Roof flex

[KidVermicious]

On a recent trip I threw a roof rack on top of the Yakima load bars and stuck a hilift and a couple decently heavy bags of tools and such in it. Loaded down like that I noticed a fair amount of flex in the sheet metal of the roof, especially at the ends of the stock tracks, enough that it made me nervous and I pulled them off and carried them in the cargo area.

You guys with roof racks, how much weight do you put up there? Does that flex make you nervous?

 

[Unner]

I've had probably about 450 pounds on my roof including my WMW rack itself. I'm sure it isn't ideal and yes you can see the roof flexing but I don't think it will cause any issues unless it's like that every single day of the year. As long as the roof isn't caving in and staying that way I'm not worried about it. I wouldn't want to put all that weight in one spot on the rack either though, I spread it out as much as I can.

People with the RTT probably run 600 pounds if not more up there when the tent is set up and two people are in it.

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

165lbs is what the factory rating on the cross bar. Couldn't imagine much more than that

 

[A.Wilson013]

I don't notice any flex when my wife is asleep in the tent. Her, dog, and tent weigh in at about 240 though I think. The tent is attached at 8 evenly spaced points though. IF that matters. I think it does. We'll have to make a thread to ask an engineer.

 

[Doc2012]

You can reinforce the inside, if you so choose.

There's a thread, somewhere, where a guy reinforced his LC(?) roof by using some 3/16" flat stock, and basically added it to the roof, forming a box and an "x".

I plan on doing something similar, or using some kind of angle iron that will have to be cut on one side to be able to accept the close tolerances of the headliner to the roof.

 

[Red October]

I stole this guys idea when i added different longer rails to my roof. I have put a spare tire, hi-lift, shovel, axe, and a couple good size gear bags (so, maybe 300-350lbs...?...) up there since, and not noticed any problems.



http://www.livingoverland.com/2012/02/reinforcing-roof.html

 

[UnderFire]

Camping gear for 4 people is the heaviest thing I've had up there, and the weight actually on the stock tracks was probably around 200 lbs, didn't notice any flex personally.

I recall seeing an old thread that was detailing that sunroof equipped 4Runners had significantly less bracing in the forward area of the roof surrounding the stock tracks, and how he reinforced the roof to support more weight successfully.

 

[TBuzz]

I have only put about 170lbs up there and rack itself probably weighs 60lbs or so. I didn't notice flex while it was just sitting there. You can however pull on the corner of rack and make the roof flex, no denying that. I generally only have it on when needed which is making room for the dog inside. To me it's not the most secure place to keep my hi lift, or anything that's not just getting transported to camp.

 

[KidVermicious]

I recall seeing an old thread that was detailing that sunroof equipped 4Runners had significantly less bracing in the forward area of the roof surrounding the stock tracks,

Sunroof, check. Maybe I'll see about moving the load bars more to the center and try and distribute the weight better next time.

 

[T4Tools]

I cut the roof off one of mine so I've had a good look at how it's re enforced, or not as I've seen. I grabbed a pic over the rear window by the tailgate. The re enforcement strip is under the roof sheet metal, but it is not attached to the unibody. That may be where your roof is flexing.