Stop Worrying How To Stop Roof Rack Vibration & Try This
Keeping kayaks, bikes, and cargo items are almost the only reasons why people a the roof rack. Apart from that, there are a bunch of pros and cons of roof racks that suit truck driver’s needs. But what if your roof rack makes unbearable shakes while holding storable items?
As we all know, the roof rack works like a crossbar that supports towers to create an external cargo space for you to hold items as much as possible. Surely, the vibration of stored stuff would be an irritating thing to face while driving for long-term destinations.
A lot of people are searching for how to stop roof rack vibration which makes us think of some random but helpful solutions that do solve the problem really quick. For that, you got to have some basic tools that most probably is already in your home if you like to do DIY stuff.
So, without wasting time, let’s get into the real topic to describe how exactly you can end this trouble. Are You Ready!
How To Stop Roof Rack Vibration? – Explaining Some Methods That Truly Works!
Bike, surfboard, fishing rods, and kayak vibration on roof rack is a hot topic among sufferers as the perfect solution doesn’t exist on the internet. So, how exactly you can get rid of that? It’s possible to stop that if you’re anyway able to tighten the roof rack nuts, rods, and stored items.
According to the writer of BestRoofBag.com,
It is important to secure support towers and tie-down straps or other mounts to the vehicle. More recommendations expand towards testing the stability of the base rack ( this is usually done by pulling side to side on the crossbars).
A lot of times you’ll feel like the stuff that is stored over your truck rack starts to shaking really weirdly if the nuts or rods are fitted aligned wrongly. Along with the vibration, the roof rack noise also gets louder.
We will try our best to give some techniques that help the 2 bars and towers of the rack to carry luggage in a good fit with no shake. So, let’s get into it.
Tighten Out the Nuts & Rods of the Roof Rack to End Vibration
Loosen accessories are one of the possible culprits that cause rack trembling while carrying luggage or other stuff. To fix them, get some tools and follow the below directions:
Step-1: Start by, parking your truck in an open and quiet place where no animals or people would disturb you in the following process.
Step-2: Next, get out of your car and look into the 4 mounting points of the roof rack (that are attached to the rods or crossbars and truck roof). See whether they are right in shape or need adjustment.
Step-3: If not, then go ahead and use a ratchet wrench to tighten them. And if the bolts are rusted, then use the penetrating oil so that you can easily mount them tightly. In case the bolts are damaged, try to replace them with a new one.
Step-4: Now, check whether the alignment of rods is rightly fitted on the towers. They (front to back crossbars) should have a good distance between 700 and 800 millimeters.
Step-5: If the gaps are not correct, then measure and adjust them to fit in the right direction. Once you have done, clean the roof rack and store items.
Fixing Roof Rack Vibration Using a Bungee Cord or Ratchet Strap
Have you drive more than 50-55 MPH speed while suddenly your roof rack starts to oscillate like an earthquake? This can be happed if the stored items are fitted wrongly. So, how to stop soft roof rack vibration?
Okay, you can pretty easily end this by tightening up the items to store rightly using a bungee cord or ratchet strap. If you have given tools in your home, then hop into the given steps:
- Put the items (such as luggage, kayak, or bike) that you want to store on the roof rack.
- Take a bungee cord to tie down the stuff. For that, you should expand it to cover the item in x or + shape so that the stuff stay secured by attaching to the roof rack.
- Otherwise, it’s better to use the ratchet strap in the same way.
Quick Tips: Just don’t attach the ratchet or cam strap as it may cause damage to the roof rack surface. Also, if you have bulky items to store, avoid using a bungee cord.
Before doing anything, be sure to check the roof rack condition on your vehicle as it might fix the vibration problem. And, while securing the stuff with either bungee cord or ratchet strap, try to tie it in a basic knotting method like you normally do.
And, don’t forget to use the strap over the towers to get good support that will keep stuff in place without causing movement to stop vibration. Besides, you don’t want to put big loads on your roof rack using a bungee cord as it isn’t a trustworthy thing for that.
Instead, use the ratchet or cam strap as it has good elasticity that will keep items in good shape without making noise or waving.
Keep The Truck Rack Away From Shaking Using Duct Tape
This method is the final thing you can do to stop the vibration with the help of duct tape. But, we suggest not to use this if your truck rack is carrying tons of stuff. Let’s get into the procedure.
Items You Will Need:
- Scissors
- Duct Tape
1. First off, carry the stuff such as skis, kayaks, or canoes on the roof rack. After that, use duct tape to cover all the items in place.
2. Next, cover the corners using duct tape and go over the towers and rods for tight coverage.
3. After that, go over the other 3 corners to store the items in good shape.
4. lastly, see whether the items vibrate or not when you drive the truck a bit. If not, then use duct tape on the mid side too to balance stuff rightly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I install a roof rack myself?
Yes, you can but only if your roof rack comes with an easy-to-understand manual. The process of installing it is not a math problem as you just need to align the crossbar and mount the clamp in the right place (close to the car door).
However, it’s might take a long time if the roof rack is not factory fitted. But, the steps are easy and won’t cost energy.
Do roof racks slow you down?
If the weight of the roof rack is a lot that causing instability when you drive, then it might be the reason why you are driving slowly. But, most of the roof racks in the market are designed in a lightweight but holds good loads.
It won’t make a big difference in your riding mileage but you’ll feel the impact when testing the fuel economy weekly.
How long does it take to install a roof rack?
Basically, it might take at least 2 hours to install the roof rack all by yourself. The hitch and other extra stuff might also add an extra 1 hour if not fitted from the company. But, you will be glad to know that the standard roof rack takes only 20-30 minutes to install.
Final Thoughts
Feeling relieved now as you’ve learned about how to stop roof rack vibration? The given methods are really practical and easy to follow as you’ll only need basic items that won’t cost huge bucks.
Basically, the vibration in a roof rack happens due to the stuff are fitted loosely or slackly that cause them to move here and there. Most experts suggest using the ratchet or cam strap as they work the best to solve this struggle. Other items also do well to stop shakes.
Apart from that, you need to keep in mind the maintenance of the roof rack as broken or damaged one will vibrate. Hope this guide gives you all the possible ways that help to solve the shaky rack problem easily. Take Care & Keep Up The Good Works!
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