Steel Vs Aluminum Roof Rack

Sep 9 2012 692 0 36 alverstoke.

Steel vs aluminum roof rack.

Dec 1 2011 4 andy that is going to be a fair amount of weight up high over corrugations the rack is going to take a fair hammering. One of aluminums biggest advantages is that it s lighter than steel. 50kg what does your arb weigh. Aluminum residential metal roofing is designated by decimal thickness and ranges from 023 to 040 thickness.

In 2017 aluminum racks are the clear winner when compared to steel. The aluminium or steel debate has existed in the roof rack industry since the beginning. Mild steels and carbon steels tend to be less expensive than aluminum but the cost of stainless steel vs aluminum typically aluminum is much pricer. This is why saferack uses the highest grade aluminum and steel available when designing and manufacturing every one of our products.

At backrack we use a high quality powder coating that prevents the rack from rusting and keeps it looking great for many years. In saying this though we must distinguish which type of steel we re talking about. Because steel can rust steel racks must be coated. However aluminum roofing depending upon the exact product chosen can run up to 20 percent higher in price compared to steel roofing.

This allows a manufacturer to manipulate specific areas of the rack to provide more strength through gauging aluminum racks are also much more polished due to the fact that they do not rust like steel racks. Hardcore weekend warriors swear by steel s strength and reliability and the touring community point to the reduced weight and long term rust resistance of aluminium. Another advantage of using steel for a truck rack is its magnetism. With the market for roof racks ever increasing we can give you a few pointers to help you decide on your next roof rack material.

Steel and aluminum both perform well as a metal roofing material. Yes the rack is 45kg however i think the arb steel racks are heavier than this e g. Overall both aluminum and steel have superior profiles in terms of strength weight and long life of service. This could make an aluminum rack a little easier to handle while installing it and perhaps offer a tiny tiny advantage in gas mileage but that s about it.

An aluminum truck rack is comparable in price to a steel rack but it is significantly lighter weight.