Van Roof Ladder Rack, 2 Bars Aluminum Alloy Roof Ladder Racks, 181 kg Capacity Rain-Gutter Van Roof Rack, Adjustable Length 1300-2060 mm, Van Ladder Rack for Van, Cargo, Trailer

Every kilogram of rack is a kilogram you cannot put on top of it. Steel gutter racks are strong but heavy, and on a long van that dead weight comes straight off the payload before anything is loaded. This two-bar set is aluminium alloy, which shifts the balance the other way.

Aluminium alloy, and what it costs you

The supplier rates each bar at 200 lbs/89 kg and the pair at 400 lbs/181 kg, which is less than a comparable steel rack will take. That is the honest trade-off for the lighter material, and for ladders, lengths of timber, conduit or a kayak it is usually more than enough. What you gain is a rack one person can lift onto the roof, and one that does not eat into what the van is allowed to carry. Aluminium also has no rust problem when the finish eventually gets scraped by a ladder going on and off.

A two-metre span for a long roof

The bars extend from 1300 mm to 2060 mm, a wide range by gutter-rack standards, so the same set covers vans of quite different widths. The legs take up the camber of a curved roof as well, so both bars end up level rather than one riding high. Fitting runs to four steps and involves drilling, which makes this a permanent installation rather than something you clip on for a weekend. Once it is up, the bars will carry ladders, lumber and building materials through the week and a kayak or camping gear after it.

Key features

• Aluminium alloy: lighter than a steel gutter rack, and it will not rust where the finish gets scratched.
• Rated per bar and per pair: 200 lbs/89 kg each and 400 lbs/181 kg for the set, given by the supplier in both units.
• Wide adjustment: 1300 mm to 2060 mm of extension, enough to move between vans of different widths.
• Suits cambered roofs: the leg design takes up the curve so both bars sit level under the load.
• Two bars supplied: support at both ends of a ladder or a length of stock.

Specifications

• Bars supplied: 2
• Material: aluminium alloy
• Load rating: 200 lbs/89 kg per bar; 400 lbs/181 kg for the pair (supplier's figures)
• Adjustable length: 1300 mm to 2060 mm, quoted as 51.2 in to 81.1 in
• Fitment: full-size vans with rain gutters
• Installation: drilling required

Before you fit these

• The 181 kg figure is the total across both bars, not what one bar will take on its own. Spread the load.
• Your van has its own roof load limit set by the manufacturer. Where that number is lower than the rack's, it is the one that governs.

If a roof rack has been on the list but the weight of a steel one put you off, the aluminium version is the one worth pricing.