How to Choose the Best Car Rack for Your Vehicle

Posted 2024-10-07 09:31:30

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Types
Roof Racks
Roof racks are one of the most common types of car racks. They sit directly on the roof of your vehicle and extend over the roofline. Roof racks allow you to securely fasten cargo directly to the top of your car. The most common roof rack types are:
- Bars: Simple horizontal bars that run from front to back on your roof. Cargo is tied down onto the bars.
- Boxes: Hard-sided enclosures that sit on roof racks to protect and contain items being transported.
- Baskets: Open mesh containers that sit on roof racks. Items may rattle around more than in roof boxes.

Hitch Mounted Racks
Hitch Car Rack attach directly to your vehicle's hitch receiver out back. You will need a class 1 or class 2 hitch installed on your car in order to use a hitch rack. The main advantage of hitch racks is that they preserve full access to your roof and don't alter your car's aerodynamics or gas mileage like roof racks can. Common hitch rack styles include:
- 2-Bike Rack: Holds two bicycles either side by side or one in front of the other.
- Cargo Carrier: A basic square or rectangle cargo platform for boxes, bags, and other loose gear.

In-Bed/Truck Bed Racks
Truck beds have racks designed specifically for them. In-bed racks attach either to the truck bed walls or slide into channels built into the bed. They provide secure cargo containment while maintaining full use of the truck bed space. These include:
- Tonneau Cover Racks: Sit on top of rolling tonneau covers or hard tri-fold truck bed covers.
- Bed Rail Mounted Racks: Clamp to the top edge of truck bed rails all around.
- Bed Slide Racks: Insert into tracks built into the truck bed.