Kenley