roof rack for a T5?

[BobRonk]

I need some roof racks for my T5. Won't be carrying anything heavy, a long mast, maybe a kayak, the odd length of timber or a set of ladders.
Would also like to fit an awning in the future, any recommendations?
Cheers BR

[REVHE4D]

I need some roof racks for my T5. Won't be carrying anything heavy, a long mast, maybe a kayak, the odd length of timber or a set of ladders.
Would also like to fit an awning in the future, any recommendations?
Cheers BR

Give Rhino racks a thought http://www.rhinorack.com.au. They do have lots of options, most dealers sell them as a qenuine part but they are just rhino with a vw sticker on them.

You can always get the racks and add extras to them in the future, like your awning ect.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Umai Naa!!]

I've got a set of three Rhino racks with ladder rack and conduit tubes I'm looking to offload.

I've got the roof channels too, if yours hasn't got them.

[BobRonk]

Thanks for your help, looks like rhino have everything covered.
Just had a look and I have 4 hex bolts down each side, does this mean I don't have the Roof Channels? Do I need them to fit a rack?

[Umai Naa!!]

Depends on the roof rack. VW does, or did at the time, two different types. With, or without. Without the channel, you're limited to the 8 bolt positions, but with the channels, you have a lot more freedom.

[BertieT5]

I got the rino rack aero bars. no channel.
I bought them with 1800mm bars instead of 1500 so that I can put 2 Stand UP Padddle boards sise by side on the van without hassles!.
just required 10 min of modification to make it work.
3 bars cost me about $600. well worth the investment. They are pretty quiet on wind noise too.... buy maybe my big all terrain tyres drown all the noise out!!!

[BobRonk]

modification to the van or bars?

[BertieT5]

the bars. just had to extend the slot in the bars slightly. maybe 30mm each side, i cannot recall exactly. I just re drilled then levered the strip out with needle nose pliers. super easy.

Van has 5 screw points. just used the kit to bolt to them. easy.

[BobRonk]

I've been looking into the roof racks and prefer the look of the whispbar and vortex style bars, they look a lot less commercial and are load rated to 75-100kg which is enough for me.
I also prefer the look of the flush crossbars rather than the through bars, does anyone have a pull out awning with flush bars, how do they fix to the van/racks?

Any advantages of through bars over flush bars?

Also what awning do people have fitted? I'm looking for permanent discreet (as possible) awning with a hard case rather than a canvas bag, ideally underneath the bars not above.
Thanks for your help
BR