Using Roof Bars on an old Motorhome?

[Ezio_Ipswich]

We've just purchased a 2nd hand motorhome, first registered in 2005. (Autocruise Starfire).
It has roof bars installed, and fixed steps up at the rear end.

But a local motorhome dealer basically laughed when I mentioned the possibility of me using the roof bars - he said that in motorhomes that old, the structure would be weakened and it would be unwise to load the roof in any way. [Presumably, for fear of causing a leak which then - most likely - limit the life of the entire van].


Okay, so three questions:

1. Is this common / good advice?
2. If I can't use the roofbars, there doesn't seem a lot of point having the steps. Is it easy / worthwhile removing the steps, and will it be easy to fill in the residual bolt/screw holes once I've removed the steps?
3. Is a rear-mounted storage box of some sort possible or, again, is the structure of the vehicle so weakened after 20+ years that fixing anything heavy to that too would be too risky?
It currently has a cycle rack fitted, and I'm now even nervous about using that given the dire warning from the dealer.

 

[MisterB]

Was he the dealer you bought it from??? If you bought it from a dealer recently, get it in writing that it's safe to use everything on it or else surely it's not fit for purpose?

Im not sure the roof bars are actually for carrying weight, I once asked a dealer who sells the model/make that I have, it was him that said it identifies the area you can walk on but when I added solar and sat dish, I used scaffolding planks to spread the weight for peace of mind!

 

[Ezio_Ipswich]

I bought the motorhome privately, but was advised by the 'dealer' about the roof bars when we (almost immediately) had some servicing done.

Roof bars (at least on a car) are the basic platform on which you can then attach a roof box, cycle racks, canoe racks etc, and so most certainly are designed / intended to carry weight (albeit distributed).

It was the roof of the motorhome itself (where the bars fix to the roof) that the dealer warned will have weakened with age - to the point where using the roof bars, he said, would be risky.

 

[Brains]

I'd have thought something fairly big and light, like say a surfboard or a sea kayak would be fine.
But I'd not put anything heavy like a roof box or cycles up there.

As for the ladder, I'd leave it in position, as its the best way to clean the roof, even if you only do it twice a year.

Cycle racks on the rear wall are normally OK, as most motorhomes were designed for this.
But they are designed for (non electric) cycles (10-15 kg each) not rear boxes, which can be filled to weigh a lot more.

That said, if you have (or can fit) a towbar, a tow ball mounted cycle rack is far easer to load, and does not put any stress on the body.

 

[gus-lopez]

I used to use the roof bars on my 1989 coachbuilt using the rear access ladder & stand on it when cleaning the roof & yesterday I was walking on the roof of a hymer that is 19 years old

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ezio_Ipswich]

I'd have thought something fairly big and light, like say a surfboard or a sea kayak would be fine.
But I'd not put anything heavy like a roof box or cycles up there.

As for the ladder, I'd leave it in position, as its the best way to clean the roof, even if you only do it twice a year.

Cycle racks on the rear wall are normally OK, as most motorhomes were designed for this.
But they are designed for (non electric) cycles (10-15 kg each) not rear boxes, which can be filled to weigh a lot more.

That said, if you have (or can fit) a towbar, a tow ball mounted cycle rack is far easer to load, and does not put any stress on the body.

Ahh, you've given me an idea there.
I have a towbar already fitted, so if I'm ever short of storage space, I guess I could consider getting one of those storage boxes that mount on a towbar.

Thanks.