You have finally planned that pending overlanding trip. The route is decided, supplies are bought and you are ready to keep that sleek rooftop tent, but before you start loading up, closely look at what is supporting this gear.
If you have standard factory roof racks, they can’t secure the heavy tent with two adults inside because it’s designed to carry duffel bags or a couple of kayaks. Therefore, you must invest in load bars to make your adventure safe and fun.
Eager to learn more? This blog will give you the reasons.
It Offers Dynamic Weight Capacity
All car components have weight ratings and your roof rack is no different. As an SUV owner, it’s better to understand the difference between dynamic and static loads
Dynamic Load – This is your roof’s weight that it can safely hold while the vehicle is moving. The load can tolerate braking, cornering, hitting potholes and standard factory load bars’ maximum limit is around 150 to 200 pounds.
Static Load – The static load is the weight your roof can hold when the vehicle is still. Premium-quality load bars limit is up to 800 pounds, easily accommodating your tents and passengers. A heavy-duty set of load bars offers a high dynamic rating required to carry the tent to the camping site and a static rating to hold you when asleep.
Provides Structural Integrity on Rough Road
Everyone knows that off-roading is harsh on gear. Here, standard factory bars are attached to the thinnest approved portion of the roof sheet metal, whereas load bars are designed to distribute weight over a wider footprint.
When driving towards the destination, if you hit a washboard road with an unsecured or overloaded roof rack, the forces are multiplied and in severe cases, this:
- Cracks in the roof gulleys
- Factory bolts break off
- Extra flexing that loosens your gear
- Heavy-duty load bars use thicker aluminum or stainless steel. This reduces flex and offers a massive safety margin that is essential for overlanding.
It Allows Customization
Overlanding demands carrying bulky or awkwardly shaped items. Standard bars provide limited points, but load bars allow customization. Many come with built-in channels on multiple sides, which let you mount rooftop tents flush to the bars, jerry cans for fuel or water, solar panels and recovery boards.
For the best heavy-duty load bars, check out DVO. Their teams will guide you and show you suitable ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are aluminum or steel Load Bars better for off-roading?
Aluminum is generally preferred for overlanding because it is lightweight and naturally rust-resistant.
Can I install heavy-duty load bars on any vehicle?
You can install on trucks, SUVs and crossovers, but the mounting style depends on your vehicle’s roof type.
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