In the roof rack market, there are numerous products and manufacturers. These roof racks come in various designs, structures, and shapes. However, although most of these products are of Chinese origin, the vast majority are manufactured in European-based facilities.
Significantly, because there are so many items and manufacturers on the market, it is unavoidable that each product’s installation will be unique. However, some aspects remain constant because roof racks are manufactured per your car’s roof type. These aspects make installing a roof rack on your car roof easier.
Therefore, this article will discuss how to install your toyota Prado roof rack per these elements, which are almost universal today.
But before that, we will first explore roof racks and their types.
What’s a roof rack?
A roof rack is a set of bars mounted to a vehicle’s roof. It transports large goods such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or other cargo containers.
They enable users of automobiles to transport things on the vehicle’s roof without diminishing interior room for people or cargo. These include weatherproof vehicle top containers, some of which are built for specialized items such as skis or luggage.
Types of roof racks you can get?
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Full-length cages
These are the most extensive roof racks available, similar to baskets but much heavier duty. You can acquire these with either the sides or the front and back missing. This enables you to overhang larger objects.
Significantly, these are the most common option if you travel full-time and have a lot of gear to tote around. Cages for single and dual cab users are also available in lesser sizes.
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Roof bars
Roof bars are the least functional and lightest attachment-wise racks. However, they are the ideal answer for many people who merely wish to connect fishing lines, an Oztent, or something else to the top of the bars.
Some automobiles have roof bars that run the length of the vehicle. These are essentially useless because you cannot use them to attach anything. You want the bars to move from side to side. The good news is that it is simple to convert lengthways to sideways.
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Baskets
Baskets are just what their name implies: metal baskets that can hold various items, with edges that wrap around the sides and mesh in between. These are typically mild duty and are little larger than a meter by a meter in diameter.
How much weight can you apply to the roof?
One of the most important details that people neglect when putting roof racks on a Prado is the overall weight the manufacturer has designed the roof to support. Every Toyota Prado on the market has a roof loading capability, which is determined by the roof’s strength and how it is supported.
The roof loading limit for most Prado’s is 100kg, with only a few reaching 150 and 200kg. It is the maximum weight you can put on your roof, including the weight of your roof racks. Assume you exceed this limit; your car can cause or contribute to an accident.
As a result, your insurance provider is legally entitled to deny or reduce your claim. Overloading your roof with more than the manufacturer recommends is a recipe for catastrophe. Numerous reports have registered roof racks falling off roofs or causing vehicle damage because they were overloaded. Call your vehicle manufacturer and have your VIN accessible to determine your roof load capacity.
The procedure of installing a Prado Roof Rack
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Clean the Roof of Your Car
Installing a rack on a dirty roof can make future cleaning difficult and prevent the rack’s connection points from resting flush. Hence, first, clean the top of your car.
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Loosen the Screws
Prado’s roof racks usually include two crossbars and four-foot mounts that attach to the gutters or side rails of the vehicle. Unscrew just enough of the hand screws on the exterior of the foot mounts to allow them to open.
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Fix the Crossbars
Separate the foot mount apertures to insert the crossbars between the four mounts. You should now have two crossbars with loosely attached foot mounts on each end.
Measure the inside edge of the foot mounts to determine the correct width between mounts for your vehicle. Tighten the settings until the crossbar distance between mounts stabilizes at the right length.
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Fix the Pads and Caps
Attach the pads to the mounts and the caps to the crossbars. Roof rack pads keep the rack from damaging your roof, while crossbar covers keep water from settling inside.
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Position the Rack
Open your vehicle’s doors and center the rack on the roof, ensuring that the front frame is positioned correctly away from the top of the windshield by following the manufacturer’s safety requirements included with the equipment.
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Fasten the Rack
Fasten the accompanying metal clips connected to the underside rim of your car doors and tighten them to lock the front foot mounts. Your crossbars and foot mounts are now securely fastened and ready for use.
Bottomline
Roof racks are available in various styles appropriate for a wide range of automobiles. However, you must first evaluate the car’s many roofs to get the best roof rack for your vehicle model.
Once fitted on your vehicle, ensure you adhere to the maximum weight capacity of the rack. Otherwise, you risk a catastrophic accident or the rack collapsing and damaging your vehicle’s roof.
