Mount the car roof box correctly
Roof boxes appear stable and luggage is safely stored in them. The roof box tests carried out by the ADAC regularly prove that this can be a fallacy. Correct assembly and correct loading are important in order to secure luggage and reduce the risk of accidents.
What you need:
- Roof box
- Carrier system
- Assembly tool
- Protective blanket
Roof boxes represent a practical extension of the luggage volume in the car. Above all, excessively long luggage that would not find space in the trunk can be well stowed in a roof box. For cars with a particularly small trunk, the use of a roof box even doubles the load volume.
Safety first: mount the roof boxes correctly
- A roof box that is recommended must be stable in itself, have a stable locking mechanism and also be firmly connected to the car roof.
- Mounting a roof box is not that easy due to the mounting height. Two people are required to lift and attach the roof box and the carrying frame to the car roof.
- Who is afraid that the paint If the roof box is damaged because the roof box has to be placed on the roof without anything being done, it is best protected in advance with a soft pad, for example a blanket.
- Be sure to read the assembly instructions before you start assembly.
- First, the box and cross member are connected, then the combination is fixed on the roof. When assembling the box for the first time, it is difficult to hit the attachment points of the car right away. You will have to readjust.
- The roof box and the carrier frame are exposed to enormous forces in the airstream. Refrain from improvising if you are missing tools or a component. Otherwise they represent an initially invisible, but very significant source of danger for the following traffic.
- If the assembly is too time-consuming for you, you can do this in a workshop have it carried out.
- If you only rarely use a box, you can use a loan service. Even then, the box will be professionally mounted on the roof for you.
- Do not drive too high on your first tour with a roof box, because the driving behavior of the car changes due to the high structure and the higher weight. The vehicle will be more sensitive to cross winds and will lean more when cornering. In addition, the braking distance is increased.
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The ADAC publishes the results of Roof box tests regularly on his homepage.
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