Loading A Roof Rack

[Johnniey]

I'm going on holiday with my MU7 and want to use the roof rack.

I want to put 2 large suitcases on it. I have a net thing ('dta kai') that was given with the car but it seems rather loose. Would the weight of the cases be enough to save them from falling off or is one supposed to tie them down with rope or something as well.

Cheers for any hints/advice.

[Digitalbanana]

>Would the weight of the cases be enough to save them from falling off

Are you old enough to hold a driving license?

[Shipwreck]

Digitalbanana, why do you have to be rude? The guy is asking a simple question. Do you have to be asinine? No you don't...

Johnniey, I say, if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. If your suitcases are shifting around, then you should probably employ some bungy cords, as those guys have never failed me.

Anyone else have a positive solution?

[Digitalbanana]

Sorry sir. This is a true story, when I was a kid, my friend came around my parents house to play in my sand pit. We wanted to make a water pool in it and had the idea to use some plastic sheets as a water retainer for the hole we had dug in the sand for the pool. The sheets weren't wide enough to cover the base of the pool and my friend suggested we overlapped the plastic sheets and the weight of the water pushing down on top would stop the water leaking through the overlap.

[transam]

Doesn't the MU7 have a PLASTIC roof ? Me, never had a close look at a roof rack for one, but OP the forces exerted on stuff on a roof rack are very high. Stick your head out the window at 100kmh. Think best dump the extended family, they don't have fun anyway.

[Semper]

Doesn't the MU7 have a PLASTIC roof ? Me, never had a close look at a roof rack for one, but OP the forces exerted on stuff on a roof rack are very high. Stick your head out the window at 100kmh. Think best dump the extended family, they don't have fun anyway.

Not to mention if you have to use the brakes at 100 km/h.

[transam]

Doesn't the MU7 have a PLASTIC roof ? Me, never had a close look at a roof rack for one, but OP the forces exerted on stuff on a roof rack are very high. Stick your head out the window at 100kmh. Think best dump the extended family, they don't have fun anyway.

Not to mention if you have to use the brakes at 100 km/h.

Yes, demolish the car in front. Oooooooooooooooooh, insurance claim.

[Semper]

Digitalbanana, why do you have to be rude? The guy is asking a simple question. Do you have to be asinine? No you don't...

Johnniey, I say, if it doesn't feel right, don't do it. If your suitcases are shifting around, then you should probably employ some bungy cords, as those guys have never failed me.

Anyone else have a positive solution?

Nothing rude about it. Did you noticed the OP's question " Would the weight of the cases be enough to save them from falling off or is one supposed to tie them down with rope or something as well.:

I hope the OP is trolling, if not he must be very dangerous on the highways.

[lannarebirth]

Just an observation here. The rails that come on the various SUV's here are not roof racks. The roof racks I have seen here on those types of vehicles are mounted to the rails that come standard with the vehicle. That makes some sense as if you put your stuff on the roof, regardless how well it's covered or tied down, if it rains the top of the roof/bottom of your luggage will get wet (unless everything is loaded into some kind of waterproof bag).

[transam]

Just an observation here. The rails that come on the various SUV's here are not roof racks. The roof racks I have seen here on those types of vehicles are mounted to the rails that come standard with the vehicle. That makes some sense as if you put your stuff on the roof, regardless how well it's covered or tied down, if it rains the top of the roof/bottom of your luggage will get wet (unless everything is loaded into some kind of waterproof bag).

Thats why they make those aerodynamic roof boxes, put your cases inside. The boxes clamp to roof rails.

[Johnniey]

>Would the weight of the cases be enough to save them from falling off

Are you old enough to hold a driving license?

I have a net thing ('dta kai')which does hold them down a little.

if you have nothing constructive to say , don't bother replying.

I did buy some stretchy ropes which worked a treat

[Semper]

>Would the weight of the cases be enough to save them from falling off

Are you old enough to hold a driving license?

I have a net thing ('dta kai')which does hold them down a little.

if you have nothing constructive to say , don't bother replying.

I did buy some stretchy ropes which worked a treat

Members, draw your own conclusions.

[astral]

Not to mention if you have to use the brakes at 100 km/h.

There is some basic physics to consider here.

Newton's Second Law, if memory serves me.

[robblok]

Not to mention if you have to use the brakes at 100 km/h.

There is some basic physics to consider here.

Newton's Second Law, if memory serves me.

What is the world coming too if farangs cant even think about the risks here.

Pieces of sting.. a net that holds it down a little bit.

One hard brake and all your suitcases and stuff will be launched causing injuries and damage by doing so. Its not that hard to buy proper equipment that is made for the job.

[Digitalbanana]

I did buy some stretchy ropes which worked a treat

Well done my dear, good to see that common sense finally prevailed along with Newtons Laws of Motion. Please drive carefully and enjoy your holiday.

[mickylonster]

Ratchet straps are the way to go , I used to have a merc estate with the roof rails and the roof rack attached to these , and on many occasions I carried 8- 10 doors , furniture etc , all held firm with ratchet straps !

[Kwasaki]

This is as funny as what do I buy next any suggestions, what I would like to know isn't an MU7 a big motor so how many people are going to be in it that you cannot put the luggage inside the vehicle.

An aero roof box is the best thing of course just common sense.

In Big 'C' yesterday I counted 24 people climbing in the back and 9 getting into the cab of a frontier, no roof rack required. :lol:

[wilcopops]

both the vehicle and the roof rack itself will have manufacturers' max weight limits.

i'm always amazed at the amateurish attempts to secure loads on vehicles - in particular in Thailand.

- bungies are NOT fail safe -

you should use either rope or preferably the flat tapes for securing your load. If the load cant move then it is less likely to work itself free.

be aware that the load is subject to forces from cornering, acceleration, bumps and in particular breaking.

Loads also can change the handling of the vehicle and fuel consumption.

how the rack is attached to the vehicle is also crucial....some cheaper Thai models for pick-ups look downright dangerous.

Ties - the kind of ties you use is important - make sure they don't stretch or shrink when wet. If exposed to long periods of UV some synthetic fibres (e.g. bungies) disintegrate after a while so keep a eye out for that.

if the OP thinks his "net thing " might be sufficient, I for one would not like to be following him on his trip (unless there are some unbreakable valuables in the cases).

PS -

i have no idea what the law in Thailand has to say about loads on the roof of a vehicle...but........a roof rack is likely to attract the attention of the police who will point at it and then demand 2 hundred baht.