How to transport cargo on the top trunk of a car
Content
When deciding to transport heavy and voluminous things on the roof of a car, it is useful to look into the passport of your car to find out the recommended carrying capacity. The luggage is placed as evenly as possible, it is firmly fixed and transported, observing the speed limit, focusing on road signs.
Motorists often use the roof of their personal vehicle to carry various large items. But not everyone thinks about how much cargo can be placed on top of the car. Meanwhile, exceeding the recommended weight for a roof rack, the driver not only risks getting a fine for traffic violations, ruining his car, but also creates a danger on the road for the life and health of all road users.
How much weight can the top rack hold?
The load capacity of the machines is regulated by international standards. It can be found in the passport of your car, such information is indicated by the manufacturer. This is the mass of the car together with the people in it and loaded with cargo. For cars, an indicator of up to 3,5 tons is recommended, for trucks - over 3,5 tons.
The load capacity also depends on the model of the body:
- On sedans, no more than 60 kg are transported on top.
- For crossovers and station wagons, the roof rack can withstand weights up to 80 kg.
- The top trunks of minivans, jeeps allow you to place luggage weighing up to 100 kg on them.
On vehicles with a self-installed roof rack, the amount of permitted cargo carried on the roof depends on the type and characteristics of the structure. If it is equipped with small aerodynamic arches, then more than 50 kg cannot be loaded onto it. Aerodynamic wide mountings of the "Atlant" type can withstand up to 150 kg.
In any case, it is better not to carry more than 80 kg on top of the car, since the weight of the roof rack is taken into account, which itself is an additional load. And always remember that, in addition to the static load, there is also a dynamic one.
Roof rack load capacity
Before loading the top trunk, they will find out how many kilograms of luggage you can carry on the roof of your car. Do it in a simple mathematical way. They accurately measure the structure itself (trunk) and find out the dimensions of the cargo being transported. In the technical passport, they find the item “Gross weight” and subtract the curb weight from this figure, that is, the total weight of the roof rails or trunk, autobox (if installed). The result is a massive payload. Usually it is 100-150 kg.
Recommended cargo dimensions
The recommended weight for a roof rack, the dimensions of the items carried on it are determined by the SDA and the Code of Administrative Offenses, Art. 12.21.
According to these laws. the cargo must comply with the following parameters:
- total width no more than 2,55 m;
- in front and behind the car, luggage does not reach a distance of more than a meter;
- does not protrude from the sides by more than 0,4 m (the distance is measured from the nearest clearance);
- height together with the car up to 4 meters from the road surface.
If the specified dimensions are exceeded:
- no more than 10 cm, a fine of up to 1500 rubles is imposed;
- up to 20 cm - the fine is 3000-4000;
- from 20 to 50 cm - 5000-10000 rubles;
- more than 50 cm - from 7000 to 10 rubles or deprivation of rights from 000 to 4 months.
In addition to the permitted dimensions, there are rules for transporting luggage:
- The load on the roof should not hang forward, blocking the driver's view, mask identification marks and lighting devices, or disturb the balance of the car.
- If the permitted dimensions are exceeded, a warning sign "Oversized cargo" is posted, equipped with reflectors from the sides and rear.
- Drivers must securely secure luggage to the roof.
- Long lengths are tied in a bundle at the back, their length should not extend beyond the bumper by more than 2 m.
A car carrying cargo is not equipped with plates and reflectors, if the height of the transport with luggage does not exceed 4 meters in height, 2 meters behind.
Do I need to follow the speed limit?
Carrying luggage on top of the car imposes additional responsibility on the driver. The load on the roof rack affects the maneuverability and handling of the vehicle. This is especially true for poorly secured and high loads. Do not forget about the windage (wind load) and the grip of the car with the road.
Speed mode when driving with a roof rack
Oncoming air flows create an additional load on the fasteners that hold the transported cargo and, accordingly, the luggage racks or roof rails. When driving on the highway with luggage on the roof, aerodynamics deteriorate due to an increase in windage. The higher and bulkier the load, the greater the wind resistance and windage, the more dangerous, unpredictable the car behaves, the handling deteriorates.
Therefore, when driving with a load on the roof, it is recommended not to exceed the speed of 100 km / h, and when entering turns, reduce it to 20 km / h.
Before loading items on the roof, check the integrity of the trunk or roof rails. The same is done after the delivery of the goods. On the road, fasteners (belts, ties) are checked every 2 hours with a normal road surface, hourly with unpaved or poor asphalt.
What are the dangers of being overweight
Some drivers ignore the maximum carrying capacity of their vehicles and load it more than the norm set by the manufacturer, believing that nothing bad will happen and the car will withstand. On the one hand, this is true, as automakers lay the possibility of temporary overload on the suspension and bodywork.
Overloading is dangerous not only from the point of view of damage to the upper trunk and roof. It affects the handling of vehicles. A trip with excess of the maximum weight on the roof rack of the car on uneven asphalt, bumps, small pits leads to a strong shift of the load to the side, back or forward. And the transport goes into a deep skid or flies into a ditch. There is a high chance of the car flipping on its side.
When deciding to transport heavy and voluminous things on the roof of a car, it is useful to look into the passport of your car to find out the recommended carrying capacity. The luggage is placed as evenly as possible, it is firmly fixed and transported, observing the speed limit, focusing on road signs. Accuracy when transporting bulky goods on the top trunk of the car will keep the car intact, and road users healthy.
