Have you always had to bear the disturbing vibration noise when you have a roof bag on your car rooftop? Can’t you do something to it already?
If you have no idea at all, or the method you have been using to stop these vibration ends up futile, then this post is for you.
As you read step by step of this article, I will show you how you can keep your car roof bag from vibration.
Here are the quick steps in keeping your car roof bag from vibrating:
- Follow the product directions of the roof bag
- Consider a roof rack for your car to hold your bag down properly
- Consider using hitchers on your car for stability
- Drive safely to avoid unnecessary movement of your roof bag
- Ignore putting overhanging items on your car
This goes beyond buying a durable car roof bag that has in its description that it won’t vibrate.
You need to know how roof bags should be mounted properly on your car because in most cases, it is when securing the roof bag on our car that ushers the problem of vibration.
Most people who use roof bags use the extra storage option for transporting clothes, luggage. surfboards, cargo haulers, blankets, and some other items needed for camping or a long road trip.
I am mentioning this because what you put in the roof bag in terms of capacity and how you secure all these in the bag can add to the vibration thing.
It is true that vibration noise occurs with roof bags and even roof racks especially when you are transporting with it. While it does not happen to every user of the roof bag, there is a way to go about stopping this vibration noise.
I understand how this noise can be annoying, but primarily, they indicate that a connection has been loosed which potentially could cause a problem.
Steps to keep a car roof bag from vibrating
Most experts will tell you that the primary thing to do when you observe that your car roof bag is giving an unpleasant vibration noise is to examine the base roof rack on your vehicle.
It is important to secure support towers and tie-down straps or other mounts to the vehicle. More recommendations expand towards testing the stability of the base rack ( this is usually done by pulling side to side on the crossbars).
The steps involved in keeping your car roof bag from vibration are all quite practical because if you have really read the instructions of the roof bag before using it, you will know that when vibration noise problems arise, you can look for contact points between the rack or attached accessories that may be contacting or rubbing the vehicle’s surface.
It is then ideal to apply rubber weather stripping to contact points. There are quite a number of approaches to making sure that your car roof back does not disturb your journey with vibration noise and that is what we shall be looking into in the second segment of this post.
This leads us to expand the things to do with our roof bag in order to prevent it from vibrating when transporting. I will surely explain them in steps.
From experience and survey of thousands of roof bags used by most people today, we have been able to come up with some helpful points about the prevention of roof bag vibration that we have now classified into steps.
Observing these steps will help greatly and eliminate the noise of the vibration that is always accompanied by the use of that roof bag.
We will start with the very basic of all.
Follow the product directions of the roof bag
When you are packing things into the roof bag of your car, each item or product that you want to include inside the roof bag ( luggage, blankets, cookware or what have you) will have different instructions for use.
The very basic step of eliminating that vibration noise is to consider reading all instructions before use. The general rule that comes with all roof bags is to make use of straps that have a holding strength twice that of your cargo weight.
Consider a roof rack for your car
I may have to dwell on this for long because considering your roof rack when the bag will be tied to can be a significant factor.
For cars with roof racks, there are slim chances of dealing with roof bag vibration noise when you know how to properly secure your roof bag well because the durable straps/ropes can be looped around the side and cross rails.
All you will need to do is to position the roof bag evenly across the roof and in the center of the doors. If you are not using a roof bag, in case, make sure that the lighter items of load go lower, while heavier items are placed on top of lighter items.
A bonus tip I would love to give you on this is that the rack and bag should be removed when not in use to avoid the added weight, drag, and noise.
When considering roof racks that are suitable for your roof bad (not absolutely necessary), make sure you have done the research and have considered the requirements before purchasing a car rack or bag.
Bouncing back to the first basic step, it is very paramount to be sure to follow all instructions when installing a roof system, you also want to make sure that your vehicle can support the bag
Consider using hitchers on your car
On the other hand, if you do not have a roof rack or the model of your car does not feature a roof rack system, extra precautions must be taking when using roof bags so that vibrations noise will be avoided.
In this case, hitchers are ideal where your roof bag can be comfortably placed or rise rails and cross rails.
As always, in this situation, it is also important to read your owner’s manual and all manufacturer instructions for the proper use and maximum allowable weights of the roof bag.
To keep the roof bag in position without shaking or giving vibration, you need a roof rack, and when it is non, then you run tie-down straps over the bag and through the doors, not the windows.
Where you place items inside the bag also matters, especially when tying roof bags to a naked roof.
After testing the roof bag load, drive safely
Maybe the reason why you are always observing vibration is that you do not recheck the load for the last time before driving.
After securing the roof bag on your car, you will need to check the load by pushing and pulling on the items. At this point, if you notice that the roof bag or any part of the roof bag is not securely in place, make the necessary adjustments.
Having spoken to some people who seem to be successful in using roof bags to transport items on long trips and camping, one can learn that it helps when you occasionally stop the car and double-check the load after driving.
While this may be a bit stressful, understand that it will give you the chance to test the load of other cargo bags in real-world driving conditions.
Even if you are a perfectionist in arranging items in a roof bag, and even securing the roof bag on your car rooftop, it is still strongly recommended to maintain the right speed limit on a highway.
I also need to mention here that not only does a high speed increase the risk of cargo bags loosening or becoming detached, they also increase the chances of it making noise and vibration.
Not everyone has faith in the use of roof bags. There are other transporters who prefer using just roof racks and the items directly with straps. It is in this case that we can talk about items that overhang your car.
But when it comes to securing roof bags on car rooftops or hitchers, and you have heard whipping or rattling noises while driving before you read this post, the ideal next line of action should be to pull over and double-check the cargo bag.
Like I have mentioned earlier, the vibration noise of roof bags can mean that the straps have loosened and your load is not properly secured.
Ignore Overhanging items on your car
This may be a little bit out of context here because we are talking about roof bags. But really, I have seen so many times when people drive past with overhanging items on their roof like Christmas trees and all.
While this may be inevitable, I have decided to touch a bit and pieces of this using this post. A roof bag serves as additional storage, but it does not give you room for large, long items.
This may require you to depend on your car roof rack and durable straps only.
In an article where I wrote about transporting Kayaks, I explained how to go about transporting items that are extending past the windshield and/or rear window.
In this case, it’s highly recommended that you tie the item down to the bow (front) and stern (back) of the car.
Should you invest in a roof rack?
Although, I will highly recommend investing in a roof rack, but note that if your roof bag will not affect the paint of your car, you may not invest in it. If you are after more balance and rigidity of your roof bag on your car roof, then you can surely invest in a roof rack.
Some vehicles come with factory-installed roof racks though, so you may not need to invest in them.
Roof bags are made of polyester fabric coated with a special high-friction compound. This means that they are made of materials that will protect your car’s roof finish
Roofbags are a great investment, they are safe but you have to be careful not to overload them so that you don’t spoil them. This is why you should always work with the instructions provided by the product. That is, always follow manufacturer instructions.
Like I have mentioned about two times in this post after you have secured your roof bag and ready to drive, make sure you push and pull items individually to such that they are snug.
Above all, you shouldn’t be driving faster than the speed limits when transporting with a roof bag.
There are durable roof bags out there that can work for cars that are with or without a roof rack.
Rooftop cargo bags can be a very safe way to transport items as long as they are secured and used properly. Part of the effects of not using them properly is the vibration noise that comes up ( less quality product of roof bags can also bring about vibration noise, so sometimes, it is about changing the roof bag, not the way you secure it to your car rooftop).
Conclusion
As you have seen this post is more about cargo bag securement and preventing disturbing vibration noise when transporting items with roof bags.
It is advised to use ratchet straps or cam straps, and if you are using just a roof rack and the items, make sure to load with a sturdy tarp or cargo netting.
Like I mentioned earlier, just simply pushing and pulling on the roof bag to make sure they are secure and snug can prevent and stop the vibration you have been getting since.
Maintainance of your vehicle is also important in the mission to end vibration noise with a roof bag
Now that you now know the factors that affect a roof bag from making noise and vibration, traveling with a roof bag should not look like an inferior option.