(SherriT) writes:

I have a Sante Fe with factory installed racks. The weight limit is
75lbs. Even if I get a Thule or Yakima kit and J-Racks, the weight
limit is 75 lbs. We just bought two Heritage Sea Darts, each weighing
58 lbs. We are approx 45lbs over the limit.

Any ideas for options? We need to get these home.

As Mom used to say, make two trips.

Ratings like that aren't the absolute limit. They're a number that
the manufacturer is willing to stake their reputation and bank
account on -- IOW, a number that they're pretty damn sure is safe.
Sometimes, they guess wrong, and the thing being rated fails at a
lower rating, but usually it's a conservative rating. The problem
is that a)you can't know if that's true in this case, and b)you
can't know what the cutoff is when the heavy objects are also long
objects with lots of wind drag at highway speeds.

Soooo...if you want to haul those boats on a regular basis, and I
sure hope you do, I'd look at removing that factory rack and
installing a Yakima or Thule direct to your car roof.

--
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Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

On 29 Aug 2003 15:10:30 -0700, (SherriT) wrote:

I have a Sante Fe with factory installed racks. The weight limit is
75lbs. Even if I get a Thule or Yakima kit and J-Racks, the weight
limit is 75 lbs. We just bought two Heritage Sea Darts, each weighing
58 lbs. We are approx 45lbs over the limit.

Any ideas for options? We need to get these home.
If you are close to home, you can make two trips. For long term
options, I can only think of two. Both Yakima and Thule make
attachments that you can use, but the weight limit is still the
factory rack 75 pounds, so they are out. If you have a hitch, or can
get one installed, then use a trailer! You can get trailers in
various capacities from one to 10+ kayaks. Loading is actually easier
because it is so low. Your other possible option is to remove your
factory rack completely, then use foam blocks to carry the kayaks next
to each other. CHECK WITH HYUNDAI BEFORE DOING THIS - TOO MUCH WEIGHT
ON A BARE ROOF CAN DEFORM OR DAMAGE THE ROOF!! Good luck.
Dan

Don't be too paranoid about factory ratings. I installed Thule racks on my
subaru wagon and they are rated at about 150 lb and I have often hauled 4 boats
that weighed roughly 250 lb total. Think about it . That is about the weight
of one large person. Could your racks and roof hold you up?
Rick

RickPB wrote:

Don't be too paranoid about factory ratings. I installed Thule racks on my
subaru wagon and they are rated at about 150 lb and I have often hauled 4 boats
that weighed roughly 250 lb total. Think about it . That is about the weight
of one large person. Could your racks and roof hold you up?

Thats a bad analogy. Kayaks, especially long sea kayaks impose large wind created
torque and shear stresses on a rack. Luggage (or bodies) carried within the
confines of the rack don't.

--
Regards

Brian

Thats a bad analogy. Kayaks, especially long sea kayaks impose large wind
created
torque and shear stresses on a rack. Luggage (or bodies) carried within the
confines of the rack don't.

Regards

Brian

Good point, I was just thinking about gross weight. But I still think that
factory ratings are a bit "overly cautious". I keep a close eye on my roof and
haven't had a problem even after cruising at 75 mph carrying a canoe and two
kayaks. And I've been doing it for 5 years now with this set up. Also wind
shear should be minimized by good ropes in a V to the front and rear tie downs.
Rick

Thanks for all of the advice. I did find a solution to my problem. We
traded in our other vehicle for a Chevy Blazer that can carry the
kayaks. We plan to use the kayaks a lot and wanted something
reliable. Most of the places we will be going paddling are 45 minutes
to 2 hours away, so two trips would not quite work. I considered just
trying the Santa Fe to bring them home, but with my luck I'd ruin both
my car and the kayaks (yup, I'm a bit of a chicken). Thanks again, see
you out there paddling.

(RickPB) writes:

Thats a bad analogy. Kayaks, especially long sea kayaks impose large wind
created
torque and shear stresses on a rack. Luggage (or bodies) carried within the
confines of the rack don't.

Regards

Brian

Good point, I was just thinking about gross weight. But I still think that
factory ratings are a bit "overly cautious".

They're conservative, as I stated in my post. But how are you going
to know where the line is? Load it up until it breaks? I don't
recommend that.

I keep a close eye on my roof and
haven't had a problem even after cruising at 75 mph carrying a canoe and two
kayaks. And I've been doing it for 5 years now with this set up.

Well, I do this too, but I do it with a Yakima rack that's rated at
150 pounds. I really would not try it with a factory rack rated at
75 pounds. You did it, and you got away with it. But do you really
feel safe in saying that _any_ 75-lb-rated factory rack can carry
that load?

--
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield,
Other days you're the bug.

RickPB wrote:

Thats a bad analogy. Kayaks, especially long sea kayaks impose large wind
created
torque and shear stresses on a rack. Luggage (or bodies) carried within the
confines of the rack don't.

Regards

Brian

Good point, I was just thinking about gross weight. But I still think that
factory ratings are a bit "overly cautious". I keep a close eye on my roof and
haven't had a problem even after cruising at 75 mph carrying a canoe and two
kayaks. And I've been doing it for 5 years now with this set up. Also wind
shear should be minimized by good ropes in a V to the front and rear tie downs.
Rick

True. One other thing to consider is that the weight rating is also likely the
maximun load that the rack will support without damage to the sheet metal of the
roof. The vehicle's structure must be much stronger than that, but there are no
minimum standards for resistance to cosmetic damage.

--
Regards

Brian

SherriT wrote:

We plan to use the kayaks a lot and wanted something
reliable.

So you bought a Chevy??? ;-)

--
Regards

Brian