Roof Rack Readiness

Choose the Right Rack for Your Off-Road Rig

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Words by Mercedes Lilienthal

You have the perfect adventure vehicle, you have your camp gear ready and you have grand expectations for remote travel, but where do you store all of your ‘stuff?’ You’re ready to load your rig but your 4x4 doesn’t have the capability or ideal space to properly haul it.

If you constantly bring along firewood, carry fuel externally, and load up with other cumbersome off-road essentials, buying the right roof rack for your 4x4 will always ensure that you have the extra storage – and it will even give your vehicle a more rugged, customized profile. There’s a variety of aftermarket roof rack platforms and roof baskets available, and we’ll take a look at both styles.

Roof Baskets

In the event you consistently use your vehicle’s roof to stow odd-sized cargo like duffle bags, Pelican storage cases, coolers, to name a few bulky items, owning a roof rack with sides, which is referred to as a roof basket, maybe just what you need. Aftermarket companies including Rugged Ridge, BajaRack, Yakima, and Inno are viable options and great, secure options to bring along all of your essentials.

What makes these a popular option is the fact that they are designed with vertical sides, typically within a height of 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in).  Simply ratchet-strap or bungee-cord your cargo around your basket’s base rack or the sides until it’s secure and you’re ready to roll.

Like the BajaRack roof basket on our Delica 4x4 van or the Inno rack on our Mitsubishi Pajero, roof baskets allow for easy transport of cargo, no matter if there are items permanently affixed to it or loaded up for a quick run across town. Typically these racks are made from powder-coated steel, although lighter-weight aluminum is also available, and are available in a wide array of sizes or styles to suit your rig and your storage needs.

Most are also fixed units, which means they are welded or bolted together to create a one-piece design, while the raised sides are often permanently attached; there’s no taking them off if you’re trying to maneuver through tight spaces. What’s also great about roof baskets is they can be customized by affixing various cargo-mounting systems like a dual jerry can holder, an awning mount, or a spare tire rack (tip: the more you load on any type of rack, the worse your fuel economy could be).

Roof baskets can also ideally mount to factory or aftermarket cross-bars or can be affixed to your vehicle’s sides if it has OE side rails, a gutter mount, or fixed points.

Platform Racks

If you want to keep the profile of your vehicle low and customize it with a sleek, modern look, then a platform rack may do the trick. Platform roof racks, like those made by Rhino-Rack, ARB, and Front Runner are essentially flat racks—they are a platform without sides. They are either welded or bolted together and one appealing benefit is they can reduce wind noise and drag at highway speeds.

Roof platform racks are usually made from weight-saving aluminum or rugged steel, which is heavier in weight but denser and harder than its lighter-weight counterpart. They also incorporate various in-rack tie-down systems to slide in eyelets or other hard-mount holders for a variety of cargo-carrying systems. We have a DMOS shovel mount and MAXTRAX holder on our Mitsubishi Pajero’s Rhino-Rack Pioneer platform unit that performs great during every trip.

While baskets typically don’t have track-type systems to strap cargo down, many platform racks do. However, the lack of rack sides could pose problems of cargo loss if gear isn’t tied down correctly. In other words, the lack of vertical rack sides could potentially allow for something to slide off the rack more easily than a roof basket. To avoid losing gear at highway speeds, along the trail, or on rural roads, many platform rack manufacturers offer vertical rack sides or corners in the event you need them.

Like roof baskets, platform racks for 4x4 vehicles can mount to factory or aftermarket cross-bars or could affix to your vehicle’s factory side rails or gutter mounts. Each manufacturer has a different mounting system and it’s important to understand that it’s the right size, has the right mounting system for your vehicle, and that it will meet your needs.

Side Rails and Crossbars

Most 4x4’s come ready to mount a roof rack. From factory side rails and side rails/crossbars combos to roof baskets and platform racks, they all can easily be mounted to a plethora of rigs. You just need to initially decide which type of rack to purchase by determining the roof rack “feet” on your vehicle to properly mount it.

In the event your vehicle doesn’t have factory side rails or side rails/crossbar setups, certain manufacturers offer retrofit fit kits that can mount aftermarket crossbars directly onto your vehicle’s roof via OE fixed points. Affixed with bolts that mount directly into a vehicle’s roof via factory-created receivers, fixed-point roof rack fit kits can accommodate most aftermarket crossbars and roof racks.

However, if you own an older vehicle like our Jeep Cherokee or Delica van, side-mounted rain gutter rails may be your only option to load up extra gear on a roof rack. These consist of small, J-shaped channels that are mounted to both sides of a vehicle’s roof, which channels rain away from the vehicle’s windows. They also offer the opportunity to use clamp-style roof rack fit kits that mount directly to them, thus allowing the rest of the roof rack system to be put in place.

For vehicles that have a factory option to mount a roof basket or platform rack, be sure to check your owner’s manual to determine the weight rating that the vehicle’s roof can handle. This will dictate how much cargo you can carry on the roof safely (remember to always include the rack system in the total weight). You should not exceed the static or rolling weight limits of your vehicle’s roof.

Ready For Adventure

Roof rack manufacturers offer either welded or bolt-together units. Some rack models may include both methods of construction. As most are powder coated with a heavy-duty coating, less expensive options could be simply painted (but check the specs carefully before ordering).

Like those from Rugged Ridge, several accessory options are sold separately to help you haul your gear with many roof rack types. These items include shovel or Hi-Lift jack provisions, spare tire or jerry can mounts, or even straps to cinch down soft goods or awning attachments. Certain roof rack models also offer heavy-duty ladder racks, conduits for extra lighting, and more.

As the adage goes, you get what you pay for. More expensive racks are typically better built, offer more accessory options, and have good warranties. However, some may charge a premium for their name as well as their quality. The biggest takeaway before you purchase a roof rack system is to understand what gear you want to haul, how you want to haul it, and what types of roof rack systems your vehicle can adequately handle.

Researching your vehicle’s particular make, model, and year will help you determine what basket or platform rack options are available. Vehicle roof baskets, roof platform racks, and even crossbars can offer solid solutions to carry your cargo.