Thread: Making a Long Load Over Roof system???

I need to transport some box steel that is 6m long....

Can I make a long load over roof system above the roof line of my Defender 130?

My D130 has ARB front bull bar and the Rear Canvas canopy over the tub has been replaced with a fibreglass canopy, and also has custom made Alu side steps.

What would be the load carrying capacity of this system?
Can I use the rear square tow hitch for the rear support?
I was thinking that I can use the front bull bar some how for front support. Maybe make a mid support behind the rear doors and tub or between the front and rear doors. I probably would need a brace from the rear support top to the bottom of the the middle support to reduce forward motion of load under braking.

Probably make the support system out of tubing, and it will not be perminent. But could be used put back on later if need to transport say matreses etc that doesn't fit in the rear tub.

As a Last resort I might have to cut them all in half and load them in the tub, then re-weld them back to longer lengths where needed - this could be the cheaper and legal solution.

QLD SPECS ONLY FROM QLD ONLINE LEGISLATION
-as recent as I could search so this may have been superceded-


Have summarised a couple of pages into relevant info:

#Absolute max load length for rigid vehicle is 12.5m

#The rear overhang of a vehicle in the case of a fender is the distance from the back of vehicle to the centre of the rear axle. The rear overhang must not exceed 3.7m or the wheelbase of the vehicle whichever is shorter, a 130 has a 3.2m wheel base. So back of vehicle to centre of rear axle < 3.2m.

#The overhang can be exceeded by a load by:

front of vehicle - 1.2m in front of the vehicles headlights
rear of veicle - 1.2m behind the rear of the vehicle or trailer
sides of vehicle - 150mm past outer extremity

BUT this 1.2m can be exceeded IF

a bright red, red/yellow or yellow flag measuring 450mm x 450mm is hung on the extremity
or at night a red light vis for 200m or two red reflectors.

No max overhang is stated if it is appropriately flagged so i guess its a tossup on out to a max of 12.5m or the "vehicle" overhang being 3.2 from centre of rear axle which on a 130 I would guess be a distance out the back of 1.6m.

My feeling from reading would be the max of 12.5m???

Anyway, my 7.4m portal trusses will be well legal a metre out the front and flagged at the back so Im happy!

cya
S