Roof rack installation
Platforms and crossbars that give tents, awnings, traction boards and cargo a solid place to live. We help you pick one that suits your roof, your load and your garage door, then bolt it on right.
Turning the roof into usable space
The cabin fills up fast on a camping trip. Moving bulky, lighter items up top frees room for passengers and keeps dirty gear like shovels and traction boards out of the interior. A rack is also the base for roof top tents, awnings, light bars, antenna mounts and fuel or water carriers all need something rigid to bolt to.
The catch is that a roof is not a truck bed. It has a limited rating, weight up there raises the center of gravity, and anything above the roofline catches wind. Choosing the right rack is mostly about managing those three things.
Crossbars, baskets and platforms
Roof racks fall into a few broad designs. Each makes sense for a different kind of load.
Crossbars
Two or three bars spanning the roof. They are light, quiet and low, and they work well under a tent that carries its own base or a cargo box. They offer little for strapping down loose gear.
Basket racks
A tray with raised side rails. Duffels and coolers stay contained, but the rails add height and wind noise, and the sides make it harder to mount a tent or slide cargo across.
Flat platforms
A low, full-length deck with slots or channels for accessory mounts. Platforms suit roof top tents, awnings and a mix of gear, and they tend to sit lower than baskets. Most overland builds use one.
Half-length racks
A shorter platform covering part of the roof, leaving room for a sunroof, antenna or light bar.
What goes on the rack
Most racks do not stay empty for long. We install the rack and the gear that bolts to it at the same visit, so the wiring, brackets and spacing are planned together instead of added one piece at a time.
Roof top tents
Mounted to a platform or bars rated for the tent’s weight, with the ladder side set for how you camp. See roof top tents.
Lights and wiring
Light bars, pods and scene lights, wired through a proper switch and relay with the harness routed clean down the pillar. See off-road lighting.
Custom light mounts
When a rack has no good spot for your lights, we make simple bars and brackets to fit, like a bar that spaces light pods evenly across the front of a roof basket.
Awnings, boards and shovels
Awning brackets, traction board mounts and shovel mounts that lock gear to the rack instead of strapping it down. See overland accessories.
Dynamic vs static capacity
Two numbers matter, and they are not interchangeable.
Dynamic rating
How much the roof and rack can carry while the vehicle is driving. Braking, cornering and bumps multiply the forces on the mounts, so this figure is the lower of the two. Your owner's manual often lists a roof limit, and the rack maker lists its own. Use whichever is lower.
Static rating
How much weight the setup can hold when the vehicle is stopped. It is higher because the load just sits there. This is the number that covers people sleeping in a roof top tent, and it only applies once you are parked.
What counts against it
The rack's own weight, crossbars, fairing, mounting hardware and everything strapped on. A heavy steel platform can use up a real share of the dynamic limit before any gear goes on.
Center of gravity
Weight on the roof makes a tall vehicle lean more in corners and on off-camber trail sections. Heavy, dense items such as water and fuel ride better low in the bed or cargo area. If the loaded rig squats in back, air bags bring it back to level.
How a rack attaches
The mount matters as much as the rack. What your vehicle offers decides which racks can even go on.
Factory mounting points
Many SUVs and crew cab trucks have threaded points under trim strips or plugs along the roof. Racks built for those points spread the load where the body was designed to take it.
Factory rails and tracks
Raised rails and flush tracks accept clamp-on towers. They are quick to install, but the rail rating often caps what you can carry, and some factory rails are more trim than structure.
Rain gutters
Older vehicles and some vans have drip rails that gutter-mount towers clamp to. They can be surprisingly strong, as long as the gutter itself is solid and free of rust.
Removable tops
On a Wrangler with a removable hardtop, many aftermarket racks mount to the body rather than the top, so the rack stays put when the top comes off.
Noise, mileage and clearance
A roof rack changes how the vehicle drives on the highway, and it is better to know that before it goes on.
Wind noise. Air rushing over open bar ends and slots can whistle or hum. A wind fairing at the front edge of the rack smooths that out, and a lower platform with capped ends helps too. Racks that sit tight to the roof are usually quieter than tall towers.
Fuel economy. Anything on the roof adds drag, and drag grows with speed. Expect a bigger hit on I-25 than on county roads, and more with a tent or cargo box.
Clearance. Measure your garage door, carport and any parking structure you use regularly. A rack on a lifted 4Runner or crew cab truck can turn a comfortable fit into a scraped roof. Measure the rig again with the rack on before that first drive into the garage.
Racks that survive rough roads
A trip up Buckhorn Rd from Masonville or out to the Red Feather Lakes area means miles of gravel and dirt, and vibration works bolts loose over time. We torque hardware to the maker's spec, and we recommend a quick check after the first rough trip. Gear on the rack should be locked or strapped with mounts built for it, not bungee cords. For traction boards and shovel mounts, see recovery gear; for light bars and scene lights, see lighting.
Rack brands we install
The racks we install come from ARB, Adventure Rack Systems, Gobi and Rhino-Rack. Between them there is a crossbar, platform or basket for most Jeeps, trucks and SUVs, from a low-profile platform for a daily driver to a full-length expedition rack with a ladder.
Price comes down to the rack material and brand, the mounting style your vehicle uses, and what goes on it at the same visit, like a fairing, ladder, awning brackets or light wiring. Racks that bolt to existing points go on quickest. Once parts arrive, most rack installs are in the bay within about a week. Drop-off hours run Monday through Friday, 9 to 4, and we can talk through early or late handoffs. We quote your vehicle and rack before ordering.
See it on a real build
Photos and parts lists from rigs we’ve done in the shop. More on our builds page.
- Brad’s Jeep Wrangler Rubicon: an ARB roof rack with a weBoost antenna
- Jordan’s Toyota Tacoma: an overland build on an Old Man Emu lift
Roof rack FAQ
How much weight can my roof rack carry?
Check two things: the roof limit in your owner's manual and the rack maker's dynamic rating. The lower one is your driving limit, and it includes the rack itself. Parked, the static rating is higher.
Will a roof rack be noisy?
Some racks whistle at highway speed. A wind fairing, end caps and a low-profile platform cut most of it, and crossbar spacing can make a difference too.
What roof rack brands do you install?
ARB, Adventure Rack Systems, Gobi and Rhino-Rack. If you have another brand in mind, ask. We can source most racks through our distributors.
Platform or basket?
A platform if you plan on a roof top tent, an awning or accessory mounts. A basket if you mostly haul soft bags and want sides to hold them in.
Can you install lights on my roof rack?
Yes. We mount and wire light bars, pods and scene lights at the same visit as the rack. If the rack has no good mounting spot, we make a simple bar or bracket so the lights sit even and aim where you want them.
Does a roof rack count against payload?
Yes. The rack and everything on it are cargo, so they come out of the payload number on your door jamb sticker along with passengers and gear.
Can I still get into my garage?
Measure first. Rack makers list how much height a rack adds, so add that to your current roof height and compare the total with your door opening.
What customers say
5.0 from 46 Google reviews
Zack made a great recommendation on the Old Man Emu overland suspension for my 2021 Ford Ranger. Also on the installation. Truck rides and handles great.
Great job repairing my rear tire mount.
Zach did an excellent job replacing my Jeeps ball joints. Very satisfied with the joints he suggested and the work that was done.
Zach did some suspension work on my truck and it came out great, he was quick and the price was fair. Will definitely be back for more work in the future.
Zach was insanely helpful. He handled a pretty out of the box request with ease. I will recommend him to anyone in the area or passing through!
I had a great experience at Off Camber 4x4 as Zach is a true professional and pleasure to work with. He went above and beyond getting all hardware snugged up even though it wasn’t in the estimate - with being a late request made when I dropped off the truck. Additionally, Off Camber’s shop not only provided the most reasonable price out of the four estimates I received, they were the ONLY shop that recommended a follow up inspection for the type of service I had done. They installed a leveling kit, control arms, rear shocks, dual exhaust system, and a trailer receiver along with including the complementary inspection at 500 miles to make sure everything was still tight.
I had some Rubicon takeoff springs installed on my Wrangler JL Sport 2 door. It was awesome to watch Zach work. He took time to torque everything properly and still completed the job in a very timely fashion. It was a great experience!
Amazing experience. I needed to improve lighting on my truck and Zach provided excellent recommendations, found all the parts online for a good price, did excellent work and all for a very reasonable price. I'm definitely coming back. Highly recommend to everyone!
Put a rack on your rig
ARB, Gobi, Rhino-Rack and Adventure Rack Systems roof rack installs in Windsor, CO, for rigs across Northern Colorado.