How To Tie Things Down On A Roof Rack

Remove your rack when not in use to avoid the added weight drag and noise.

How to tie things down on a roof rack.

Create an anchor point for your ratchet straps by looping the hook end around the corner of a crossbar on your roof rack. Some roof bags mount to roof racks or raised side rails some mount to roof baskets and others mount to naked roofs. First loop the strap under the roof rack s crossbar and drape the loose ends over your oblong load i e. Roof racks have been known to fail at high speeds with lots of updraft so take the extra precaution of tying the roof rack down to the roof of the vehicle as well.

With the third option crossbars with side rails you can secure an item to the side rails and run tie downs from front to back securing them to the crossbars. Use a tie down that wraps around the item and the rails. The second option is the side racks. On each side of the roof you ll see a rack that runs the length of the roof of the vehicle.

Most include tie down straps for attachment. Simply wrap each strap around a solid anchor point thread the strap through the buckle and pull until secure. Both water resistant and waterproof bags are available. Run the strap through the hook and pull it tight so it s secure.

Next pull the long end of the strap under the crossbar on the. Use ratchet or cam straps to tie the roof rack through the doors not the windows. 2 take an end of the safety strap and loop it down under a roof bar that runs perpendicular to your vehicle and then back up to the top of the cargo. If you have side rails the most important thing is to reduce the amount of drag the item will make by placing the front of it in line with the beginning of the roof or moving it as far back as you can.