Styling Roof bar strength question

[sean1968]

Im off on my jollies soon and have fitted my roof bars to my Ulysse. But, I have a question.....
They seem quite flexible and dare I say it, a little weak.
Are they strong enough for a roof box?
Don't really want it flying off on the M5.
I'm gonna guess they are otherwise what's the point of them other than vanity.
Anyone here actually used them before?
If so please let me know before I lose all the wife's luggage on the motorway (I'll make sure it's only got her stuff in it lol)
Thanks in advance

 

[FRANTIC FRAN]

I don't think I've ever seen a Ulysse (C8 or 807) with the rack actually being used for anything other than a cosmetic spoiler!

The handbook states a maximum weight for the rack at 100kg so it must be able to take that weight & a little more (as they will be on the conservative side to cover themselves).

I would test it out by using it around town before you go on holiday!

 

[maisie the ugly bug]

Hi
Have used ours to carry some big ladders, took two people to lift them on, about 5.2 metres in length were longer than the car, so your roof box will be no problem.

Rob

 

[sands030905]

Hi, just wondering how easy it was to fit the t-track for the roof bars??,

How did they do carrying a load as they do look flimsy, and do you need to remove them or do they not effect fuel economy as a spoiler??

Thanks

 

[Brittleware]

I'm about to find out about the load capacity as we'll be fitting our Halfrauds roof box for a trip to furthest Cornwall... But the bars in the so called "spoiler" position can do nothing but increase drag (marginally) as they have no aerofoil profile whatsoever (whether up or down force). They just look like one.

 

[sands030905]

Any special tools needed to remove t tracks?

 

[Brittleware]

Do you mean remove the roof bars from the tracks?

 

[sands030905]

Sorry, just read post, not very clear.

My 2004 ulysse doesn't have the correct runners for installing the roof rack, I was just wondering how easy it was to remove the existing runners and replace them with the t track runners, as I'm always worried about snapping clips etc. That's if you did replace the runners.

Thanks

 

[sands030905]

Finally got around to fitting t track for roof bars this week, just in need of a bit of advice regarding fitting the bars.

Ideally a good description of how they are fitted, I have tried and I was quite difficult.
If there is a 'method' to doing it.

Also when sliding them, they were quite stiff, is there a lubriant I could use to help this.

Many thanks

 

[Pat H]

We have a 2003 with roof bars and have used it with a large roof box many times.
I think the weight limit is 50KG per bar so effectively 100KG including the weight of the box.

The bars slide in from the front I think (or is it the back?) Theres a cut out in the top of the rail for the foot of the bar.
Yes they are very stiff to slide along because the gap betweent he rails changes so the bars have to grow and shrint as they move.
As a one man operation it involves a clout one side to move it a few inches folloed by the same the other side and you walk them along. With two people it's quicker but they do tend to jam if one side moves too far along.
Make sure you wiggle the bars around as you latch the lever inside to make sure they latch up correctly.
If you are anywhere local to hertfordshire happy for you to pop along and see ours.

 

[sands030905]

Thanks for replying, that's going to stop me worrying that I didn't fit the tracks properly.
Many thanks

 

[redcatrockets]

We've done one long run (250 miles+) with a big roof box on and was fine.

I think we put the lighter stuff in the box where we could... but I remember it was a big square thing (we had to borrow one - the fittings on our smaller box were to narrow for the big wide bars on a Ulysee) so it must have had some drag on it.

Stopped and checked it a few times of course (first time after only 10 miles or so). Shouldn't think it did the MPG much good.