History of Rhino-Rack Load Ratings

The team at Rhino-Rack are committed to educating our customers on the safe use and enjoyment of our products. We take the safety of our customers, and others on the road, as our number one priority.

It is imperative that both consumers and resellers are educated and aware of what is considered a safe load on their vehicle roof. Failure to follow the installation instructions and vehicle load ratings could result in; damage to the vehicle, loss of the load, traffic accidents and the potential for personal injury.

Rhino-Rack has been in the automotive roof rack business since 1992. In 1996 Rhino-Rack entered the lifestyle, touring/overland market catering to a broader range of vehicles and targeted more specifically, tourers (large SUVs) and 4x4 enthusiasts (Utes/Pickups and mid sized SUVs). Years of field testing, data logging and analysis have shown that the loads transferred to the roof of the vehicle travelling off-road are far greater than those measured during general driving conditions experienced on-road. This formed the basis of the on and off road load rating strategy that has kept Rhino-Rack customers safe over the years.

WHY CHECK VEHICLE MANUFACTURER’S LOAD RATINGS?

Rhino-Rack considers this to be best practice to ensure safety is always first. Vehicle owners should always refer to their vehicle owner’s manual to confirm the vehicle roof load ratings as well as any specific loading conditions the vehicle manufacturer may stipulate. i.e. Static vs Dynamic loading, distribution of loads, off-road driving conditions. This value does not always reflect roof strength only. The roof load rating is often limited by the vehicle dynamic; such as cornering, approach and departure angles and emergency breaking.

We have found vehicles roof load ratings can differ on the same model due to factors such as:

• Model

• Drive Type

• Build date

• Manufacturing location

• Vehicle speed

• Roof options (sunroof/moonroof)

• Wheel size

With these factors considered, there are some vehicle variants and options that may also remove the ability to install roof racks altogether. Here are some examples you may find in the vehicle owner’s manual.

WHERE TO NEXT?

A review of our load rating strategy began as part of our continuous improvement program in early 2020.

RESEARCHING LOAD RATINGS

Knowing the Vehicle Load Rating is an important part of the purchase of an item. Our online Vehicle Load Rating Calculator was introduced in 2020 to assist customers with working out the correct load rating for their specific system and vehicle model.

The calculator can be found at either www.rhinorack.com/loadrating or under the load rating tab on specific product listings on our website.

As vehicle roof load limits are subject to change, the online calculator is the hub for consumers to ensure the most current information is available.

NEW LOOK INSTRUCTIONS

Load Ratings are available within product instructions in print and on our website.

Our instructions will soon feature a QR Code which will take users to the latest updates and calculations applicable to their vehicle.

Where possible we will consolidate calculations to both on-road and off-road applications.

THE WRAP UP

The team at Rhino-Rack again would like to thank you for taking the time to read about our plan for continuing to simplify Vehicle Load Ratings. The key highlights to our customers are as follows:

• Loads transferred to the roof of a vehicle travelling off-road are far greater than those experienced during general driving conditions experienced on-road

• Customers should take time to investigate the capabilities and limits of their vehicle

• Rhino-Rack is working towards a simpler load rating system

• Latest information can be obtained through our online load rating calculator found at www.rhinorack.com/loadrating

Useful Resources:

https://www.rhinorack.com/en-au/load-rating-calculator

https://toyotamanuals.com.au

https://www.ford.com.au/owners/owner-manual/

https://www.isuzu.co.jp/world/ci/om/index.html

https://www.nissan-techinfo.com

https://www.subaru.com/owners.html

https://www.landrover.com.au/ownership/guides-and-manuals/index.html

(Rhino-Rack will keep these resources up to date for all regions)