Unistrut roof rack - 41x41 or 41x21? Thoughts, opinions, experience?

[Guy]

As per the title I am going to build a Unistrut roof rack, probably then also bolting a Rhino roof rack to it too.

For the main stays/runners/track that I am bolting to the van should I go for 41x41 or 41x21, does anyone have any experience of advantages/disadvantages. They are both made of 2mm steel and I imagine are the same strength. The upside to the 41x41 would be more airflow under the solar panels when parked up but the downside equally would be more airflow when driving which I imagine means more noise.

I'm interested to know opinions please ..............and before anyone suggests I spend £X thousand on a roof rack, that just is not happening with the existing budget and probably never will, even if the budget were available

Thanks

 

[Guy]

The 41x21 doesnt clear the roof so its 41x41 all the way for the side runners/track

 

[Tor]

but 21mm high unistrut is almost half the weight and unlike the 41mm is fairly view free from the ground, plus as you will use fixings for whatever you wish to fit it doesn't really matter that it won't clear the roof.

 

[Guy]

Thanks @Tor ...... For my intended plans I need to clear the roof, I think!!

Can I ask what brand of skylight that is

 

[Lebowski]

Van Vonk

Vonk builds industrial-grade, precision-engineered roof racks for explorers who demand structural integrity and modular utility on the open road.

vanvonk.base44.app

This is a custom roof rack weighing less than 15kg, suitable for solar panels and vents.

That's my roof rack, my vehicle on the website. Built by Jeroen in The Netherlands.

 

[Tor]

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Obviously stuff needs to clear the roof (my panels being an example) what I wasn't clear on was that the clearance is provided by the whatever bracket you fix to the unistrut and kit you are mounting rather than the unistrut sticking way up above the roof to provide clearance. This has the advantage of being more stealthy than the usual roof bars you see especially where the roof curves down towards the rear (that being the only place from the ground you can see the unistrut)

Lebowski's roof rack may be light but at that price I will stick to what I have

The roof light is a Dometic Heki 500x700, at the time (early 2022) it was the only one I could find with a smoked lid, better and cheaper ones are now available.