How to
How to load a roof rack safely
Short answer
Heaviest items low and centred, inside the dynamic rating, tied down with rated straps; re-check after the first 50 km off-road. Wedgetail ratings are set per solution (platforms are 100 or 150 kg dynamic; the table below lists every rating) and hold 100% off-road, so there is no lower off-road figure to work out. The vehicle maker's roof limit also applies and includes the rack itself, so load to the lower of the two.
Facts from Wedgetail product data, updated .
- Limit
- Lower of rack rating and vehicle roof limit
- Placement
- Heaviest items low and centred
- Tie-down
- Rated ratchet or cam buckle straps
- Re-check
- After the first 50 km off-road
Steps
Before you start
- Wedgetail Adventure ratchet straps or Wedgetail Trade ratchet strap pair kit
- Wedgetail Adventure cam buckle straps for lighter items
- Wedgetail Adventure tiedown eyelets or Wedgetail Trade eyelet kit
- Bathroom or luggage scales to weigh the load
Work out your limit
Find the dynamic rating for your rack fitment and the vehicle maker's roof limit. The vehicle limit covers the rack plus everything on it; the rack rating covers what the rack carries. Load to whichever leaves you less.
Weigh the load
Weigh everything going on the roof, including accessories fixed to the rack such as an awning, jerry cans or recovery boards. Guessing is how roofs get overloaded.
Keep the heaviest items low and centred
Put the heaviest items in the middle of the rack, side to side and front to back, and keep them as low as you can. Carry dense heavy gear such as water and tools inside the vehicle if there is room.
Spread and support long items
Lay long items across at least two crossbars or along the full platform so they cannot pivot. Keep any overhang inside your state's road rules and mark it if the rules require.
Tie down with rated straps
Strap each item to tie-down points on the rack, not just to other items. Use ratchet straps for heavy or long loads and cam buckle straps for lighter gear, and tension until the load does not move when pushed.
Stop strap hum
Tie off loose strap tails, and see the StrapSlap method video below for wind hum from straps over flat materials.
Check before you drive
Push and pull the load from each side. Note the new total height of the vehicle for car parks and garages.
Re-check on the road
Stop and re-check straps and the load after the first 50 km off-road, and at each stop after that. Corrugations and temperature changes loosen tension.
What the rating means for loading
Every Wedgetail rating in the current product data, with its static equivalent (3.5 x dynamic). The dynamic figure is what you load to while driving; it holds 100% off-road.
| Dynamic rating | Static rating (3.5 x) | Off-road | Solutions | Ranges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 kg | 105 kg | Yes, full rating | 1 | Trade Max |
| 35 kg | 123 kg | Yes, full rating | 5 | Trade Max and Wedgetail Adventure |
| 40 kg | 140 kg | Yes, full rating | 1 | Oval Steel |
| 50 kg | 175 kg | Yes, full rating | 11 | Trade Max |
| 60 kg | 210 kg | Yes, full rating | 2 | Oval Steel and Wedgetail Adventure |
| 70 kg | 245 kg | Yes, full rating | 5 | Commercial Max and Trade Max |
| 80 kg | 280 kg | Yes, full rating | 4 | Oval Steel, Trade Max and Wedgetail Adventure |
| 100 kg | 350 kg | Yes, full rating | 398 | Commercial Max, Oval Steel, Trade Max, Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Core and Wedgetail Trade |
| 120 kg | 420 kg | Yes, full rating | 1 | Wedgetail Adventure |
| 150 kg | 525 kg | Yes, full rating | 205 | Commercial Max, Oval Steel, Trade Max, Wedgetail Adventure, Wedgetail Core and Wedgetail Trade |
| No published rating | 3 | Oval Steel and Wedgetail Adventure |
The limit includes more than your gear
The vehicle maker's roof limit covers the rack, its fixed accessories and the load together. As an illustration only: a vehicle with an 80 kg roof limit carrying a rack and accessories weighing 30 kg has 50 kg left for gear, even if the rack itself is rated higher. Find your vehicle's figure in the roof load limits table, and see static vs dynamic ratings for how the two ratings differ.
Common loading mistakes
- Loading to the rack rating only. The vehicle maker's limit can be the lower figure.
- Heavy items at the front or one side. This shifts weight onto one set of mounts and changes how the vehicle handles.
- Straps to the load only. Every strap should go to a tie-down point on the rack.
- No re-check. Straps loosen over the first stretch of rough road; the 50 km check catches it.
- Halving the load for off-road when you do not need to. A Wedgetail has no separate off-road figure: the rated figure is the off-road figure too.
Ladders, timber and long materials
Trade loads have their own videos below: loading long materials, overhanging materials, securing timbers with ratchet straps, and the StrapSlap method. For ladders, the Wedgetail Trade ladder lock kit and ladder strap kit hold the ladder to the bars.
Video
Questions people ask
How much weight can a roof rack hold?
The lower of the rack's dynamic rating and the vehicle maker's roof limit, and the vehicle limit includes the rack itself. Wedgetail platforms are rated 100 or 150 kg dynamic, and the rating table lists every Wedgetail solution.
Is the load limit lower off-road?
Not on a Wedgetail. Every Wedgetail is 100% off-road rated to its full rating; the vehicle maker's roof limit still applies.
Where should the heaviest items go?
Low and centred, side to side and front to back. Very heavy dense items are better inside the vehicle.
What straps should I use?
Rated ratchet straps for heavy or long loads and cam buckle straps for lighter gear, each run to a tie-down point on the rack such as tiedown eyelets.
How often should I re-check the load?
After the first 50 km off-road, then at each stop. Straps loosen with corrugations and temperature changes.
Does it change if the rack is on a canopy?
Yes. The canopy maker's rating applies as well as the rack rating, so load to the lower figure. See canopy and service body compatibility.