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SUMMARY
It is important to check the roof load limit of your vehicle. This information will help you choose the right Tentbox and understand this safety issue.
In this article we will explain the following:
- What is the dynamic load limit of a vehicle roof?
- Where can I find the dynamic roof load rating for my vehicle?
- What does static vehicle roof load mean?
- Where can I find the value for the static roof load of my vehicle?
- The total weight of the occupants in the motorhome is high, what to do about it?
I know the dynamic load limit of my vehicle's roof . Which Tentbox should I choose?
The maximum dynamic roof load limit value must be equal to or greater than the weight of the TentBox you are installing. For example, if the dynamic roof load limit on your vehicle is 50 kg, you can install the TentBox Lite 2.0 because it weighs 50 kg.
The weight of each of our TentBox car tents is listed on the product card of the given model, or in the Tentbox comparison table .
What is the dynamic load limit of a vehicle roof ?
The dynamic roof load limit is the weight your vehicle can carry on its roof while driving.
Where can I find the dynamic roof load rating for my vehicle?
You can usually find the maximum dynamic roof load limit for your vehicle in your owner's manual, but not always; it's often easier to do a Google search, such as "volkswagen passat roof load limit".
If a Google search doesn't yield a result, we recommend using a really useful tool fromwww.car.info , which contains a comprehensive database of almost all specifications for every vehicle.
What is the static load limit of a vehicle roof ?
The maximum static roof load limit is the weight that a stationary vehicle (a vehicle that is stationary) can carry on its roof, i.e. when you are not driving. The static (stationary) load limit will usually be 3-5 times higher than the dynamic load limit.
This is an important consideration with rooftop tents because when you use them, you will have the added weight of people inside, but that will only be when you are standing.
Most car manufacturers don't list a static roof load limit because it's not useful information for any use other than a roof tent. In other words, there are no applications where you need more roof load when you're standing than when you're driving.
Interestingly, with the growing popularity of roof tents, some vehicle manufacturers have begun to include this information in their vehicle specification materials.
Where can I find the static load rating for my vehicle's roof ?
The best way to find out the maximum static roof load limit value of a vehicle is to multiply the dynamic roof load limit value by 3-5x. So if your car has a dynamic roof load limit of 50kg, the static load limit in this case would be 150kg to 250kg.
The reason is that the forces acting on the roof of your car while driving are amplified at least 3-5 times compared to a stationary vehicle. This is caused by turning, breaking, hitting bumps in the road, and entering a hill on the road.
In other words, the force exerted on the roof of a moving car when driving with a 50 kg weight on the roof is equivalent to the force exerted with at least 150 kg (3x) to 250 kg (5x) weight on the roof of a stationary vehicle.
These calculations by our engineers are also confirmed directly by car manufacturers, who state that they are accurate.
The total weight of the occupants in the motorhome is high, what to do about it?
The static (stationary) load limit of a vehicle's roof will usually be 3-5 times higher than the dynamic load limit, so the added weight of people in the roof tent will be easily handled by your car's roof. You will only have people inside the TentBox when your car is stationary, so you only need to consider the static roof load for this part.
Remember, car roofs are designed to withstand a rollover accident without being crushed. Roof bars are attached directly to the steel frame of your car, and the frame is an extremely strong structure.