No room in the car?
No problem. Expanding the useful cargo carrying capability of a vehicle has never been easier.
According to Bob Gardner, owner of the Calgary Hitch Shop, there’s likely an aftermarket cargo management system to suit a variety of vehicles and myriad needs.
“Virtually every vehicle will take some sort of aftermarket roof rack,” Gardner says. “There aren’t many vehicles that can’t be rigged up with something.”
The exception, he says, might be select high-end sports cars. If you’re driving, say, a Lamborghini, finding roof racks to fit isn’t likely a priority, anyway.
A number of current vehicles are available from the factory with roof rails – and these rails should accommodate a wide range of aftermarket rack systems. Even if the car or SUV didn’t come equipped with the rails, as Gardner says, many manufacturers – such as Swagman, Thule and Yakima — are producing systems that can be adapted to a bare roof.
Roof racks allow the fitment of bicycle racks, kayak and surfboard carriers, ski racks and cargo boxes.
In a cargo box, such as the Yakima Rocketbox Pro 14 for example (the 14 denotes 14 cubic foot capacity), there’s room to carry enough camping gear for three.
With ski season just around the corner, there’s the option of putting all of the cross-country or downhill gear in a box such as the Yakima Skybox Pro, or in specialty ski/snowboard racks including the Yakima FatCat 6. The FatCat 6 system holds up to six pairs of skis or four snowboards and is lockable.
Gardner’s been in the hitch and cargo-carrying industry for 25 years.
In that time, he’s seen aftermarket producers introducing features regarding fit and safety – especially to the bike racks.
“Twenty five years ago, for example, bike racks were really pretty primitive,” he says. “They’re a lot more sophisticated now – as are the bikes they’re carrying. Some of those bicycles have carbon fibre frames and specialized suspension and brake systems that need to be considered.
“And, it’s not unusual for someone to come into the shop driving a car that’s worth less than the bike they want to carry – they’re driving a $1,000 car and want to haul a bike worth thousands of dollars more.”
No longer relegated to the roof, numerous companies are building cargo-carrying systems that will fit vehicle hitches. Most often, these are bicycle racks, but just like roof racks, a variety of options exist.
Lighter cargo can be carried in racks installed in Class I hitches often found on smaller vehicles, while heavier items can be placed in racks that fit the sturdier Class III hitches.
“A lot of people come in with misperceptions about what it takes to carry stuff,” Gardner says. “Many times, people underestimate the amount of stress (a hitch rack) adds.
“For example, a four-bike rack puts the same stress as a 4,000 lb. trailer on a vehicle hitch. With the trailer, some of the force is carried on the trailer axle. With a hitch rack, though, when you’re going over bumps or railroad crossings, all of the weight is on the hitch, and it’s a tremendous amount of force (on that single component).
“It’s important to ensure you have the right hitch for the right rack.”
Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have an auto related item to share for the column or What’s Next? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or gregwilliams@shaw.ca. Visit his website at gregwilliams.ca
