What Roof Rack Fits My Car

Do you often carry a lot of goods and struggle to fit them inside your car? Probably yes. In this case, a roof rack is the best solution to this problem. Roof racks will expand the total carrying capacity of your vehicle by carrying loads over the roof.

There are various brands and types of roof racks available in the market. Some companies even offer multiple roof rack systems for the same vehicle. Most probably that’s why you are baffled to choose one and searching for the answer, “what roof rack fits my car”. Well, we have prepared this article to answer that along with some other questions about choosing a roof rack.

Things you should know about:

There are two important things you should know before choosing a roof rack and all the accessories required to install a roof rack. Let’s just tell them in brief.

• Look for the user manual (user’s guide) and find the maximum weight capacity of your vehicle’s roof. The combined weight of your roof rack and the goods shouldn’t exceed the maximum roof weight capacity of your vehicle.
• Now determine the roof setup of your vehicle. If your vehicle came with factory-side rails, you can install a roof rack (with or without towers installed).

What roof rack will fit my car?

You can install pretty much any roof rack in your vehicle. You’ll only need to know which mounting style is applicable for your vehicle. And that depends on the roof style of your vehicle. For example; if you have side rails over your car, you can directly install multiple towers or (in some cases crossbars) without any clamp.

There are several roof setups available for modern cars. Below we have discussed all the roof type and their mounting system for you to understand. 

• Raised rails: Some vehicles come with two side rails installed from the factory. These side rails can withstand the total weight capacity of your vehicle. You can install towers on those side rails to install multiple crossbars.

• Factory track: Some roofs have tracks (long slots that go front to back). These tracks can be used to attach accessories over your roof. In this case, you can install a tower that can be installed on factory tracks and then attach crossbars to the towers.
• Fixed mounting points: Many cars come with some fixed mounting points. You can install towers or feet on these mounting points. It is hard to find the mounting points.
• Naked roof: If your car’s roof doesn’t match any of the above, you will have two options to choose from.
  1. Clips mounted with door jams: In this way, your roof rack will be fixed with some clips or clamps and they will mount with the door’s jam. The clamps will hold the towers in position and crossbars will be attached to the towers.
  2. Permanent installation: This installation requires you to drill some holes in your vehicle and install some mounting pads or towers. You can also install a track (running along the length of your roof) and attach some feet for the crossbars. The tracks maintain the factory look and allow you to remove the feet/towers if needed.

Now you know which one is applicable for your vehicle. So, just choose the right mounting system and buy all the accessories required.

What size roof rack do I need?

Usually, roof rack sizes refer to the size of the crossbars. In most cases, the length of the crossbars is almost equal to the width of your roof. But you can choose a bigger size if you want to. Just remember to choose one that isn’t much bigger than the roof of your vehicle.

Verdict

Roof racks are available in many different designs and sizes. The main thing about installing a roof rack is the mounting style which depends on the roof style of your vehicle. So, you should know the roof type and choose the components required. Then you can choose the crossbars you like. Always try to choose some aerodynamic crossbars.

If you want, you can buy a pre-build roof rack. Even if you choose this type of roof rack, you’ll need to know about the roof type and mounting option.