03-05-2011, 02:26 PM
Hi all, just back from a trip when I had a fairly big/bulky load on the roof bars for the first time and now feeling the need for some heavier duty ones and would welcome advice.
Though I have the Modutop I don't like putting any significant load on its roof bars as it would seem like doing so might increase the chance of a Modutop leak and that seems very much worth avoiding. Besides they have a low weight rating.
So I got some 'Genuine Citroen' bars off Ebay:
[Image: rack1.jpg][Image: rack2.jpg]
...and they are fine for light use with roofbox etc. But:
- The rails are not straight. Aside from flat things not sitting on them well, as the weight of a load straightens them they lose grip in the roof 'pockets'.
- They're quite narrow, in contrast to some which will accommodate 1220mm wide sheets of material.
- There are some holes in the plastic bits as tying on points but not really sufficient.
- And most of all, I couldn't get much tension to lock them on. It's as if the bars were a bit long, so the bolts couldn't pull the plastic end bits inwards far enough to get decent tension for the 'hooks' that go into the pockets welded on the roof. So one kept moving and even popped out once as we were cranking down the load with ratchet straps, not helped by the bent bars problem as above. So we had to run ratchet straps inside the vehicle through the rear doors and over the load so as to be confident of nothing coming off.
- and now one of the bolts just snapped as I was dismantling to see if a clean and greasing would help get more tension on the mounting :brickwall:
So I'm now looking at getting some proper heavy duty ones. Not bothered about looks, all they need to be is truly solid. There seem to be a variety out there, but because most sellers are too lazy to provide decent pictures of the actual fittings for the Berlingo I'm finding it hard to choose. Some that caught my eye are:
- These from Aiko (also on sale via Ebay) - cheapish at £51 new, with load stops etc available separetely:
http://www.aiko-design.co.uk/store/index...ductId=206
[Image: Close.JPG]
Aiko also do some even heavier ones:
http://www.aiko-design.co.uk/store/index...oductId=33
but I don't like the welded on load stops - will make getting stuff on harder. And the oval tubes as pictured earlier look more than strong enough anyway.
- Bigger stainless steel ones (£80ish):
http://www.roofrackshop.com/Van-Products...3721p.aspx
[Image: products13-11-08-12-26-39.jpg]
although if you go to the Van Guard website all their bars now seem to be alloy:
http://www.van-guard.co.uk/products/roof...+stops-710
- Rhino offer two systems:
http://www.rhinoroofracks.com/citroen-ro...at_23.html
and seem to be really decent industrial stuff, though I can't find any non-tiny and crappy pictures. Loads of people selling these e.g. around £92 on ebay;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citreon-Berlingo-9...19c4bc7aeb
All of the above are two bar sets though three might be an idea to help distribute the strain as much as possible I guess. All to fit the old shape pre-2008 Berlingo and the later First - I believe all of these have the same mountings.
Thule just seem ridiculously expensive and more about looks than function/robustness.
Any recommendations/experience of these or other brands?
Thanks in advance
Pete
Though I have the Modutop I don't like putting any significant load on its roof bars as it would seem like doing so might increase the chance of a Modutop leak and that seems very much worth avoiding. Besides they have a low weight rating.
So I got some 'Genuine Citroen' bars off Ebay:
[Image: rack1.jpg][Image: rack2.jpg]
...and they are fine for light use with roofbox etc. But:
- The rails are not straight. Aside from flat things not sitting on them well, as the weight of a load straightens them they lose grip in the roof 'pockets'.
- They're quite narrow, in contrast to some which will accommodate 1220mm wide sheets of material.
- There are some holes in the plastic bits as tying on points but not really sufficient.
- And most of all, I couldn't get much tension to lock them on. It's as if the bars were a bit long, so the bolts couldn't pull the plastic end bits inwards far enough to get decent tension for the 'hooks' that go into the pockets welded on the roof. So one kept moving and even popped out once as we were cranking down the load with ratchet straps, not helped by the bent bars problem as above. So we had to run ratchet straps inside the vehicle through the rear doors and over the load so as to be confident of nothing coming off.
- and now one of the bolts just snapped as I was dismantling to see if a clean and greasing would help get more tension on the mounting :brickwall:
So I'm now looking at getting some proper heavy duty ones. Not bothered about looks, all they need to be is truly solid. There seem to be a variety out there, but because most sellers are too lazy to provide decent pictures of the actual fittings for the Berlingo I'm finding it hard to choose. Some that caught my eye are:
- These from Aiko (also on sale via Ebay) - cheapish at £51 new, with load stops etc available separetely:
http://www.aiko-design.co.uk/store/index...ductId=206
[Image: Close.JPG]
Aiko also do some even heavier ones:
http://www.aiko-design.co.uk/store/index...oductId=33
but I don't like the welded on load stops - will make getting stuff on harder. And the oval tubes as pictured earlier look more than strong enough anyway.
- Bigger stainless steel ones (£80ish):
http://www.roofrackshop.com/Van-Products...3721p.aspx
[Image: products13-11-08-12-26-39.jpg]
although if you go to the Van Guard website all their bars now seem to be alloy:
http://www.van-guard.co.uk/products/roof...+stops-710
- Rhino offer two systems:
http://www.rhinoroofracks.com/citroen-ro...at_23.html
and seem to be really decent industrial stuff, though I can't find any non-tiny and crappy pictures. Loads of people selling these e.g. around £92 on ebay;
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Citreon-Berlingo-9...19c4bc7aeb
All of the above are two bar sets though three might be an idea to help distribute the strain as much as possible I guess. All to fit the old shape pre-2008 Berlingo and the later First - I believe all of these have the same mountings.
Thule just seem ridiculously expensive and more about looks than function/robustness.
Any recommendations/experience of these or other brands?
Thanks in advance
Pete