Roof box - Off centre?

Gimpymoo

Gimpymoo

Gimpymoo

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Joined
31 May 2005
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Location
Nottingham
Learn something new every day, the roofbox I have does not fit "dead centre" on the roof rails.

It fits on the roof but the anchor points for the roof box are blocked off by the arms on the rails when "centre".

Is this dangerous in any way?
 
I've seen a number of them off centre with a bike alongside, so it might be a thing, though I've never used rails or a roofbox so it's just an observation.
 
I've just taken the box off from nearly 1500 miles in France and Switzerland.
I fitted my box to the offside as it makes it easier loading and unloading.
The car did not pull to any direction as a result of this even at speeds of 80+. I'll be honest, it was far more stable than I'd imagined it would have been. I really didn't notice it was there apart from a little more roll on corners.
 
bainbridge said:
I've seen a number of them off centre with a bike alongside, so it might be a thing, though I've never used rails or a roofbox so it's just an observation.
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It also makes them easier to get into, especially if the vehicle is a bit taller, you don’t need to lean over to the centre of the car.
 
As above, unless you're filling your roof box with 6 bags of compost you'll hardly even notice the difference. It'll be fine. Did Edinburgh to Barcelona in my old Multipla, easily a couple of feet higher than any normal car without issue. If I put the roof box in the middle I'd never have been able to reach it!
 
vanpeebles said:
It's going to scatter your y-fronts arl ower the motorway :p
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Hah - reminds me of a time as a kid - we went on holiday (from Somerset) to the Lake District - my parents arguing much of the way over whether the trailer we were towing was secured properly - got as far as Wolverhampton on the M6 when one side came undone spreading my dads pyjamas and underwear en mass into the traffic behind us - when we went that way again nearly 2 years later his y-fronts were still caught on the barrier in the central reservation (about half a mile north of where I think the Argos distribution centre used to be).
 
As a regular roof box user, it'll be fine.

I do generally fit mine dead centre but that's only for aesthetics. Off to one side won't make any difference providing you're within the weight limits.
 
A max loaded roofbox is about the same weight as an adult passenger. Cars seem to manage to handle that discrepancy fairly well ;)

If you going fully laden, car plus passengers, plus roof box just keep in in mind when loading the car, so dont let any fatties sit same side as the roof box, or bear in mind the roof weight and load the opposite side of the boot with the heavier stuff.

TBH cross wind affect on the roofbox if windy will be more dramatic that the literal weight load. Had a sofa on top the X1 once and TBH couldnt really even notice the weight even on corners, but then wind picked up and boy did you notice that acting like a giant sail on the roof in the crosswinds
 
Rroff said:
Hah - reminds me of a time as a kid - we went on holiday (from Somerset) to the Lake District - my parents arguing much of the way over whether the trailer we were towing was secured properly - got as far as Wolverhampton on the M6 when one side came undone spreading my dads pyjamas and underwear en mass into the traffic behind us - when we went that way again nearly 2 years later his y-fronts were still caught on the barrier in the central reservation (about half a mile north of where I think the Argos distribution centre used to be).
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Hehehe, and Gimpymoo thought I was joking! I wonder if a pair landed on someones windscreen :D
 
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