Racks

Roof Racks, Tub Racks, Bed Bars & Crossbars

Looking for a rack for your vehicle? In this collection you should be able to find any type of rack you need: roof rack, tub rack or bed rack, bed bars and crossbars. It features cargo carrying racks for 4wd, Utes and even smaller cars. If you can't find what you need, please email us at info@offroadtents.com.au and we will do our best to find what you need.

It's important to understand exactly what rack system you need on your vehicle, and that depends a lot different factors, ranging from what you plan to carry over the racks, the amount of weight, as well as where you will be driving, and potentially even parking. You'd be surprised how even cross-bars can raise the height of your car by a few centimeters, meaning it won't fit in your garage or parking lots in the city.

Before we explain the different types, we want to explain how the weight capacity of each rack system works. There are two types of weight capacity or load rating:

• Dynamic weight capacity (DWC)
  
• Static weight capacity (SWC)
  

The DWC is when the vehicle is in motion. Typically, it's what the vehicle manufacturer indicates as the load rating the roof has. It ranges from 60 lbs to 150 kg depending on the brand and model. This is very different from the SWC, and it's a lower rating, because it's when the vehicle is moving, so it has to take into account speed, wind resistance, potential hazards an object may have during movement.

The SWC is the weight the racks can take when the car is parked, and not moving. This is normally around 3-5 times as much as the DWC. Normally, a good roof rack is able to hold over 300 kg of weight when parked, sometimes going up to 500 kg.

Now, you will normally read either higher weight capacities ranging the 200 kg upwards, that's going to be the SWC, if you encounter a lower weight rating of around 60 to 90 kg, that's going to be the DWC.

What we always recommend is that whatever you're going to mount, from a roof top tent, to a surfboard, boxes or gear, it doesn't exceed in weight the DWC of the rack system. If the rack says it has a weight rating of 100 kg, make sure the tent or accessories you carry, weigh less than that.

What rack fits my vehicle?

Great question. There are different roof types, so different racks can be installed or not.

Typically, the types of racks are: platform racks, crossbars, tub or bed trays or racks, and load bed bars.

The platform racks are ideal for roof top tents as mounting them is easier, more stable and tend to have a much higher load or weight capacity. Plus, they usually have heaps of mounting options and rack accessories. For example, the Front Runner Slimline II roof rack has over 100 rack accessories to choose from, like surfboard carriers, tent mount kits, awning kits, etc.

Crossbars are the two or three horizontal bars that go from side to side of the roof of your vehicle. They are great as they don't add much weight to the roof, they are affordable, and don't add much height to your car. They normally handle less weight, but are good enough to carry almost anything.

Rhino-Rack makes some of the best cross bar systems for any car in Australia, you'll probably find the widest range of crossbars from Rhino Rack.

Bed or tub racks, are the rack systems that go on the back of your ute or pick up truck. They can come in the shape of a platform, or as load bed bars. Depending on your ute, the length of it, as well as the installing system, the tub rack can handle more or less weight. The accessories and mounting options are just as those for roof systems.

However, the height changes a lot, so you can have lower tub rack systems, mid height and even cab height (go all the way up to match the height of the roof of the ute). Which one to choose? Up to you!

Finally, keep in mind the weight capacity of a rack changes based on how it mounts to the car. If it drills into the roof, then that's the safest option with a very high capacity. If the car has side rails going from the front to the back of the roof, then the rack system can grab onto those, which is an easy to install and uninstall option, and can handle a good amount of weight.

If you have tracks on the roof, those channels going from front to back, it'll be also quite safe.

If you have a bare roof, you will have overhang bars with a clamp that goes from the roof onto the side door entry. These racks cannot handle much weight, so avoid tents or heavy gear.

Bed racks can either go over the tub, or through an inner channel. They tend to be able to handle mid to high weight ratings.

Still undecided? Email us: info@offroadtents.com.au