Roof Rack: Overloading?

Jay Harding

I just recently purchased a Ford E-250 Cargo Van with a Utility Roof Rack rated to 800 lbs. How much can I load on the Roof Rack before it is dangerous? Ford and Chevy don't publish a maximum weight rating.

How much do you guys load on your rack typically? What's the most you ever loaded?

widco

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Glasshousebltr

Ya gota draw the line right about here.

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Bob

Greg Di

It really doesn't matter what the rated capacity of your rack is because I guarantee you have exactly no idea how much what you are putting on it weighs other than "a little" or "a lot".

I have bomber custom aluminum rack on my 3500 van and I've put 12 2x12x20 ACQ on it without a problem.

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RobertCDF

I put 36 very wet 2x6x16' PT boards on a rack rated for 500 lbs... The rack was fine. It dented the crap out of the side rails of my truck. The truck was sagging about the same as when I had 17 80# bags of concrete on it.

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Robert Shaw
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Speedy Petey

Four ladders at all times. Sometimes conduit along with them. Can't be more than 500-600# tops with some conduit.

I have a System One system on a van.

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TempestV

I don't have a roof rack, but my dad has a rack on his E350, and has had full bunks of lumber on it loaded with a forklift, with no problem. on another occasion, 24' curved gluelamb beams for a bridge. they stuck off each end and we had to flag them, but it wasn't a problem.
the only problem we ever had was cutting the banding to unload the bunk- if some of the boards fall back at you, stepping backwards is a 8 foot drop first step.