I see many owners loading heavy on their roofs . Tents , roof racks , and just about anything else . It's no wonder that seals leak around the glass . I try not to overload my roof rack , knowing that ......it's gotta give. The rails that circumnavigate the roof line seem especially weak. I am trying to find a sturdy way to attach my 4 gallon Rotopax to my roof rack. Any thoughts or accomplishments??

 

The gutters are actually quite strong. The plastic covering them less so.

Remember, the roof is designed to protect you from an impact in a severe roll over situation. It can handle a lot of weight before there's an issue. The biggest problem is increasing your center of gravity, therefore increasing your risk of said rollover.

 

But....isn't the roof formed of Aluminum ??

 

Aluminum is stronger than steel by weight. I’m an aircraft mechanic. Airplanes are pretty strong.

 

@Tomzsix The dynamic load is about 160lbs (many go much higher), that is the load when moving -stationary is considerably more. If you are concerned remember the load includes everything including teh rack /roof bars etc. I have about 155lbs on mine with no issues

 

OK . I'm convinced . But will use caution , still , when loading my roof rack. Steering becomes more laboroured when there is too much on top . And I don't have sunroofs to worry about.

 

The roof is steel on the D2. All other body panels are aluminum.

 

I mounted my Rotopax on my spare.

 

Point of order: The sunroof seals leak because of age on every disco. Not because of roof weight.

even with leaking seals, in light rain, it’s fine IF your sunroof drains are not broken, but those too degrade over time and easily break

 

I have a 3 person roof top tent on mine, a small awning off the back, plus a small forward "roof rack" that's basically an attachment point for lights (but it could hold something if I ever wanted to put something up there). I estimate that I'm at 170lbs all in. I have the full length roof rails but lets face it, their old and I didn't like how much they were bending so a bent up a set of ladder racks which place the load of my roof top tent on to the gutter rail and now its very solid. I do moderate off roading with all that loaded up there and there has never been a problem and nothing has ever even so much as moved on me.