Before buying your Subaru Outback roof rack, you should first be sure about the weight and how much can the weight of such a roof rack hold.
The Subaru roof racks are one of the best roof racks you can get out there that do a great job of storing roof bags and load on the top of a vehicle.
It is very important to note the maximum weight that your roof rack can hold, this is because if you are not aware of the maximum load your roof rack can hold, you may overload the roof rack and it could end up damaging the roof rack and making it not last as long as it is supposed to.
There is something considered dangerous if you load on the roof rack; you should remove it from the roof. Please read on for the details.
Finding out the weight a Subaru Outback roof rack can hold
How much weight can the Subaru roof rack hold?
According to the Subaru Outback owner manuals: the maximum total load on the roof(including crossbars, carrying attachmentsand cargo)
- Subaru Outback Wilderness 2022: must not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg)
- Subaru Outback 2020-2022:Â must not exceed 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
- Subaru Outback 2014-2019: must not exceed 176 lbs (80 kg).
- Subaru Outback 2010-2013: must not exceed 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
- Subaru Outback 2000-2009: must not exceed 100 lbs (45 kg).
If you are planning on making use of this Subaru roof rack for your vehicle, it is advisable that you do not exceed this limit as it could be dangerous not only for you but for also other road users.
If you overload the roof rack and you are driving on a high way, If the load on the roof rack falls off, it could cause an accident.
To avoid these kinds of accidents, you need to make sure that you do not exceed the weight limit of this roof rack.
Subaru Outback Wilderness roof rail weight limit
The Subaru Outback Wilderness 2022 roof rail weight limit is 220 lbs (100 kg).
The roof rail system is designed to carry loads (cargo, roof crossbars and carrying attachments) of no more than 220 lbs (100 kg).
Subaru Crosstrek roof rail weight limit
- 2019-2021: The vehicle must never be driven with a total roof rail load in excess of 176 lbs (80 kg).
- 2017-2018: The roof rail system is designed to carry loads (cargo, crossbars, and carrying attachment) of no more than 150 lbs (68 kg)
- 2013-2016: The maximum load limit of the cargo, crossbars, and carrying attachment must not exceed 176 lbs (80 kg).
Subaru Impreza roof rail weight limit
- 2019-2022: The vehicle must never be driven with a total roof rail load in excess of 176 lbs (80 kg).
- 2017-2018: The roof rail system is designed to carry loads (cargo, crossbars, and carrying attachment) of no more than 150 lbs (68 kg)
- 2013-2016: The maximum load limit of the cargo, crossbars, and carrying attachment must not exceed 176 lbs (80 kg).
Subaru Ascent roof rail weight limit
- 2019-2022: The roof rail system is designed to carry loads (cargo, roof crossbars and carrying attachments) of no more than 176 lbs (80 kg)
Subaru Legacy roof rail weight limit
- 2020-2022:Â must not exceed 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
- 2014-2019: must not exceed 176 lbs (80 kg).
- 2010-2013: must not exceed 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
- 2000-2009: must not exceed 100 lbs (45 kg).
Subaru Tribeca roof rail weight limit
- 2006-2013: must not exceed 150 lbs (67.5 kg).
Subaru Baja roof rail weight limit
- 2003-2006: must not exceed 100 lbs (45 kg).
Things to consider before putting a load on a Subaru
When you want to put a load on a Subaru outback roof rack, you do not just go out there and out the load on it.
There are some things that you need to be aware of before putting a load on a Subaru roof rack, those things you need to consider are what we will talk about in this segment of this article.
This also applies to those people whose vehicles do not come with roof racks.
What are those things that you need to consider before you put a load on a Subaru outback roof rack?
You need to consider the balance
One thing that a packed roof rack does to your vehicle is that it raises the center of gravity of your vehicle. This makes it vulnerable to swaying especially when you are driving at a high speed, it could cause swaying because of the presence of the roof rack.
You really need to consider the balance of your vehicle and the roof rack on top of your vehicle. The load you pack on the top of your vehicle could shift, and what could cause it is when the roof rack is not installed very well and the luggage on top of the roof rack is not packed properly.
This can cause a whole lot of problems especially for the driver when he is in motion. Take note that when it comes to balancing the roof rack, it is supposed to be in the middle of the roof of your vehicle.
If the weight is too far to the front of the vehicle, every time you brake it the load on the roof rack would slip and shift forward.
This is more reason why you should consider the balance of the load you are putting on the Subaru roof rack. What you should do is to put a stable load and secure it by making use of the straps and fasteners.
What you need to do is to make sure that you spread or distribute the load on the rooftop of your vehicle so that you can have a more balanced vehicle when you driving.
This will save you from the possible swaying of the load on top of your vehicle.
Consider the height
This applies especially to those who are making use of SUVs and MPVs. This is because these vehicles are naturally raised above the ground which makes it very high, when you have a roof rack on it with the load on top, it makes it even higher than usual.
When you are putting a load on the top of your vehicle, you need to pay attention to the roads where the sign says that very high vehicles are not allowed.
Most especially if you are carrying a bicycle on your Subaru roof rack. If you load your Subaru roof rack so high and you are driving, you need to take note of places like bridges, parking garages, wires, etc.
To be on the safe side, you can try your best possible to reduce the height of the load you put on your Subaru roof rack.
This is another perspective to it, try to keep the height low, but if there is a necessity to make the load higher, then you should really consider the height and take note of the places high vehicles are not allowed.
Consider the weight
Just the same way you considered the height, you should also consider the weight of the load you are putting on the roof rack.
The weight is not supposed to exceed the weight limit of the roof rack. For this particular Subaru outback roof bag, the maximum weight is 176 lbs (80 kg) for model years 2014-2019, 150 lbs (67.5 kg) for model years 2020-2021.
You need to be aware of this and make sure that you do not overload the roof rack when you are packing your stuff. When you have a heavy load on the Subaru roof rack, it could create more wind resistance which means lower gas mileage, and cause so much noise.
If you overload the roof rack you may as well be damaging your roof rack and it could also create problems not just for only you, but many others that are using the road at that moment.
This means that it could cause more accidents and put not only yourself in danger, but also the lives of the innocent will be put in danger.
If you have an SUV and you still want to overload your roof rack, there is going to be a serious problem.
Consider the ease of accessibility
When you are putting your load on the top of your Subaru outback roof rack, another thing that you really need to consider is the ease of accessibility.
What you need to do is to make sure that you pack the heavier items first. Loading and unloading is a hell of a work.
What you need to do is to pack the things that you will not really need often in the roof bag. Make sure the things you put in the roof bag on top of the Subaru roof rack are the things that you will not need often when you are embarking on a journey.
Consider removing all the liquids from the Subaru roof rack
You can put your luggage on the Sabaru roof bag when you are traveling, but one thing that you should not do is that you should not put any form of liquid on the Subaru roof rack when you are traveling.
When the car is in motion, the liquids will shift, causing the car to have difficulty and perhaps, a dangerous driving situation.
Like we mentioned earlier, you do not just go out there and get a roof rack and start using it without going through some of these things that we have explained and buttressed here.
These things we have written that you should consider before putting a load on the Subaru Outback roof rack are very important, it will help for your safety and it will also help your roof rack to last very long for you.
No one wants to buy a roof rack only to end up using it for a few days or weeks, everyone will want to use it for a very long time. In order for it to last for you, you need to take note of these things we mentioned here and use them as a guide.
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The Subaru Outback Roof rack to buy
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This roof rack is a very genuine adjustable roof rack that will serve you a whole lot. It will help to increase the cargo-carrying capacity of your vehicle.
This roof rack will help you to be able to carry a more load on the top of your vehicle while still having enough space inside the vehicle to make sure that you do not interfere with the comfortability of the passengers.
Vehicles have their own roof load limit to enable you to know how much load you can have on your rooftop, to check that you need to go to your vehicle manual, that is where you will be able to find the load limit.
If you do not do this and you go ahead to install the roof rack and put so much load on the roof rack, it could damage the roof rack easily making it not to last as you expected it to.
Try checking the load limit for the roof of your vehicle to help you avoid this mistake of overloading your rooftop.
Pros:
- Easy to install
- Value for money
- Sturdy
Cons:
- Does not support roof tents
This Subaru roof rack does not support roof tents, hence you should not make use of it at all. This is a genuine roof rack that will serve you so well.
It is very good for long road trips, it will not break or have issues on the way, that is the reason people go for this roof rack.
When you buy it newly, you will not find the installation process so difficult, even though there are some guidelines and some things that you need to look out for while installing your roof rack.
It is not as complicated as you may think it is, it is something that you can do on your own with no stress.
In order not to have the issue of the load slipping from the top of the Subaru roof rack, you should consider making use of an anti-slip mat, what this does is that it helps to prevent the load you put on the Subaru roof rack from slipping off.
It also helps to prevent it from scratching the top of your car while you are driving. The protective mat will cushion your load on the top of the Subaru roof rack and make your ride enjoyable.
Once you fix this Subaru roof rack, it will stay solid for as long as you use it with no issues, you can even choose to leave them on the car all the time, you will have no issues leaving it on the vehicle all the time.
Consider getting these Sabaru roof rack as it is a very good and strong roof rack that will serve you a whole lot. You will definitely have no regrets after buying it.
Conclusion
According to the Subaru Outback owner manuals, the Subaru roof rack will be able to carry weight on 176 lbs (Subaru Outback 2014-2019) or 150 lbs (Subaru Outback 2020-2021)Â like we have said earlier, going above the load limit of this roof rack is very dangerous, you should not do that at all.
This roof rack is a very strong one and when you install it on your vehicle, it stays very strong and put.
Note that if after installing it and you are experiencing any form of slipping of the load from the roof rack then you need to get a protective mat while you are putting the load on the roof rack.
It will not only prevent the load from slipping, but it will also help you to cushion it, to prevent noise when you are in motion, and to also prevent it from scratching the roof of your vehicle.
They do not support the use of rooftop tents; you should remember that. This roof rack is a very good one, buying one means no regrets at all.
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Hello,
Hello, I just read your article. My son and I visited iKamper outside of Seattle and want to throw their Skycamp Mini on top of my son’s 2018 Subaru Outback. They said the Factory OEM rack will suffice for the 125 lb tent and the weight of my son and I (~370 lbs). What is your take on this? I do not want to damage the car’s roof. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
As long as your son and you are not going to camp ON the car roof(are you?), the car roof will be fine to carry a 125lbs tent+the weight of the roof rack.
The Subaru branded cross rails are rated for 125lbs. There are aftermarket cross rails that support heavier loads.
Iirc outback roof will support 400lbs and wilderness is rated for 700lbs.