Roof rack for new Defender 90

[michielb]

Hi,

Apologies if I am posting this in the wrong forum (this is my first post and I cannot find a dedicated forum for the L633 new Defender 90).

I am looking for cross bars or a roof rack that can hold a 57kg rooftop tent (iKamper Skycamp mini). I could find that the new Defender 90 can carry a dynamic load of 80 kg (max 118 kg with off-road tyres, but I have all-season tyres) and a static load of 300 kg. Land Rover expedition rack weighs 30kg, and 57+30 > 80 so that does not work. Land Rover cross bars weigh 6, but they can carry a maximum of 94 kg (I assume this is static weight, and that is not enough when people sleep in the tent), so that also does not work.

Does this mean that a rooftop tent is not possible with the Defender 90? Or should I be fine with the expedition rack and just not go extreme off-road with it?

All advice is welcome, thanks!

Michiel

[ramblingboy42]

mmm very interesting , seems like there's not much use in putting racks on D90.

Just as an aside, 57kg tent is a pretty dead weight to lift that high.....have you lifted it that high before? a bag of cement is 50kg if I'm correct. crikey.

seems these new cars have little ability to carry a reasonable load.

[michielb]

mmm very interesting , seems like there's not much use in putting racks on D90.

Just as an aside, 57kg tent is a pretty dead weight to lift that high.....have you lifted it that high before? a bag of cement is 50kg if I'm correct. crikey.

seems these new cars have little ability to carry a reasonable load.

I have seen quite a few small cars (like a Mini) with a similar roof top tent and I cannot imagine that the Defender can carry less on the roof than those cars, so perhaps I just need to find better cross bars than the OEM cross bars (which seem to be made of plastic and aluminium).

Yes 57 kg is heavy but can be lifted with 2 people. It is meant to stay on the roof so it only needs to be lifted, fixed and locked once. Most hardshell roof tents are 75+ kg and this one is actually the lightest one that exists.

[michielb]

The more I read about it, the more I think that the "maximum carrying capacity" of the cross bars (i.e., 94 kg) refers to the DYNAMIC load, not the STATIC load. Can anyone confirm that? If that is not the case, I wonder how anyone could put a roof top tent on cross bars and sleep in it, since it will always exceed the maximum carrying capacity.

[loanrangie]

The more I read about it, the more I think that the "maximum carrying capacity" of the cross bars (i.e., 94 kg) refers to the DYNAMIC load, not the STATIC load. Can anyone confirm that? If that is not the case, I wonder how anyone could put a roof top tent on cross bars and sleep in it, since it will always exceed the maximum carrying capacity.

From what I've seen most people would be oblivious to the carrying capacity of their vehicle and the weight a rooftop tent adds, I have seen one on a corolla and other small non SUV vehicles.

[michielb]

I just found this on the Yakima page to explain it. So the maximum load of cross bars indeed refers to the dynamic load, and there is a reduction for off-road.

LockNLoad™ Load Ratings - Yakima

[scarry]

I just found this on the Yakima page to explain it. So the maximum load of cross bars indeed refers to the dynamic load, and there is a reduction for off-road.

LockNLoad™ Load Ratings - Yakima

There are no Tracks available,as in that link,for the 90?
Then you need just two roof bars and legs to suit,which should be under your weight rating,with the RTT.

We have had this set up on two vehicles.With the D4 it was right on the limit of 100KG or just over,with an awning,no issues.
Our RTT is 65KG plus bedding,two roof rails and awning(18KG).

[michielb]

There are no Tracks available,as in that link,for the 90?
Then you need just two roof bars and legs to suit,which should be under your weight rating,with the RTT.

We have had this set up on two vehicles.With the D4 it was right on the limit of 100KG or just over,with an awning,no issues.
Our RTT is 65KG plus bedding,two roof rails and awning(18KG).

Thank you for confirming. Yes Yakima has cross bars that fit the new 90. Rhino-rack, Thule, and others do not seem to have them. So then we should be able to use the OEM bars or the Yakima bars.

[scarry]

Thank you for confirming. Yes Yakima has cross bars that fit the new 90. Rhino-rack, Thule, and others do not seem to have them. So then we should be able to use the OEM bars or the Yakima bars.

Ok,good luck with it all.

I should have mentioned,we used the Rhino set up on both vehicles,with HD bars and legs,and tracks.
The tracks are great as the bars are then infinitely adjustable.
Also,with our RTT,there is a maximum distance between the front bar and the front of the tent,so you may need to check what it is with your RTT.

[michielb]

Also,with our RTT,there is a maximum distance between the front bar and the front of the tent,so you may need to check what it is with your RTT.

Ah ok good point, thanks!