Attaching A Roof Box

[TheDeckKing]

I've just bought this roof box and want to fasten it to Baz's roof. I'm thinking of using sikaflex and placing it in front of the bathroom roof vent. Any advice or suggestions?

 

[TheDeckKing]

By the way. Those 2 bars across the middle of the roof are no longer there.

 

[DBK]

Don't would be my suggestion! If you must have a roof box it must be easily accessible from a ladder, climbing about on the roof is not a good idea I think, too easy to damage sealing and get leaks.

Or are you going to carry a loose ladder and access it from the side?

 

[TheDeckKing]

Don't would be my suggestion! If you must have a roof box it must be easily accessible from a ladder, climbing about on the roof is not a good idea I think, too easy to damage sealing and get leaks.

Or are you going to carry a loose ladder and access it from the side?

It will actually be in easy reach for me (I'm 6' +) from the rear ladder and it's only going to have our lightweight outdoor chairs and tables in so no access issues. We have no garage so the box is essential for us. It's exactly how to fit it that's the issue.

 

[Minxy]

As an aside ... I don't want to worry you but I do NOT like the look of the seam where the roof joins the top of the near side panel - it seems to be separating!

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[Eddystone]

Even at 6' you will only be bending from the waist if you stay on the ladder and I doubt you will reach the lock. You certainly won't be able to extract anything that happens to work it's way to the front. But that's after you have fitted it. Personally I would NOT glue it to the roof. The box and contents will have inertia and at that height it will cause the roof to flex.

 

[TheDeckKing]

As an aside ... I don't want to worry you but I do NOT like the look of the seam where the roof joins the top of the near side panel - it seems to be separating!

Don't worry Minxy. It's actually the plastic trim that covers the screws in the metal channels that's got old and has popped out. It's only cosmetic and is doing it all over the van. One idea of mine was to replace it all with colour changing LED lights.

 

[TheDeckKing]

Even at 6' you will only be bending from the waist if you stay on the ladder and I doubt you will reach the lock. You certainly won't be able to extract anything that happens to work it's way to the front. But that's after you have fitted it. Personally I would NOT glue it to the roof. The box and contents will have inertia and at that height it will cause the roof to flex.

We seem to be digressing from to original questions here and I don't want to get into the much repeated walking on the roof debate. Just to set the record straight; when stood on the ladder I can reach to where the rear of the 2 metal bars on the roof were without standing on the roof and the items going in the box are all light and fit in snuggly laid out so won't move.

PLEASE NOTE:
I have not taken offence with any of the previous comments and aren't making mine to cause any offence either, but I'm after suggestions on how to attach the roof box to my roof. I'd be grateful if we could focus on advice rather than issues.

 

[tonyidle]

I would use 2 strips of alloy deck plate say 2" wide x length of box if box ribs run along the length of the base of the box or 3 strips x width if box ribs run across the width. Fit SS CSK fasteners in appropriate positions with heads under the plates then glue strips to roof using Sikaflex. Fit box onto fasteners using SS mudguard washers & Nyloc nuts. (Fit box onto fasteners to position plates for glueing then remove box before Sikaflex fully set so you can remove any masking tape & tidy up edges of Sikaflex.)

The box is easily removed from the fasteners if necessary. The plates can be removed by heating them up until the Sikaflex lets go. No damage to the roof.