Hi All recently joined the T6 Forum ! Just wondered if anyone would be able to help guide me in the right direction in relation to fixing roof rails to enable me to fit surfboards to my roof. I can send pictures of the pop top if helps.
Roof Rails to Pop Top
- Thread starter JaegotheT6
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- pop top roof rails
@Farnorthsurfer may be able to advise!
Which pop top it is would be a good place to start as many of them have pretty low load ratings for stuff on the roof. Happy to help if I can.
Im not sure of the model as it was already on when purchased the van but it seems to be the same as a lot of peoples, I can post some pictures to help identify ?
Sure, someone will know what it is.
I've done abit of digging and I think it may be this roof
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Not sure you will find any good information on load ratings for that style of roof and the shape doesn't look like you will be able to fit channels outside the width of the canvas.
Take a look at the Kari-Tek roof rail system. These are strong slot rails that bolt to the roof and allow you to fit your choice of roof bars. Most like Thule do feet packs that can be fitted to the rails. You can also get Reimo Active Rails but they are a different shape and not as robust.
BUT unless you are confident that the fibreglass is going to be strong enough to support what you are fitting to the roof you are best not to drill it.
Take a look at the Kari-Tek roof rail system. These are strong slot rails that bolt to the roof and allow you to fit your choice of roof bars. Most like Thule do feet packs that can be fitted to the rails. You can also get Reimo Active Rails but they are a different shape and not as robust.
BUT unless you are confident that the fibreglass is going to be strong enough to support what you are fitting to the roof you are best not to drill it.
There is a workaround but it’s expensive and prevents you from using the pop top while roof bars are fitted.
If you fit a Reimo Multirail to both sides of the van you can use them to fit gutter style roof bars which would be good for 100kg rack loading. (Reimo specs). But obviously you would have to take the bars off to get the roof up.
And it would be about £450 for the whole lot.
If you fit a Reimo Multirail to both sides of the van you can use them to fit gutter style roof bars which would be good for 100kg rack loading. (Reimo specs). But obviously you would have to take the bars off to get the roof up.
And it would be about £450 for the whole lot.
I looked into this option as my roof is not recommended to fix anything to and I’m sure I read the 100kg roof loading was only valid in the T4 as the fixings were not sufficient on the T5/6 to take the load.
You could be right. I am remembering the details from the poor German instructions rather than looking them up. I would expect anyone planning to try this to check for themselves. It’s not very practical anyway as you can’t raise the roof.
AndyMo
Member
@Farnorthsurfer I’ve got a skyline Aurora LWB roof and I’m planning on drilling rails on it this weekend
. Any advice? I was thinking of putting something in to spread the load on the roof?
. Any advice? I was thinking of putting something in to spread the load on the roof?
My roof is a Jerba and has Karitek rails fitted. I am not familiar with the Aurora roof.@Farnorthsurfer I’ve got a skyline Aurora LWB roof and I’m planning on drilling rails on it this weekend
On mine there is nothing between the roof and the bars and they are not bonded or sealed in anyway. Larger washers under the nuts will spread the clamping force into the bottom side of the fibreglass to make it less likely to crack. And I wouldn’t over tighten the bolts.
Sure it will be fine if you are sensible about loading it up
AndyMo
Member
My roof is a Jerba and has Karitek rails fitted. I am not familiar with the Aurora roof.
On mine there is nothing between the roof and the bars and they are not bonded or sealed in anyway. Larger washers under the nuts will spread the clamping force into the bottom side of the fibreglass to make it less likely to crack. And I wouldn’t over tighten the bolts.
Sure it will be fine if you are sensible about loading it up
So yours are just drilled through the roof and bolted on?
Yes that’s right. The rails sit outside the line of the canvas and can’t leak into the van.
For the system we bought we were advised to have someone inside the van holding a peice of wood against the inside of the roof where you intend to drill also run a length of masking tape along the line where you intend to drill through on the outside stops the drill from potentially slipping .@Farnorthsurfer I’ve got a skyline Aurora LWB roof and I’m planning on drilling rails on it this weekend
Good Luck
AndyMo
Member
im not sure I can do that as I’d need a really big ladder to do it open but I guess sticking some timber in there to keep it away from the canvas is a good plan cheers.
what system did you get out of interest?
We bought ours from campervan parts with the thule roof bar system
Don’t forget to take into account the weight of the rails and rack system
My Reimo bathtub is pretty robust and that’s only rated for 40Kg, personally I think regular loads of a pop top is only going to end in tears. There are a lot of forces at play when the load is being buffeted with 70mph winds.
My Reimo bathtub is pretty robust and that’s only rated for 40Kg, personally I think regular loads of a pop top is only going to end in tears. There are a lot of forces at play when the load is being buffeted with 70mph winds.
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