A Complete Overview of VW Transporter Roof Racks and Their Uses
Volkswagen (VW) offers factory-installed roof racks and aftermarket options for all their Transporter vans. However, it’d be best not to tie your hands to only this option. Several proficient Volkswagen accessory dealers offer these roof racks, and you can get one fixed on your Transporter for more convenient cargo hauling.
Volkswagen roof racks come in handy when moving items that available interior vehicle space can hold sufficiently. However, that’s not everything these roof racks do, as they still offer more. Volkswagen transporter roof racks come in different designs and aerodynamics, making them versatile additions to every van.
This article looks into Volkswagen transporter roof racks and their uses to help you decide whether or not they’re worth installing on your van.
An Overview of Volkswagen Transporter Roof Racks
Volkswagen Transporter vans come in different models, each offering different configurations and capabilities to meet various needs. Since the launch of the Transporter series in 1950, they’ve become every camper and traveler’s favorite due to their abundance of chassis space and added roof storage, power, and practicability. Every VW Transporter roof rack may have tailored configurations to suit every Transporter model.
Some VW transporter roof racks can run the entire van’s roof length, while others may only cover a part. However, maximizing space requires installing the former—the more extended type—which could be 109.1 inches long for the T6/T6.1 model and 104.5 inches for the T5. You can also go for a raised, low-profile, or fixed crossbar roof to suit your taste and preferences while meeting your hauling needs.
Uses of VW Transporter Roof Racks
VW Transporter roof racks improve your van’s storage capacity to haul your luggage and cargo conveniently. However, these accessories have a plethora of uses beyond just carrying cargo. Here’s what you can get from installing a roof rack on your VW Transporter.
1. Hauling Sports Equipment
Roof racks on vehicles come in handy when venturing into the seas for kayaking, surfing, or heading to the tracks for a biking hike adventure over long distances. Your Transporter, equipped with a sizable roof rack, can hold your bicycles, snowboards, skis, and kayaks, securing them on your car’s roof.
These sports equipment can consume excessive space in your van’s interior. That can make your journey uncomfortable and unfulfilling, sometimes making them burdensome to carry. However, being less bulky with no chance of altering your van’s center of gravity, placing and securing sports equipment on your Transport’s roof rack can be prudent.
2. Moving Camping Gear
Interior VW Transporter space can be vast and spacious, but that only helps you haul small items like stoves, grills, and sleeping bags. However, you might need more space to hold every sizable item, including tents, chairs, makeshift tables, and stools.
These items may not be bulky, so including them among other essentials in your van is appropriate. However, they can be extensive and occupy more space, which could cause a slight inconvenience. Placing and securing these camping items on your Transporter’s roof rack can save you enough space to accommodate all occupants’—when camping with friends or family—saving you the roundtrips back and forth.
3. Transporting Traveling Accessories
Your luggage, suitcases, and travel bags may require extra storage, and roof racks can swiftly accommodate them. Transporter vans don’t usually have trunks for convenient storage, at least not every model, unlike most hatchbacks and sedans. They only have a cargo area at the rear that, despite being traditionally spacious, might need to be improved for all your storage needs.
Installing a roof rack can be prudent as it expands your storage and gives you more options when deciding where to store your traveling accessories. You can patch numerous other traveling accessories on your roof racks, including sunshades, travel pillows, and beach chairs, saving your Transporter storage bay’s space for other delicate items.
4. Moving Furniture
Moving tables, chairs, and other furniture can be unimaginable when using your VW Transporter van, and rightly so. Unless you eject every chair from your van, there’s barely a chance you’d comfortably fit such sizable furniture inside. Therefore, installing roof racks can be thoughtful, allowing you to move these items carefree.
It’s also thoughtful to always determine your Transporter’s hauling capacity to prevent overloads that could lead to unexpected damages to your roof rack and vehicle. Most VW transporters have a payload of about 2500kg. Therefore, ensure that your furniture doesn’t stress your vehicle with excessive weight to keep the payload within at a minimum.
5. Transporting Gardening Supplies
Gardening supplies can make a mess in your VW Transporter van, nagging you with cleaning afterward transporting them. However, roof racks can help you to haul them carefree, knowing that a simple water splash using a pressure hose can do the trick and won’t require you to dry it manually. That makes handling your gardening supplies and moving them from one farm to another a breeze.
Gardening supplies can involve toxic chemicals with strong odors, making driving your VW Transporter van less comfortable. Therefore, installing a roof rack and fixing cargo boxes to hold these chemicals can make your rides much more relaxed. You can guarantee your peace of mind without intense smells and toxic chemicals in your van.
Final Thoughts
The Volkswagen Transporter is a cut between adventure and functionality, with a more extensive space, robust build, and massive payload. Installing a roof rack can add more functionality by increasing your storage space while giving it an edgy look. Before picking a roof rack for your VW transporter, it’s best to ensure it suits your hauling needs adequately by researching and experimenting.
