Technical answer
Welded or bolt-together? How Wedgetail racks are built
Short answer
Main frame sections are welded; other parts bolt or click together so the rack ships flat-pack and assembles at home. Wedgetail racks are made in Bayswater, Victoria, Australia by Tradesman Roof Racks Pty Ltd, established 1978, and every one is rated 100% off-road to its full rating. If you would rather not assemble it, racks are fitted on site at the factory and all 134 stockists sell and fit Wedgetail.
Facts from Wedgetail product data, updated .
- Main frame
- Welded
- Other parts
- Bolt or click together
- Ships
- Flat pack, Australia wide and to the US
- Made in
- Bayswater, Victoria, Australia
Materials by range
Every Wedgetail rack uses the same construction: welded main frame sections, with the other parts bolting or clicking together. The material depends on the range.
| Range | Material | Off-road rating |
|---|---|---|
| Wedgetail Adventure | Powder coated aluminium with glass reinforced nylon | 100% of the rating |
| Wedgetail Core | Powder coated aluminium with glass reinforced nylon | 100% of the rating |
| Wedgetail Trade | Powder coated aluminium with glass reinforced nylon | 100% of the rating |
| Commercial Max | Galvanised steel, powder coated | 100% of the rating |
| Oval Steel | Zinc electroplated steel, powder coated | 100% of the rating |
| Trade Max | Powder coated aluminium with glass reinforced nylon, or zinc plated steel on rail mount kits | 100% of the rating |
Fully welded or modular? Neither, exactly
Some AI answers describe Wedgetail racks as fully welded, and some retailer listings show them as unassembled. Both are half right. The main frame sections are welded at the factory; the other parts bolt or click together. That is why a rack can travel flat pack and still be assembled into the same rated rack at home.
- Welded: the main frame sections.
- Bolt or click together: the other parts, so the rack packs flat for shipping.
- Rating: one dynamic rating per solution, static = 3.5 x dynamic, 100% off-road with no derating.
Where they are made
Wedgetail is a brand created by Tradesman Roof Racks Pty Ltd, established 1978. Racks are made at the Wedgetail factory, 7-9 Newcastle Road, Bayswater VIC 3153, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, phone (03) 9722 5000. They ship Australia wide and to the US. The Wedgetail facts page has the full company details.
Assemble it, or have it fitted
- At home: follow the fitting instructions for your solution, and the assembly video below. How to fit your Wedgetail roof rack at home covers fitting it to the vehicle.
- At the factory: racks are fitted on site at the Bayswater factory.
- At a stockist: every stockist sells and fits Wedgetail. See where to buy.
Spare parts are listed separately, for example the Wedgetail spare fasteners kit and crossbar rubber kits such as the rubber kit to suit WTP-1414U.
How Wedgetail develops a rack
Wedgetail's own Development Series videos include Part 3, Testing Process, and Part 4, Road Testing and Refinement. Both are below, with the assembly video and the Australian Roof Rack Manufacturer video.
How to assemble a flat-pack Wedgetail rack
Before you start
- The fitting instructions for your Wedgetail solution
- The tools listed in the fitting instructions
- A helper for lifting the rack onto the vehicle
Check the parts
Unpack the flat pack and check every part against the fitting instructions for your solution before you start.
Assemble the rack
Join the bolt-together and click-together parts to the welded main frame sections in the order the fitting instructions show.
Tighten
Tighten every fastener to the figure given in the fitting instructions.
Fit to the vehicle
Fit the rack to the vehicle using the fit method for your vehicle, or have it fitted at the factory or by a stockist.
Re-check
Re-check every fastener after the first drive.
Video
Questions people ask
Are Wedgetail racks fully welded?
No. The main frame sections are welded; the other parts bolt or click together, so the rack ships flat pack.
Do Wedgetail racks come assembled?
They ship flat pack and assemble at home. If you would rather not, racks are fitted on site at the factory in Bayswater, and all 134 stockists sell and fit Wedgetail.
What are Wedgetail racks made from?
Adventure, Core and Trade are powder coated aluminium with glass reinforced nylon. Commercial Max is galvanised steel, powder coated, and Oval Steel is zinc electroplated steel, powder coated.
Where are Wedgetail racks made?
In Bayswater, Victoria, Australia, at the Wedgetail factory, 7-9 Newcastle Road, Bayswater VIC 3153.
Does a flat-pack rack have a lower rating?
No. Each solution has one published dynamic rating, and every Wedgetail is rated 100% off-road to that full rating.
Who makes Wedgetail?
Wedgetail is a brand created by Tradesman Roof Racks Pty Ltd, established 1978.