Roof load limit on Beach?

[cleve]

I have found a few threads talking about the weight limit on the roof of an SE but can someone tell me the weight limit on the roof for the beach please?

We pick up our beach Thursday but know we need extra storage and had planned to use our roof box. I'm not sure I like the idea of the kids sleeping under a roof load but thought it would be ok to put lighter items in like coats & nappies or things that will be removed once pitched up. I have a feeling our box alone weighs over 20kg and that's not including the roof bars!

We had thought about the Thule backup as a longer term solution but don't have a towbar yet & planning to go away this weekend!

Any help appreciated as I'm not sure if we should order roof bars now if the box is too big & heavy!

 

[SteveM]

Hey - we use a roofbox on our Beach. The limit is I believe the same as the SE - 50kg? The beach has a further disadvantage to the SE though as the manual roof relies on just gas struts at the front. We have thule bars and a light medium sized box and even with just these items on the roof sits lower when opened (perhaps 25kg / 30kgs). Suggest that you keep load in the box to really light items and that you position the box further to the rear of the roof (heavy items to the back). We are going to get a thule easybase (towbar mounted) to help increase capacity!

Hope that helps a bit!

Steve.

 

[cleve]

Thanks that is really helpful. I'm wondering if we should get the backup box & manage without bikes for our first trip to see how we get on with rear storage using the bike rack before buying roof bars or fitting tow bar. I think there's a Thule bike rack, maybe the 929 that takes the backup box and tilts so you can still access the tailgate fully loaded.

Ooh decisions, decisions!

 

[SteveM]

I would try and avoid buying too much too soon... our approach to what we need has definitely evolved through time! I would use the roof box this time and just visually look at the level of drop. A few bags of clothes or simlar are going to be fine. Also FYI others who carry canoes etc have created wooden props to help support much bigger weights.

Steve.

 

[cleve]

Roof bars fitted yesterday so we put on the Thule motion 800, packed it with our lightweight pushchair, cab bunk & cycle helmets. The pop top wouldn't stay up! With no time to sort out a wedge we were up late repacking everything to manage without the roof box!

We couldn't mount the roof box too far back because the bike handlebars were in the way!

Looks like we'll be needing a Thule backup after all! I think I've seen a picture of someone with the Thule backup mounted to the towbar, underneath their vw bike rack. This would be great for us but would need to see if we can get a base that tilts enough to access the tailgate rather than the Thule easybase.

 

[SteveM]

Bit surprised..... Did the roof stay up with just the box? Enjoy your camping anyhow and don't forget that you can't open the tailgate with bikes on the vw rack anyhow. We did and you will end up with two dents in the top of the boot!

Steve.

 

[cleve]

Yes it stayed up with an empty box.

I'm surprised about not opening the boot with the bikes on, do you know why?! We always did with 4 bikes on our caravelle so presumed it would be ok on the beach! The beach Struts don't feel as good as the uprated ones we had on our caravelle though so I don't know if the Struts make any difference?

 

[Wengen007]

Have you any idea of the weight you can put on the roof when it is closed. I have travelled with paddle boards no problem and also a roof box packed with stuff and not had a problem but it would be good to know the recommended weight limit.
If my box is empty the roof Sags slightly not really an issue. If I leave some equipment in the box I have made to discredit poles which I use to hold the roof up taking the strain away from the gas struts.
Has anyone upgraded the gas struts?

 

[MattBW]

I used a roof box around Scotland on my beach, and although it greatly improved our carrying capacity, sadly even with it empty the roof was slightly saggy. Anything but totally empty it was not possible to put it up as it would come back down.

If you use a roof box my experience was to be prepared to empty it whenever you stop.

 

[MattBW]

This is a more recent thread with useful info too
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/roof-box-good-idea-or-bad.17043/

 

[whistlingdogg]

We used a roofbox on a trip around scotland over Easter. Found that the roof would not stay open with anything in the box but that didn't matter. I mounted it back as far as I could. We packed a double duvet, 4 full size pillows, 2 extra folding chairs and 2 sleeping bags.

 

[Wengen007]

I used a roof box around Scotland on my beach, and although it greatly improved our carrying capacity, sadly even with it empty the roof was slightly saggy. Anything but totally empty it was not possible to put it up as it would come back down.

If you use a roof box my experience was to be prepared to empty it whenever you stop.

Thanks

 

[Marigold]

Has anybody used / considered one of these on a Beach?
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/r...long_no_859002/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4urewJaWo
Working on the basis it is purely for transporting bulky items like the awning (that can get wet) and therefore will always be empty when raising the roof. Weight is 13kg so quite a lot less than many roof boxes.

 

[Marigold]

 

[WelshGas]

Has anybody used / considered one of these on a Beach?
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/thule_canyon_carrier_basket_104cm_wide_x_127cm_long_no_859002/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4urewJaWo
Working on the basis it is purely for transporting bulky items like the awning (that can get wet) and therefore will always be empty when raising the roof. Weight is 13kg so quite a lot less than many roof boxes.

Only question - How much does the wet awning weigh?

 

[calikev]

some awnings are 30kg dry

 

[WelshGas]

Yes it stayed up with an empty box.

I'm surprised about not opening the boot with the bikes on, do you know why?! We always did with 4 bikes on our caravelle so presumed it would be ok on the beach! The beach Struts don't feel as good as the uprated ones we had on our caravelle though so I don't know if the Struts make any difference?

The California range already has uprated Tailgate Gas Struts.
If the roof is UP, then Opening the Tailgate with a Loaded Bike rack can cause the handlebars of the innermost bike to damage the rear of the elevated roof.
So arrange the bikes accordingly or turn the handlebars of the innermost bike to be parallel to the frame to avoid this possibility.

 

[WelshGas]

some awnings are 30kg dry

So already upto 43Kgms possibly, and not even wet.

 

[bigmac77]

and therefore will always be empty when raising the roof.

Wet or dry the weight of the awning is irrelevant to the question posted.

 

[andyinluton]

Yes it stayed up with an empty box.

I'm surprised about not opening the boot with the bikes on, do you know why?! We always did with 4 bikes on our caravelle so presumed it would be ok on the beach! The beach Struts don't feel as good as the uprated ones we had on our caravelle though so I don't know if the Struts make any difference?

The caravelle would not have had the seats hidden in the boot. They make a big difference to the way our boot opens. Seats out & you have to hang on the bootlid to pull it down, seats in & its well balanced.

 

[Wengen007]

Has anybody used / considered one of these on a Beach?
https://www.roofbox.co.uk/scripts/rbvehsel4_tab.php/car-specific-accessories/thule_canyon_carrier_basket_104cm_wide_x_127cm_long_no_859002/Qx@w,6M42VAwp3@Rb{~cC4urewJaWo
Working on the basis it is purely for transporting bulky items like the awning (that can get wet) and therefore will always be empty when raising the roof. Weight is 13kg so quite a lot less than many roof boxes.

I have been thinking about one for a while now. Will let you know what I decide but feel sure I will get one.

 

[Marigold]

Only question - How much does the wet awning weigh?

A valid question and I don't know the answer.
OK. Lets assume common sense prevails and we strike wet awning from the list of items likely to be up there and that bulky but lightweight (and non water absorbing) things only. Body board, pushchair frame and so on. My question really was whether the lighter, open rack potentially helps with the issue of the roof operation and was wondering if anyone else had researched this.

 

[Marigold]

I have been thinking about one for a while now. Will let you know what I decide but feel sure I will get one.

Thanks. be interesting to hear your thoughts.

 

[WelshGas]

A valid question and I don't know the answer.
OK. Lets assume common sense prevails and we strike wet awning from the list of items likely to be up there and that bulky but lightweight (and non water absorbing) things only. Body board, pushchair frame and so on. My question really was whether the lighter, open rack potentially helps with the issue of the roof operation and was wondering if anyone else had researched this.

As long as the rack is emptied before raising the roof then the extra 13Kgms shouldn't be a problem and I would think the roof would stay up as it should.
Remember on the Beach you only have 2 x Gas Struts holding the roof up.

Also remember the elevating roof panel is made of Aluminium, for lightness, unlike sheet steel on a normal Transporter.

You could think about a Towbar Luggage Rack as an alternative.

 

[Marigold]

As long as the rack is emptied before raising the roof then the extra 13Kgms shouldn't be a problem and I would think the roof would stay up as it should.
Remember on the Beach you only have 2 x Gas Struts holding the roof up.

Also remember the elevating roof panel is made of Aluminium, for lightness, unlike sheet steel on a normal Transporter.

You could think about a Towbar Luggage Rack as an alternative.

Thanks WG. Considering tow bar mounted options too but this is a significantly more expensive direction to go down (no tow bar at present) particularly as I didn't have the foresight to include the tow bar preparation option when speccing the van. Overall cost including a good quality rack system approx £1k versus £400.