View Full Version : Gutter loadings loadings fender tdi
naradataranto
5th June 2009, 09:35 PM
I have just picked up a full length roof rack for the feender Tdi. It follows the fall of the roof to the windscreen and weighs some 38 odd kgs. My questions are will the gutters hold a 100kg load ie can I sleep up there and secondly do I need to be carefull of loading weight close to the windscreen. I only ask as I have seen a few fenders with cracks where the windscreen joins the roof and all had full length safari racks.
Any help would be appreciated.
naradataranto
5th June 2009, 09:44 PM
I have just got my hands on a full length steel rack for the fender. It's damn heavy at 38kg approx and I am concerned about the max weight loadings. Obviously keep rack weight to a min but a mate and I were thinking of using It as a swag platform on an upcomimg trip and at 85 odd Kgs each I am concerned about the loadings. The rack has four feet per side each 7cm long that sit in the gutter.
Any advice?
mike_ie
5th June 2009, 09:51 PM
According to the manuals, the maximum roof weight for any Land Rover is 75kg.
Having said that however, I've seen plenty of Land Rovers with a couple of wheels, jerry cans, water tanks, etc up on the roof, weighing well over 75kg, so it seems to be a bit flexible :) And also bearing in mind of course that this is the maximum load while moving - if the weight on the roof (including the rack itself) exceed 75 kg's, the stability of the vehicle will be adversely affected... that's not to say that it can't handle masses more weight when parked though....
naradataranto
5th June 2009, 09:55 PM
Thnks for the reply but does the manuel say max roof weight or max gutter loading? How heavy are the roof top tents
mike_ie
5th June 2009, 10:02 PM
Maximum roof load is the term used, AFAIK. And the figures quoted are for when the vehicle is moving. When parked, I can't tell you what the capacity is. Though when you consider that a roof tent weighs about 40kg, fits 2 people in it and whatever extra stuff, I think you are pretty safe....
JLo
5th June 2009, 10:12 PM
According to the manuals, the maximum roof weight for any Land Rover is 75kg.
Having said that however, I've seen plenty of Land Rovers with a couple of wheels, jerry cans, water tanks, etc up on the roof, weighing well over 75kg, so it seems to be a bit flexible :) And also bearing in mind of course that this is the maximum load while moving - if the weight on the roof (including the rack itself) exceed 75 kg's, the stability of the vehicle will be adversely affected... that's not to say that it can't handle masses more weight when parked though....
Maximum roof load is the term used, AFAIK. And the figures quoted are for when the vehicle is moving. When parked, I can't tell you what the capacity is. Though when you consider that a roof tent weighs about 40kg, fits 2 people in it and whatever extra stuff, I think you are pretty safe....
My Defender ('02) manual quotes the following "The MAXIMUM load for approved roof rack systems is 330 lb (150 kg) for normal road use and 66 lb (30 kg) off-road. Calculation of the maximum load must include the weight of the roof rack." 
In saying that I have a 65kg rack (unloaded) on mine and haven't seen any evidence of cracking yet. 
Cheers
weeds
6th June 2009, 06:08 AM
would hate to think what mine weighs in at, considering on my simpson trip i had a spare tyre and rim + 3 x 20L jerries + 2 x gas cylinder + 3 x swags + i couple of other small bits and pieces :eek:
 
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/06/1313.jpg
Bushie
6th June 2009, 08:42 AM
And a bit of weight here when the jerries were full (which wasn't for long but I was glad I had them).
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/06/1306.jpg
I think as others have said, most roof/gutter loadings would be for dynamic loads, as well as Land Rover trying to avoid any legal problems from a vehicle rollover when the roof rack was loaded.
There is plenty of evidence of roofracks carrying some very substantial loads (not that that makes it right), but it tend to show the vehicle may with stand a lot more than manufacturers recommended max.
As far as sleeping up on the roof rack, I don't think you have much to worry about.
Martyn
PAT303
6th June 2009, 09:31 AM
If you go over alot of corrigations the roof with split regardless of what type of rack you have.That is true for all vehicles.With my defender I have a roll bar behind the cargo barrier and I have four bolts that go through the bar,roof and then into the roof rack so it takes the load off the gutters.   Pat
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