Roof loading a 4x4. Fact or fiction
The general rule of thumb is dont put anything on your roof unless you have to, right!?
When over landing this is pretty difficult especially when in a less than spacious car (discovery 2 v8)
Landrover say don't put more than around 100 kg on the roof including the roof rack! That doesn't leave much weight allocation for my essential manicure set.
I have been as anal as possible about weight distribution and extra load, and ok I probably don't really need rock sliders but I got em on ebay and just couldnt resist!
From what i can gather over landers regularly 'overload their roof' as far as what lr say you can put up there. So what can you actually get away with, many people put numerous 20kg jerry cans on the roof.
Surely the weight distribution throughout the car is as important as total roof load, as a 3t car could handle 200kgs on the roof way better than an empty car.
On my roof I have a full length safety devices roof rack which i cut down to take the top rail off, roof tent, 2 jerry cans (empty most of the time) large aluminium box for loading light weight items. I estimate this load to be 150kgs.
BUT the car has lots of low down weight, full underbody protection, long range 125l steel fuel tank, 80l water tank behind front seats, and I load all spare parts and heavy items as lox central and near rear axle as possible. Fully loaded we are not far off the GVW of around 2800kg.
The car also has HD OME springs and shocks plus air bag helpers at the rear should we need them, new brakes, and ACE anti roll system. Plus new AT tyres, wheel spacers for a little extra stability.
I am struggling to reduce the roof load but it handles fine on and off road , with full jerry cans you can feel it but when possible I put full ones in the car.
What do you think about roof loading? Any comments welcome
Last edited by TheAfricaSchoolRun; 2 Apr 2013 at 11:57.
Reason: Forgot to ask for comments
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