I’ve ordered a 2021 and it’s delayed on account of a back order of tow package parts. So while the build is paused, my husband is thinking the Explorer roof rack I ordered will be too cumbersome for clearing snow. Our garage is already in use and won’t fit it and we are in eastern Ontario - we get lots of snow. Anyone have any tips or feel the same about snow and roof racks?

 

Install heated roof? That would be a bada$$ option.

 

Why does the snow on the roof pose a problem?

 

Thanks @stillruns and @DefendThis for the replies. First timer here and couldn’t seem to reply separately to your comments. I love the idea of a heated roof! The concern is that if there’s snow and (even worse!) ice trapped under the rack, when it loosens as I’m going 100+km/hr down the highway and flies off it’s a hazard. In Ontario where we live, there are fines for not properly clearing cars and you can be charged if someone else is injured I believe. So my question is whether anyone has experience with pushing snow off the roof with the rack and does it create a challenge that would make me reconsider the rack. Thanks again!

 

First question would be, is having the rack something you really need out of necessity?. What will you be transporting on the rack? How often? How much does it snow there and would it be more a hassle than anything else? If you really need the rack and don't have a garage to keep it in when it does snow a lot, I suppose a push broom would work. Or you could lay a tarp over the roof before a snowstorm and drag the tarp off with the snow afterwards. Just trying to think of ways to get the snow off.

 

You're correct about the possibility of a ticket.

https://driving.ca/column/troublesho...your-cars-roof

There's some other snow/ice removal tips there too. Removing the rack in the winter may be the easiest remedy.

Nate

 

Thanks @stillruns - going to give It some more thought. Roof rack was going to be for trips with a box for extra storage, maybe hauling other stuff up there (?) and would consider the Tent for down the road. I do use a snow broom like that one on my F150....and I love the tarp idea too. Will mull it over and decide. Thanks again!

 

@todkavonic - thanks for the link and possibility of removing for winter...will ask the dealer about that also!

 

Canada sounds terrible. Snow, fines for snow, snow...

That said, if you’ve ever had a vehicle with factory cross bars it’s really not any different. I think it would be quite easy to clear of snow.

 

If all you're going to put up there is a roof box on occasion, I would skip the roof rack and just put up cross bars when you need them. Quieter, better mileage, and easier to clean snow off. The roof rack is a lot of money just sitting up there making noise if you don't really need it. There are laws about clearing your car of snow in many US states as well as the common courtesy of not killing your fellow man with a block of ice through the windshield at 70mph to consider, and cleaning snow from under the rack will definitely be more time consuming than just sweeping it off a clean roof.