Steel Vs Aluminum Roof Bars

Largest portion of cost is for complicated installation.

Steel vs aluminum roof bars.

Steel and aluminum both perform well as a metal roofing material. Roof racks weigh between say 30 50kg and cost in the range of 500 1200 roof bars will weigh a few kg and cost about 100 each if you want to carry a roof tent plus gear on your roof consider roof bars under the roof tents plus a couple of bars with a basket on. Aluminum is more corrosion resistant than steel. It will warm quickly in the sun and won t cool off as fast at night.

Steel is susceptible to seawater damage overtime while aluminum is extremely resistant to corrosion caused by seawater. Aluminum roofing however can run 20 percent higher compared to steel roofing depending upon the exact product chosen. Stainless steel resists rust well but it s also more expensive than regular steel and not as strong. Aluminum can go places and create shapes that steel cannot often forming deeper or more intricate spinnings.

Aluminum also holds heat better than steel. Especially for parts with deep and straight walls aluminum is the material of choice. Cheapest i ve found are cruz ones from roofbox co uk 69 99 for steel square profile bars foot pack etc 99 99 for aluminium aero bars i m wondering if it s worth the extra money to get the aero ones. Aluminum is lighter than steel but softer so it s less of a load on your house s structure but won t take the punishment of a severe hailstorm as well as steel.

Ferrous metal cannot be guaranteed to never rust. Steel and aluminum both perform well as a metal roofing material. Locks aren t included yet they only cost 10 extra. Aluminum residential metal roofing is designated by decimal thickness and ranges from 023 to 040 thickness.

Quieter aluminium bars are much quieter than their steel equivalents thanks to their aerodynamic shape. Aluminum racks don t rust because aluminum alloys do not contain iron which is the primary component in steel. I ve been looking to find a set of roof bars to fit my car with fixing points. All roof bars will generate some wind noise but an aerodynamically shaped bar will produce much less noise compared with a square bar thanks to the shape cutting through the wind in a more efficient way.

However aluminum roofing depending upon the exact product chosen can run up to 20 percent higher in price compared to steel roofing. Commonly installed using problematic battens or strapping. Truck racks made from steel must use additional methods to protect them from rust. The car specific fitting kit went neatly around the contours of the qashqai s roof and the bars were then held securely with bolts.