Quote:
Originally Posted by JRod0981
Any reason to get the aluminum or stainless over the steel cross bars other than corrosion resistance? Any difference in strength for what you are using them to haul up there?
|
My view:
Steel - strongest, but corrosion concern if powder coating chips
Stainless - negligibly less strong. Less corrosion concern but higher cost
Aluminum - less strong, but roof rack already has weight limits anyway. Some flex. Some noise particularly if empty (fairing helps). Less corrosion concern and least weight but higher cost.
I went with 3x Stainless crossbars - little more $ but least concern with flex, noise & corrosion.
In hindsight I probably could have gone Aluminum - I don't put anything real heavy up there and ended up getting a fairing anyway when i spread the bars all the way out.
Kinda depends on what you are doing with it.
Lots of weight on 1 or 2 bars (tent?) - go steel for strength or SS for strength/corrosion.
Just recovery boards, hi lift and shovel - I'd go Al for weight/corrosion.