Roof Bars?

[Ccaptain24]

I know it is inconsistent with huge mpg but wondered if anyone has used a vac-rack (roof bars that fix by four biig suction cups) on an insight 1? This is important to me because I can only afford to run one car and currently have nowhere to store a trailer. If I can't sort a roof rack or trailer I will probably have to exchange for an mpv or estate car.

I actually want to transport a 13 foot kayak or a recumbent bicycle. I am thinking of a pair of vacuum attached roof bars, a fore and aft bar over them, and a vertical each end to the front towing eye and a special bracket through the hatch seal. What I am worried about is that the leverage and windage of the kayak in particular might simply rip out the roof panel if it is not adequately stayed.

Questions:-
How is the roof fixed? Glued/bonded, welded?
What is the roof made of? Aluminium? Plastic?
Is it strong enough to cope with the suction without distorting or dishing?
Would it be stong enough to support light loads, say 20lbs up to a max of 40lbs? (Static not taking into account wind loading).
Does anyone have a wrecked car I/we could experiment on? (I am in the west of England)

[RobertSmalls]

The roof is aluminium, though I don't know whether there are more than one layers or how much force it can take without distortion. I do know the roof doesn't simply crumple like a beer can in a rollover. Cars are supposed to be able to support three times their weight on the roof with less than six inches of distortion, iirc.

I think you should remove your car's interior roof carpet and check it out. I would be much more inclined to trust bolts over suction cups. Wind loads on roof-mounted cargo can be very large.

Also, if you can store a Kayak and a recumbent, are you sure you can't also store a foldable, aluminium trailer? I'm picturing something custom-built, brakeless, weighing 50lbs and having a 150lb max weight capacity. You could hang it next to your bicycles.

[seabag]

Saris in the US made roof racks that fit the Insight. It was the short bar and somewhere around here I have the number of the Clip kit that you need. They do so no longer but sometimes you can find the gear on the web. The inflatable roof racks do well for a small kayak but would not work for the recumbent unless you made some kind of carrier. And somewhere on this site are photos of a rather nicely homemade roofrack for an Insight.

[Ccaptain24]

Thank you both,

Now my tame computer geek has sorted out my internet connection and I am able to search in a reasonable time frame I seem to have answered a number of my own questions...

The links to the Saris rack are dead and it is not listed on their website. However this is useful:-

Roof Rack for Honda Insight

and

Bike rack hitch

I have also found older threads from 2003 onwards although this one seems most useful

Roof rack???

although many of the links are dead. Maybe an update from those users would be useful...

After looking at these my brother and I have come up with what we hope will be a low drag roofrack. I shall also definitely make a tow bar/cycle carrier and then I will be able to borrow/hire a small trailer until my circumstances improve.

However my first question still stands; has anyone experience of Vac-Racks?

Retepsnikrep has confirmed that the roof is part of the chassis and will not pull off.

Good weather approaching, hope the above may be of some use to others.

[Ccaptain24]

RobertSmalls said "Also, if you can store a Kayak and a recumbent, are you sure you can't also store a foldable, aluminium trailer? I'm picturing something custom-built, brakeless, weighing 50lbs and having a 150lb max weight capacity. You could hang it next to your bicycles."

My house is accessed by a footpath: no back entrance, no vehicular access. The kayak is hung from the hall ceiling with just enough clearance for the doors to open under it. The bent is in the side alleyway which is roofed and I have to move it to get the wheelie bin (garbage can) past it.There is 90 degree bend between the side alley and the back garden. A dismantleable trailer would have to be carried through the house. Still as I am not parting with the Honda I will just have to see what I can come up with.

Darn it! I will just have to buy a bigger house!