Roof Rack Weight Limit

PeteD

PeteD

Member
I'm looking to after market roof racks similar to the Aluminess touring style roof rack with the perforated metal floor (https://www.aluminess.com/sprinter-roof-rack-build/) for my 2020 144 HR. However, I'm a bit confused on the weight capacity of aftermarket roof racks. I contacted Aluminess and they stated their tubular racks have a dynamic weight limit of 500 lbs but the owner's manual seems to state that the HR has a maximum roof load of 331bs (which seems like a dynamic number as well). I don't believe I will be transporting more than 300 lbs on the roof rack when driving but i'm interested if the roof rack and van roof could support 4 adults when the van is parked.

Does anyone own an Aluminess style rack and can state first hand whether you have had any issues with 3-4 adults sitting on the rack when the van is parked?

Thanks for the help

Pete
 
G

Gsand31415

Guest
I would have concerns about the van's upper body structure itself sustaining 800# wiggling around up there, regardless of what rack you used. Eventually somethings going to come apart.
 
elemental

elemental

Wherever you go, there you are.
Technically the van's 331 pound rooftop weight limit includes the weight of anything on the roof, which would include the weight of the after market roof rack (125 pounds or so for one in aluminum like the one you are considering I believe). That leaves about 200 pounds for accessories, equipment, and gear.

Four adults at an average weight of 175 lbs. (I don't know your friends) would be 700 lbs. plus the rack's 125 pounds which hits Gsand31415's 800 lbs. number. It does seem high compared with the stated weight limit in the manual, even if it were a purely static load (which people aren't). It probably wouldn't collapse immediately, though.
 
OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
elemental said:
Technically the van's 331 pound rooftop weight limit includes the weight of anything on the roof, which would include the weight of the after market roof rack (125 pounds or so for one in aluminum like the one you are considering I believe). That leaves about 200 pounds for accessories, equipment, and gear.

Four adults at an average weight of 175 lbs. (I don't know your friends) would be 700 lbs. plus the rack's 125 pounds which hits Gsand31415's 800 lbs. number. It does seem high compared with the stated weight limit in the manual, even if it were a purely static load (which people aren't). It probably wouldn't collapse immediately, though.
Click to expand...
MB's designation of the 331 lb 'dynamic' load refers to the load while the vehicle is in motion, not the load moving while the vehicle is stationary.

If an 800 lb 'static' load is translated to the fixed roof rail locations there will not be issue. The roof and and wall structure under the roof rail is more than adequate, as it's an integral part of the vehicle uni-body design.
 
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PeteD

PeteD

Member
I appreciate all of the input. Does anyone have first hand experience with 3-4 adults on their roof rack hanging out?
 
J

jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com

Well-known member
My self designed aluminum framed full roof rack with 5 rain gutter clamps per side, 06 T1N, has never felt overloaded, and would certainly take as many people up there was wanted when parked.

While it is empty most of the time with the exception of a solar panel and an extra spare tire and wheel that is now mounted on the rear drivers side door to open up even more room, I can easily carry a load of lumber.

To me, the full roof rack is more for stargazing and hanging out than carrying a lot of gear. I have always had flush mount tie-downs for gear, and the floor is covered in a padded indoor/outdoor carpet for comfort.

As I am about to complete painting the roof with a gray Herculiner truck bedliner product and will be putting down an aluminum floor which will then be padded and covered with carpet, the weight has to be much less than the exterior plywood floor and carpet I had for a decade.

I will finally be able to post some photos of the bedliner and my full roof rack design when I finish up the bedliner before putting down the new floor.

Incorporating some wind friendly air dams on the front and sides has been my hope from the beginning. The front air dam above the windshield is being mitigated somewhat to lessen the effect even more and hopefully keep my mileage up. I am guessing I have been losing 2 mpg at the most from the original design, but as I have always had a full roof rack on my vans for decades, it is a price well worth paying for the extra available space.

I have always used a rubber gasket type of material for clamping down the rack to prevent metal to paint rust showing up. I have seen all too many vans where the rust went nuts on the roof rack clamping points where a rubber gasket was not considered.

Ten years later and I still have no rust on the clamping points thanks to the reddish colored rubber gasket material that I found in the plumbing dept. at Home Depot.

As for the weight, all know is it would take a lifter to get it off and on. My guesstimate is it weighs around 200 pounds

As for driving down the road, it has never been noticeable with the air dams I used.

I have no ac unit on top and could not be more happy that my separate secondary ac unit for the passenger area has the ac parts mounted under the floor and on the slightly lowered roof in the rear section by the doors. One change I made almost immediately was to raise the double fan unit
an inch our two to ride above the undercarriage. It made no effect the cooling capacity and lessened the chance that some damage could occur.
 
J

jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com

Well-known member
One last comment, my roof rack rain gutter contact is continuous throughout the entire length with a bead of aluminum to make contact with the rain gutter. This distributes the load along the whole length, rather than just at the clamping points. Previously I had used some split tubing to go between the rack and the gutter and now have the bedliner to serve the same purpose. The rain gutter tubing I just removed was still working as originally designed ten years ago! To be continued.
 
hein

hein

Van Guru
4 adults seems like a lot for the structure of a van. I am not a fan of roof top parties due to the possibility of someone falling off and getting hurt. Being sued by your dead friend's family won't be any fun.

Be safe out there
All the best,
Hein
 
PeteD

PeteD

Member
Not necessarily looking for a roof party :) I would primarily want to star gaze or watch sunsets on the roof with my wife and two boys. The boys are young now but growing like crazy so I wanted to future proof. I was only planing on installing one fan to save roof deck space but if the roof won’t hold 3-4 adults I would consider adding the second fan.
 
J

jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com

Well-known member
The 12" side ht of my roof rack won't prevent someone from falling off, but is great for a little privacy and hiding whatever my be stored up there. Most roof racks I have seen don't have that aluminum paneled in side ht. It is meant to sit down and enjoy the view, after all.

I have often thought it would be a great place to have a fold out roof tent. I sure have the room for it.

The top width of the roof rack floor is reduced to 5' since I angled the framing in from the rain gutters at the same angle as the raised roof angles in for all the better aerodynamics. There are many other options out there, but none quite like mine. To be continued.
 
H

HarryN

Well-known member
Have you looked at the roof mounting points of a sprinter? They are just slightly thicker than the roof sheet metal.

Similar to jcmadeintheshade@gmail.com when I mount a rail on the sprinter I used as much contact to the entire length of the roof rail location but most people don't do it this way as it is quite challenging to install.

I would not take children on top of a high roof van unless they were wearing a helmet and had a safety line.

There really is only enough room on top of a van for a fan and enough solar panels to run the fridge and other normal things in a van. Anything less than 300 watts is really just cosmetic and 400 watts is a better target.

Please consider to use the roof for utility use and the ground for hanging out.
 
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Outlookela

Outlookela

Active member
I enjoy greatly my roof deck, but just can't see it being a good idea for more than two. Maybe the answer is to design it so you and your partner can enjoy a beverage away from your kids ha ha. I'd go with the extra vents. Maybe even a sky light. Gotta let that hot air out of the van.
 
T

TS Explore

New member
Hello everyone! I have seen several images of people hanging out on top of their sprinter roofs. While the photos make it look really cool, I have yet to understand the benefit of that vs just hanging out on the ground. I am sure there are certain scenarios where getting ~9' off the ground improves the view. Is that the benefit? Is there something else I am not thinking of? Debating my design and would appreciate and thoughts from Outlookela, PeteD, or jcmadeintheshade.... Thanks so much!
 
Outlookela

Outlookela

Active member
I have spent a total of about 8 hours on my roof deck in 4 years. Not very much. So when I say I greatly enjoy it above, it has been for a very limited amount of time. It is very situational. If for example you go to a lot of music festivals and can see the stage from where you are camping that would be great. That happened once for me. But could happen again. If you are parked at a beach where there is no view except at the upper level, its pretty sweet. This happened to me a few times. I've thought it could be good if I wanted to hang out taking pictures of bears, bison, moose etc. That is probably in the future.

I dislike the "look at me in my sprinter" aspect of it.

So to sum up its situational and only you can know that, but by far and away most of my hang out time is off the side door. I had to have a deck for my surf gear and so decided that I may as well also be a deck. If I didn't need the deck for my toys I wouldn't have built the deck and would not have missed it much. So I would tend to say don't bother unless you have some solid ideas of how you will be using it.
 
J

jmole

Active member
bumping this thread – I'm looking at doing a custom pop top and wondering the same thing.

My static load will be people sleeping on the roof, under the pop top. I know CCV does high roof pop tops, which I'm certain weigh near 5-600 lbs without people inside.

I'm looking at an aluminum design, mounted to the factory roof rails, but thinking I need to do some reinforcement to the vertical members in the van to support the weight of people sleeping up there. Goal is to have two ~48"x76" beds up there with an opening between them in a 170EXT.
 
OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
jmole said:
bumping this thread – I'm looking at doing a custom pop top and wondering the same thing.

My static load will be people sleeping on the roof, under the pop top. I know CCV does high roof pop tops, which I'm certain weigh near 5-600 lbs without people inside.

I'm looking at an aluminum design, mounted to the factory roof rails, but thinking I need to do some reinforcement to the vertical members in the van to support the weight of people sleeping up there. Goal is to have two ~48"x76" beds up there with an opening between them in a 170EXT.
Click to expand...
The weight of the up-fit/commercially available pop-tops, and anything fixed to it, is transferred to the Sprinter's load-bearing wall frame, never the rooftop or its cross members since it removed.
 
OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
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J

jmole

Active member
OrioN said:
Correct. There is one point to know, the dynamic roof load is based on it being above the roofline and determined by the vehicles acceptable center of gravity. If your pop-top and its fixtures/loads exceed the dynamic roof load, you need to place the excess load below the roofline. Follow?
Click to expand...

CG is also highly dependent on what's below the roof, but also seems more relevant to the ESP system than anything else.

I'll have no problem keeping the weight of the poptop & solar components under 330, but my question is around the roof structure and/or roof rails being able to support the weight of people sleeping while the van is not moving & what I should do to mitigate it.
 
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