Best roof rack to transport lumber

[dennis thompson]

I have a Ford Explorer, it has a roof rack but it's pretty flimsy, can anyone recommend a roof rack I could put on th Explorer to transport lumber?
Thanks
Dennis

[Myk Rian]

I would open the back door and slide it in. :)

[Gene Howe]

I had one, too. Couldn't figure a way, either. bought a long bed 250. No problems, now.:D

[Brian W Evans]

Dennis,

I have a Subaru Outback (obligatory Vermont car), and I use Yakima roof racks. They are very high quality and I use them for many things besides transporting lumber. I've never used Thule (sp?) racks, but they also seem popular. I think this is possibly because they're cheaper.

A few thoughts:

An Explorer is a big vehicle. Can you safely reach a roof rack to load/unload heavy lumber? Perhaps a trailer is a better option. They're more expensive, but more versatile in some ways.

If you get roof racks, get cross bars that are wide enough to carry sheets of plywood (i.e. more than 48" long) and tie them down. I find I need about 2 inches extending on each side of a sheet of ply to tie it down, so your cross bars should be 52" or more. In VT, cross bars can't extend beyond your rear-view mirrors, but I don't think this would be an issue on an Explorer.

Think about how you will tie things down. I use rope (as opposed to ratchet straps or bungie cords) and I find I can tighten it better on my round (Yakima) cross bars than on non-round things. Thule racks have rectangular cross bars. The knot I use is a clove hitch - easy to tie/untie/tighten and used by sailors for centuries to secure boats to pilings, so you know it's secure.

Didn't mean to write a dissertation on roof racks - sorry.:eek: Hope it helped.

[Rob Garcelon]

I, too, often find myself needing to tranport sheet goods to my home shop with my trusty 97 Explorer. And while 8' boards do fit over the center console with the back closed, longer boards up to about 12' are easily carried with the rear glass gate bungied to the bumper.

I'm eager to hear other's opinions on how to handle sheet goods (and longer boards) on a pseudo-truck such as the Explorer. A trailer is not practical in my case; no place to store it.

Cheers

[Zach England]

Dennis,

I have a Subaru Outback (obligatory Vermont car), and I use Yakima roof racks.


You described half the cars on my street. The other half are priuses.

[Roger Benton]

look into roof racks by yakima, rugged ridge, wilderness, garvin.
best bet would be cross bars supported by the rain rails along the roof, that setup can handle more weight than the factory rails.

[Charlie Doret]

I used to have a Toyota Camry, and I transported all of the lumber for renovating my condominium on a Thule roof rack. It was just the bars that are used as a base for mounting other roof rack components for skis, bikes, etc. The biggest load I carried was was about 130 bf of dimensional lumber, and the roof rack was definitely fine, though it flexed the roof of the car a bit where the pads of the rack sat on the roof. I'm not sure I would carry quite that much on a Camry again, but the rack could have taken more.

I also carried sheet goods, which were fine if well tied down so as not to be lifted away by the wind. The one issue was that on a Camry the two bars of the rack were close enough together that thin sheet goods (sheetrock in particular) would flex a lot, so I needed to put some 2x4's underneath to keep everything flat. On the larger roof of an Explorer that's probably less of a concern.

[dennis thompson]

:)Well folks I think Gene Howe has set a record.:) I'm used to seeing questions that say "What is the best table saw if I only can spend $400" & then seeing suggestions to buy a $3,000 saw. I've made a few of them myself.But I was thinking of a roof rack for say $200-$400 & Gene suggested a new truck for ,I guess, $25,000.:eek: Gene, I've passed your suggestion on to the keeper of the budget in our house & am waiting for her reply;)
Dennis:)

[Ed Griner]

I have a full sized ram van and a red flag,it handles about 16'planks sticking out the rear doors .I have seen lumber loaded on roof rack,stop quickly at a traffic light and about 50% of the pieces loaded in the center,were projected into the car(Rear window,children in rear seat) in front of it. I'd try to borrow a truck.
Ed

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Dennis - I have found that while the crossrails are pretty flimsy, the side roof rails (running the lenght of the roof, not across) are usually pretty sturdy. I used to lay some 4' 2x4s across (side to side) and then put sheet goods on top, and then secure the whole thing down with some ratchet tie-downs. not pretty , but it worked. Of course, I did not have far to go and usually stayed off the highways - just in case. this also worked well for sheets of drywall, although I'd usually sandwich them between 2 pieces of plywood.

[Dennis Faz]

Uhaul, rent a trailer for 20 bucks and get your stuff home safe. This is the best way to go if you don't have a truck, or the space to park a trailer.

[Harry Hagan]

I agree with Mr. Faz,

Your friend's truck. Return it with a six-pack of his favorite beverage sitting on the floorboard. I used to say return it with a full tank of gas but you can rent one from the borg for less than a full tank of gas these days.

That's what I recommend when friends what to borrow my truck.

[Gene Howe]

:)Well folks I think Gene Howe has set a record.:) I'm used to seeing questions that say "What is the best table saw if I only can spend $400" & then seeing suggestions to buy a $3,000 saw. I've made a few of them myself.But I was thinking of a roof rack for say $200-$400 & Gene suggested a new truck for ,I guess, $25,000.:eek: Gene, I've passed your suggestion on to the keeper of the budget in our house & am waiting for her reply;)
Dennis:)

Dennis,
My post was made with tongue in cheek:D But, if it helps with the little lady AKA "keeper of the budget" Go for it!
We really did have an explorer and I was never able to find an add on roof rack for it. But then, I was trying to convince my "keeper of the budget" of the need for a truck. The final straw was her love of camping and the fact that her relatives all had 5th wheels.:D:D Another 30K:eek::D

[Callan Campbell]

I use the Thule bar system for my Montero. The most I've crated/carried home on the roof was 4x4 landscaping posts for garden sidewalk edging. They outweighed the 3 full sheets of plywood that was my previous heavy load. The Thules are like other rack systems, they use the rail gutters for the bar arms to clamp to if your vehicle has them. This way you get a fairly long support and bearing surface to build the racks up from.
Drive slow once loaded, use ratcheting tie straps that work with what ever rack system you chose, and get help if possible to load and unload off your roof. Full 4x8 sheets are not that easy to flip onto a tall vehicles roof rack.

[Floyd Mah]

Here's how I learned how to transport sheet goods with my Mazda MPV. I didn't have a roof rack and after reading about the horror stories of stuff flying off when braking, I felt that carrying stuff outside the van was relatively hazardous. When I went to buy a piece of hardboard, 4' x 8', the guy helping me load up suggested placing it inside the vehicle and to sit under it. So that's what I did. The sheet was propped up by the headrest, and unless you are extremely tall, would hover just a fraction of an inch above your head. You probably wouldn't want to go over any speed bumps too rapidly, but it's a way of moving sheet goods if it fits in that manner. I have since then improved the way I carry loads by building a removable frame, held in place by my headrests, that would allow me to support a light load inside the van and strap it into place. It's completely knock-down and can be stowed in the back until needed.

Additionally, I discovered a way to carry longer goods longitudinally over the middle. Because you might often need to have stuff project out the rear, you would have to keep the rear door from bouncing. I do this by placing a metal ring in the latch and locking the rear door, without closing it. This ring gives me a place to thread a bungie cord and fasten to various places under the car. Place a blanket or some cushioning on your wood so that your door isn't bruised by going over bumps.

[Dick Strauss]

Carrying plywood on a Thule rack is asking for trouble if you need to travel at highway speeds. My ex tried this...the rain channels broke off the car, and the load with the rack still attached went all over the highway! IIRC it cost close to $1000 to fix the damage to the car.

If you have to do this, make sure you get the front of the sheets far enough back off the top of the windshield and try to keep your speeds as low as possible as Callan mentioned. It also helps to have a few heavy boards on top to keep the front edge of the plywood from flexing up and catching more wind.

If you need to transport long boards, leave a space in the middle and make a pile on each side to allow the wind to pass and minimize lift.

[Jim O'Dell]

My first thought was weight. Both of the Gr. Caravans we've owned had the factory roof racks, and the owners manual says to limit to 75#. The big racks you see on trucks and vans that have lots of weight on them usually have supports that bolt to the bumpers or the frame to support the weight.
I would think you could fold down the middle seat and have 5' on the inside easy. With ratchet straps you could secure the wood so it couldn't slide rear ward and out of the vehicle. Even sheet goods should be ok. May want about three 2X4s on the bottom for a support base so they don't flex down at the rear. Then as others suggested, bungee the rear hatch down to the bumper. I think this would be the safest thing to do with that vehicle. Maybe watch for a small enclosed trailer on Craigs List that is cheap. But the cheap ones are usually pretty short. Jim.

[Jason White]

I have a "Vanguard" ladder rack on my long-bed pickup truck. Not fancy, but great for 16'+ lengths of lumber.

Check out the "Trac-Rac" units. They're pricey, but nice. They're available for for the tops of vans, camper shells, etc.

Jason



I have a Ford Explorer, it has a roof rack but it's pretty flimsy, can anyone recommend a roof rack I could put on th Explorer to transport lumber?
Thanks
Dennis

[george wilson]

My last Ford van had a 90# weight limit on the roof rack. You are putting others at risk over loading a roof rack.

[Gene Howe]

Dennis,
With all the horror stories and admonitions about weight and etc, you should have all the ammunition you need.:D

Seriously, it could get dangerous.

[Rob Garcelon]

Thanks, everyone. After studying your replies I have decided that renting a truck/van makes the most sense. Here in the northwest, it's tricky to plan trips due to the randomness of rain. I don't want my maple veneer ply getting abused before I get to cut them.

Though the F250 long bed suggestion had been considered too (keep checking CL, lol).

Cheers

[Mac McQuinn]

Years ago i had a Volvo 240 sedan and it had gutters so i installed a "Thule" rack. Very durable & horizontal bars had a ribbed rubber coating that was pretty tenacious in gripping wood. Never lost a board, canoe, kayak, etc.........:eek:

Mac

[scott vroom]

Dodge long bed works great.....sell that toy and get a real truck.

Or rent a truck....too much weight on the explorer roof can cause damage.

[Don Morris]

I have a Rav4 with a roof rack. When I transport sheet goods I put two 8' 2 X 4s on the rack. One on each side. I rest the plywood on them so the plywood doesn't flex while driving and act as a wind foil. I secure the 2 X 4's to the rack with webbing and the plywood to the 2 X 4's with webbing too also encircling the rack. Additionally, at each of the 4 corners, I put a couple 2" square pieces of wood to protect the plywood and use clamps to secure the plywood to the 2 X 4's just as an added measure. I then feel free to use the freeway. The clamps may look a little odd driving down the road, but the wood doesn't move much and when I arrive home safe and sound, it was worth the effort. Good plywood is damned expensive!

[Wade Lippman]

Think about how you will tie things down. I use rope (as opposed to ratchet straps or bungie cords) and I find I can tighten it better on my round (Yakima) cross bars than on non-round things. Thule racks have rectangular cross bars. The knot I use is a clove hitch - easy to tie/untie/tighten and used by sailors for centuries to secure boats to pilings, so you know it's secure.


You might want to rethink the clove hitch. It is easy to tie and adjust, but isn't intended to hold anything securely. Sailors don't care if the lines slip a bit, but slipping isn't great for securing lumber.

[Joshua Layne]

Have to say that my experience with roof racks has been fine (knock on wood?) - I have carried over 100BF on the roof rack (yakima) of my VW golf multiple times. I go slow and tie the cr4p out of it, including testing whether those inside pieces will move if hit. It generally takes me longer to tie down the load than to select the lumber and when I can, I borrow a truck, but it isn't always feasible.

YMMV
josh

[Ted Baca]

I would say if you are trying to keep cost down and the main concern is not scratching the roof of the explorer. I would look at an inflatable tube
or possibly a moversblanket. Then tie the load down diagnally front bumper to rear bumper. Drive slower to aviod "lift" as wind will want raise the sheet goods. I have seen this done before it seems to work pretty well. Of course drywall would not apply here.

[Truong Nguyen]

I have a Rav4 with a roof rack. When I transport sheet goods I put two 8' 2 X 4s on the rack. One on each side. I rest the plywood on them so the plywood doesn't flex while driving and act as a wind foil. I secure the 2 X 4's to the rack with webbing and the plywood to the 2 X 4's with webbing too also encircling the rack. Additionally, at each of the 4 corners, I put a couple 2" square pieces of wood to protect the plywood and use clamps to secure the plywood to the 2 X 4's just as an added measure. I then feel free to use the freeway. The clamps may look a little odd driving down the road, but the wood doesn't move much and when I arrive home safe and sound, it was worth the effort. Good plywood is damned expensive!

Hi Don, I have Rav4 too, I'd like to do this as well. Where can I get the webbing? Do you have a picture? Appreciate it, Truong

[Barry Hood]

G'day Rob
If you do end up getting some sort of racks try clamping your load to the rack with F or C clamps. I've seen several builders over here using them and they reckon they are great for sheet materials. I also use rope to tie down but I use a sheetbend knot that has extra mechanical advantage. A lot of surfies just strap their boards direct to the roof with padded straps these days, especially longboards so maybe try a surf board outlet. This happens because a lot of vehicles don't have rain gutters any more.

Cheers and a Happy new year to you and all the other Creekers
Barry

[mike wacker]

One other option I've seen but not used is an "L-brackett" for your receiver hitch. That is assuming you have a receiver hitch. If you do this thing plugs into the receiver and extends back away from the vehicle far enough to support long items. On an explorer this would give you the ability to incert LONG boards into the back and they have support not to sag out the back.

[Jim Andrew]

I realize most of you city boys don't have room to park a trailer, but being in the country has a few advantages. My daily driver is an old 91 Toyota pu, and when I need to haul longer boards than you can balance in the back of a short bed, I use the lawnmower/4wheeler trailer I built. It is 5' wide and 9' long, tilts to make it easy to load the 4 wheeler, and have found it valuable for hauling long lumber. In fact, have had it so loaded up that it made the truck unstable over about 35 mph.

[Dan Friedrichs]

I have a Explorer Sport (the 2-door version). I carry sheetgoods by folding down the back seats, sliding the sheets in the back, and tie-strapping the back door as closed as it will go. A 4' wide sheet just sits on top of the wheel wells. Not pretty or easy, but it works...

[Dave Haughs]

I used to have an explorer and I had a yakima roof rack on it. All you need are the crossbars and the posts they fit in. Its not cheap, but I hauled lumber on it weekly. Lots of sheet goods. Worked pretty well.

Not mine but this is what I had:

http://site.backcountryracks.com/Rack_Installs/Jeep_Wrangler_with_Yakima_custom_track_install_2.J PG