Cars can be fitted with roof racks to make them more versatile in terms of transporting different types of luggage and other equipment. These attachments are quite essential if you are needing to carry around equipment for projects, sports, and others. However, it is important to understand the different varieties of these devices for cars and how they work. Finding out what you need is a very important part. Cars mostly have different roof dimensions, which bumps the “one-size fits all” solution off the list.

On figuring out what you need, you should consider the type of things that you intend to transport. There are racks that are made to hold specific object i.e. bikes and kayaks. These examples pretty much give you an idea of what you should be looking for. Once you have this sorted out, it’s time to move on to taking measurements. Are roof racks easy to install? Yes, they are quite easy to install. But, this only comes into play when you use aftermarket or universal roof rack types. Permanent ones are not the easiest to install as they need every ounce of rigidity they could get. Mostly, permanent roof racks are used for commercial vehicles rather than cars used for the daily commute.

Can you install roof racks yourself? These devices do differ a lot. Differences can be found with the type of objects they are intended to carry. Another is the design elements and differences in functionality brought by differing brands. How do roof racks attach? In a nutshell, you can DIY the installation of these racks, provided that they are universal or you are using the stock rails on your car. You could also have a professional do it for you, but of course, you would have to pay for this option. But, the costs are the only caveat in this option. If you are uncertain about the installation process or if you’re just not confident you can professional service is your best choice.

How to install roof racks

There are specific procedures for installation for the different types of roofs. If you are installing a roof rack on a naked roof, you would need a foot pack, crossbars, and a fit kit to make a roof rack system from scratch. Fit kits are normally custom-made and are very durable.

Installing racks on factory mount are also easy. The metal or plastic covers can be popped off simply with the use of a hand tool. After the caps have been taken out, the threaded holes will be accessible for the installation of the rack.

Installing a bike roof rack is done in the same way. The bike rack is separate from your car’s roof rack, this means you’ll have two racks stacked on top of the other. You should also invest in a proper lock to hold the bikes in place while traveling.

The ones used for holding kayaks in place are a little more complicated to install though. It requires a lot of attention particularly, the type of car being used, the number of kayaks to be carried, and the type of roof your car has. These come with a variety of accessories that may differ per brand. You will need to do a little research to get everything right.