So, I’m about to go on a trip and we wanted to bring the canoe. My new car doesn’t have the side rails to put cross bars on, but after a little digging, I found out that it has built in holes ready for putting on a roof rack. I don’t like paying a ton of money for stuff, so my question is: can I not just bolt a couple of 2x4s to the roof using washers to elevate it over the contours of my roof?
The plan in my head so far is to cut two pieces of wood that are a little over 3’ long, and drill a hole through at the right spots, and use the holes on my car to bolt those suckers on.
I’m planning on putting the canoe on, then running ratchet straps through the inside of my car, so the canoe itself is strapped to my roof and not the Red Green ass roof rack. The boards are more for support so the canoe doesn’t slip around.
Someone let me know if this is a bad idea.
If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.
Keep yer stick on the ice!
May wanna get yourself some fender washers to help distribute the force on your car’s roof.
Yeah, I was definitely planning on sandwiching the 2x4s with fender washers in case the hole gets stripped from the drive. I was thinking instead of bolts, I would use threaded rod so I can put a wing nut on it to hold them down better as well.
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Thanks! That looks pretty good, but I’m a bit afraid of how far and fast I’m driving. Also going over a huge bridge at one point. I’ll consider it and look at some other videos as well
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Yeah, I’ve never heard about that. That is a great tip! We have a four hour drive and that would be pretty annoying. Wouldn’t be the first time…
Maybe you could use a piece of EMT conduit cut into two equal lengths instead of 2x4’s? I would have much more confidence in the conduit
Good point. Drilling holes might not be easy, but that’s a good suggestion.
Whatever you decide to do, you MUST tie the bow and stern of the canoe down to the frame of the vehicle. This will prevent wind from lifting the canoe and tearing out whatever you have holding the canoe down in the middle. Run rope from both ends of the canoe down the front/rear of the vehicle, and tie them off somehow to the frame. A (properly mounted!) hitch would work in the rear. Tighten and check the ropes for wear at every stop.
My dad had a set of universal racks for carrying his canoe. It didn’t run straps through the occupant compartment, but I was so young I have no idea how it attached to the car. I just remember ropes running down in the front and rear.
I have also seen styrofoam guards that just clipped onto the gunwales of the canoe, and these rested directly on the roof of the car. But this method relied entirely on the bow/stern ropes to hold the canoe in place, so I wouldn’t recommend these at high speed.
i think you’ll have to fiddle a little bit with washers/wood to make them flush, cause they might bend the roof, same caution with straps tbh
Yeah, that’s what I’m a bit concerned about. I like the suggestion another user had to use conduit. I wouldn’t have to worry about flush with round bars
nothing wrong with it in principle but lots of things that could go wrong depending on exactly how it’s arranged/constructed. washers will probably damage the paint around the mounting holes, for one thing.
I’m not too worried about cosmetic damage. I live down two miles of dirt road. I will hear any and all warnings though.
I was hoping that what the “rack” lacks in sturdiness could be made up for with the ratchet strap arrangement
I was hoping that what the “rack” lacks in sturdiness could be made up for with the ratchet strap arrangement
Yep. if its well strapped and has some way to spread the load out so it doesn’t dent its not too sketchy in my book. Though making something bolt to the OEM holes is far from the only way to spread the load, it seems like it has the potential to be more sturdy. just be mindful that the holes probably aren’t at nice parallel or perpendicular angles to eachother or any other point you might measure to… maybe can compensate with wedge shaped shims or smth idk
Good point!
Truth be told, I’m on the verge of scrapping the whole idea. Looks like the weather might not be great anyway. It’s supposed to me fun, not a bunch of headaches. It’s been a rough year, and I’m ready for a relaxing time
One risk is the wind resistance, increased by the canoe, pulling on the holes in the roof, stretching or shearing them, or increasing the “concave” shape of the roof.
Another thing to consider, if the ratchet straps will bind your doors shut. This could be very unsafe in an emergency situation.
I don’t want to discourage your adventure, just want to make sure the risks are considered. Good luck
I was going to run the straps through the open doors and then shut them, so it shouldn’t be dangerous for opening. There are a lot of roof rack designs that have straps that go through the car, and while I’m not crazy about it, it’s better than what they’re charging, and the reviews are bad.
