How to choose a roof box of the car?

Drivers of vehicles do not always get by with the presence of only one main trunk, where it is impossible to place bulky goods of a non-standard shape. That is why manufacturers offer an alternative option - a trunk-box, which is mounted on a car roof. This design allows you to transport skis, bicycles, snowboards, building materials, small furniture and other things that do not fit in a traditional trunk.

Boxing allows you to significantly increase the capacity, unload the interior, evenly distribute the load and increase the level of transport safety, which is due to a good overview of what is happening around when the load is located on top. Thus, large items, such as a bicycle or building materials, will not stain the interior and will allow you to accommodate more passengers.

There are several varieties of such products:

1. Household - used for fixing and transporting building materials, country supplies, bags or disassembled furniture.
2. A tourist roof box is necessary for transporting tents, backpacks, suitcases, food products that travelers take with them on vacation.
3. A sports air box is needed for convenient transportation of sports equipment: bicycles, boats, fishing equipment and other items.

Types of external racks

regular. In this case, the product is designed for a specific car brand, which allows you to choose the perfect box that meets all the requirements for fastening and fixing. However, such designs are much more difficult to find on sale, so when choosing a regular external trunk , you should pay attention to compatibility with a specific make and model of car.

Universal. As a rule, such boxes should fit any vehicle, but this detail should be clarified when buying.

External trunk can be of the following varieties:

Lattice. It is an open-type luggage basket, consisting of several rails with low sides. Objects of different sizes and shapes can be easily placed here. The disadvantages of such a product are that:

• They do not protect the cargo from the weather and intruders.
• This mount increases fuel consumption due to the violation of aerodynamics
• Particular attention should be paid to the reliability of fixing the transported cargo, in order to prevent its loss during fast driving.

Soft box. It looks like a closed container made of plastic. It has an attractive appearance, reduces the noise level and fuel consumption due to streamlining. This model is able to protect the cargo from adverse weather conditions.

This type is inferior to the previous one due to the limited capacity. In addition, its price is much higher, but it is justified by the above-mentioned design advantages.

Hard box . It is a closed box. The streamlined design reduces fuel consumption and makes food quieter. This roof rack box allows you to hide luggage from adverse weather factors and prying eyes. Although it is heavier than the previous model, this type has a large capacity.

Bicycle mount . Such fixation is relevant when it is necessary to secure bicycles that can be assembled. Mounts in this model are designed on the roof in the form of gutters, roof rails, crossbars, or behind the car on the fifth door or forkop.

Autobox on roof rails has the following features:

• Installing a bicycle transport on top (on the roof) of the car does not block the view of the road for the driver. In addition, the car does not increase in size, the license plate and headlights of the car are not obscured. The disadvantages include difficult loading, deterioration of aerodynamic properties, a limited amount of cargo carried (maximum - 2 bicycles).
• The bike rack at the back maintains good aerodynamics, makes it possible to fix 3 or even 4 bikes, and does not complicate loading. The disadvantages include the fact that access to the trunk is difficult, the visibility of the license plate and the environment is deteriorating.

Mounts for skis, snowboards . Represents profiles capable of fixing these items on the roof or in place of the spare wheel in off-road vehicles. IMPORTANT!!! In order not to damage the surface of the skis, you should choose binding inserts that are as soft as possible and resistant to temperature changes.

Boat mount . Placed on top of the car are two stands that fix the side or bottom of the boat. Considering several types of boats (canoe, kayak), you should purchase special fastening attachments for the most reliable fixation.

Trunks can also be:

Inflatable . This is a light and compact look, made of nylon fabric, which is further reinforced with a PVC coating on the outside. Its distinctive feature is ease of installation, practicality and ease of use. Cons - during transportation, the cargo vibrates. Fastening belts pass inside the passenger compartment, which in most cases causes inconvenience to passengers and the driver.

Magnetic . A two-piece structure that is mounted on top of the vehicle. In this case, there is no need for crossbars, which makes installation easy. The disadvantages are: the ability to install on the most flat roof, the ability to transport only skis or snowboards.

Purpose

Short but wide models are used to securely fix and transport luggage of any type (shape, size). It can be inflatable boats, tents, spares. However, narrow, but long ones can transport sports equipment, fishing gear, tourist accessories, snowboards, skis.

The best option is a streamlined box. If its functionality meets your individual needs, you should give preference to this type of trunk.

Installing an external trunk on a car

There are many ways to mount these products. Let's consider each of them in more detail:

Crossbars . These are rails specially located across the roof of the car. They are a universal mounting method, as they are compatible with almost all makes and models of vehicles. Their installation is carried out on drains, roof rails or a doorway.

The autobox on the roof rails is placed along the edges, along the roof of the car. As a rule, railings are mounted at the assembly of the car at the factory, so they cannot be dismantled. Therefore, before buying a box, make sure it is compatible with this particular car.

Gutters . They are recesses located along the edges of the roof, which divert water that has fallen on it. Not suitable for every car, so you should be especially careful.

Doorway . This type of fastening is the best option for cars where there are no roof rails and gutters. It has gained considerable popularity among drivers, but you should pay attention to compatibility with the design of the vehicle.

Fifth door . The most suitable option for transporting bicycles by SUVs or cars with station wagons, hatchbacks.

Spare wheel . In place of the spare wheel, bicycles are most often transported. This type of mount is only suitable for SUVs. If you opt for it, please note that a fixed bike should not cover the license plate and headlights of the car.

Material

Most often, for the manufacture of structures of external trunks, they use:

• Aluminum is lightweight, but at the same time quite durable and reliable material, resistant to oxidation.
• Steel is a fairly inexpensive and stable material, but heavier than aluminum. When driving at high speed, the steel roof box is accompanied by noise.
• ASB and soft plastic. The first is more durable, the second makes less noise during high-speed driving.
• Fiberglass - characterized by elasticity and softness. The disadvantage is the high cost, which is why products from it are classified as "premium" class.
• Fabrics are used to produce soft, streamlined boxes.

load capacity

Means the maximum allowable weight of the cargo transported by the trunk. As a rule, it reaches 50-60 kg. Some models can withstand up to 80 and even 100 kg.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that with a large load capacity, the roof of the car must be as strong as possible. Therefore, when choosing a trunk, consider what maximum load a car of a particular brand can withstand.

Volume

Indicates the capacity of the trunk (this parameter does not apply to lattice structures). Boxes can be of the following volumes:

1. Small (box capacity up to 300 l). Suitable for the transportation of small-sized cargo - products, country accessories.
2. Medium - within 300-500 liters. Relevant for tourist equipment and skis.
3. Large - more than 500 liters - an excellent option for transporting ski equipment, a folding baby stroller and other things for a large company.

Of course, the larger the volume, the more things you can pack in the trunk. However, this significantly affects the quality of aerodynamics due to the thickening of the box.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to the geometric limits of the roof of the car so that the trunk does not go beyond its parameters.

Opening

In this case, we are talking about ease of use and access to the contents in the external trunk. If you choose the right box, you will not have to go around the car in order to get things at the right time. One way or another, boxes can be opened in this way:

1. Left-hand (suitable for the driver).
2. Right-hand (relevant for the passenger near the driver).
3. Bilateral (the best option for everyone in the cabin, especially in a tall car).

Design

External trunks are produced by:

• Whole. These are monolithic boxes that are not dismantled. They can not be folded into the trunk and unfolded for more convenient storage.
• Folding. Such boxes consist of mutually moving components. They can be folded into a more compact form for storage.
• Collapsible. It is assembled from parts that can be separated from each other, which ensures the most convenient dismantling and storage during the off-season. However, the process of assembling and disassembling is more time-consuming than unfolding and folding.

Number of items

The more items that can be mounted on the external trunk, the more expensive its cost. Nevertheless, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the approximate carrying capacity of such structures:

• On the roof you can fix no more than 2 bicycles, on the back - up to 4 inclusive.
• Most often, models of trunks specially designed for transporting skis can accommodate from 4-8 pairs of this sports equipment.
• When it comes to snowboards, you can fit no more than 4 pieces on a regular trunk, but there are those where you can carry 6.
• Recommendations
• When choosing a car roof rack, you should give preference to trusted companies with a good reputation that provide a product warranty of at least 3 years.
• To buy a suitable design option, the car must be nearby.
• Carefully inspect the box for deformations and defects.
• The cheapest trunks fail more often and faster. Expensive - can become a target for intruders. Find the best balance between price and quality for you.