Roofrack for California / Caravelle

[Johnboy]

Hi,

Anyone on the site familiar with the Sherpas Combi Translift roofrack ?

I am considering developing a similar system for the California / Caravelle.

I would be interested in any comments or experiences.

Thanks

John

 

[MattBW]

Thread here about them:
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/sherpas-translift-side-loading-lockable-roof-bars.12243/

 

[Johnboy]

OK ….. not many used the Combi Translift then. I have one of these on my T4 - it is fine for kayaks or surf boards. Bikes are a problem (too high). Wind noise is an issue and it looks rather agricultural.

Anyone used the Karitek easyload system? This is similar to the Sherpas system but uses the full length of the bars to hinge down the side of the vehicle (instead of half/half either side).

My preference is to offer a single sided hinge system which would operate on the LHS (i.e. no door interference) and would be suitable for bikes, roofboxes, ladders, kayaks etc. Any comments much appreciated.

Thanks

John

 

[MattBW]

We did transport a large Bic 2 man kayak on our Beach until we sold it recently. Easy load was high on our list but the price was the blocker for us. We tried some attachable side bars that slid out but they ultimately were a bit of a waste of time as they didn't extend far enough and it was easier to load it by hand. Ok for a car maybe (where I wouldn't need such a device).

Ultimately we would feed it on from the back using 2 people, a pain for a big kayak but doable. The rollers that go on the rear seemed a good addition but in the end we did without. There is a thread below about a DIY version of this.

There is a thread about the easy load here:

Kayak on Cali

We have a two person Kayak, which we used to just get on to Blodwen the type 2. Dilys the Cali is a lot higher so before we give it a go at loading/unloading I wondered if anyone has any tips.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

This was also of interest.

carrying 2 sea kayaks

Hi folks Just wondering if anyone has the Thule Hullavator Pro 898 (lift-assist) carrier attached to the T6 with the standard awning fitted? Wondering what length of Thule Probars required to get over the extra width of the awning? We've measured the dimensions but just wanting to check if...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Johnboy]

I originally put this post on the forum (back in 2019) as I felt the urge to develop a side loading roofrack for the California. - mainly for Kayaks.

I have spent most of the lockdown period working on this and I have now completed the design and finalised the IP. I have started limited manufacture of this product, with a few sold to VW Transporter owners and also SUV's

The roofrack works very well and I have had it on my California for over a year now.

I quickly realised that as well as the roofrack, I also needed to have suitable brackets to secure items (such as kayaks) at the side of the vehicle before lifting them onto the roof. I also realised that Kayaks should not be the only load item to consider.

So I now have a bracket that can handle bikes, ladders, kayaks, canoes and other bulky loads as well as a special bracket for roofboxes.

I did make it to Busfest last year, and I hope to show it at Camperjam this year. I have been experimenting with other concepts such as a fold out load platform / camping table .... which I intend to exhibit to gauge public reaction.

This has been a real journey for me and I have spent half a California on it ... so I thought I would post a few photos of it in action. The last photo is moving my daughters wardrobe, which although very bulky was an easy lift.

Next step is my web page which is underway....

John

 

[owen_h]

Looks really good and less 'agricultural' than the other option on the market.
Like the use of aero bars. Mind if I ask how much you are selling them for.

 

[Johnboy]

Looks really good and less 'agricultural' than the other option on the market.
Like the use of aero bars. Mind if I ask how much you are selling them for.

The basic version is £490 which is all silver and uses standard security pins. It is 1600mm long which sits inside the awning on the RHS. Includes mounts for California roof tracks.
There is a Premium version and a NOIR version (at £670 is the most expensive).

 

[Viktorgeorge]

The basic version is £490 which is all silver and uses standard security pins. It is 1600mm long which sits inside the awning on the RHS. Includes mounts for California roof tracks.
There is a Premium version and a NOIR version (at £670 is the most expensive).

This is a brilliant concept, John, it solves so many issues (loading, access, cleaning, etc.).

As soon as I get my Ocean, I will be looking carefully into this as an option for my Packline roof box etc.

 

[California4x4]

If it just went a little lower when in loading mode, you could limbo under a height restriction bar into a carpark haha

 

[Johnboy]

If it just went a little lower when in loading mode, you could limbo under a height restriction bar into a carpark haha

Yes that has been done before...... but I am working on getting it a little lower still.

 

[Fabian]

I originally put this post on the forum (back in 2019) as I felt the urge to develop a side loading roofrack for the California. - mainly for Kayaks.

I have spent most of the lockdown period working on this and I have now completed the design and finalised the IP. I have started limited manufacture of this product, with a few sold to VW Transporter owners and also SUV's

The roofrack works very well and I have had it on my California for over a year now.

I quickly realised that as well as the roofrack, I also needed to have suitable brackets to secure items (such as kayaks) at the side of the vehicle before lifting them onto the roof. I also realised that Kayaks should not be the only load item to consider.

So I now have a bracket that can handle bikes, ladders, kayaks, canoes and other bulky loads as well as a special bracket for roofboxes.

I did make it to Busfest last year, and I hope to show it at Camperjam this year. I have been experimenting with other concepts such as a fold out load platform / camping table .... which I intend to exhibit to gauge public reaction.

This has been a real journey for me and I have spent half a California on it ... so I thought I would post a few photos of it in action. The last photo is moving my daughters wardrobe, which although very bulky was an easy lift.

Next step is my web page which is underway....

John
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View attachment 89776

Good morning, sir.
I'm from Belgium. Are you offering your system for the VW California T6? If so, could you send me some information and pictures about your device (dimensions, price,..)(fabian_magnee@+++++++.com)?
Finally, is delivery to Belgium possible and at what cost?
Thank you so much for your reply. Fabian

 

[Johnboy]

Fabian,
can you send your email details to me at info@vixxos.com. I can follow up with photos etc.

John

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Finally I have fitted my Thule Evo 711320 127cm WingBars on @Johnboy's low profile mounts. I bought these before my Ocean was delivered, when supply appeared limited. I have been watching the price of new and second hand WingBars and ended up yesterday with new from Amazon at £129.99. Camel Camel said these were less, but either I missed it or they were wrong.

Anyway photos herewith, these are a great solution if you want to stay low.

 

[Johnboy]

Thanks for the update and photos @Viktorgeorge

I will be making a few more sets soon if anyone is interested.

John

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Thanks for the update and photos @Viktorgeorge

I will be making a few more sets soon if anyone is interested.

John

My pleasure @Johnboy, they were a pleasure to fit, look great and are such a good solution given the significant parking advantage of staying below 2m height.

In my case the overall vehicle height is now 1985mm with the 127cm Evo Wingbars fitted, whilst the top of the awning (i.e. the overall height without the WingBars) is 1960mm.

So the roof bars have added 25mm to overall height.

However I do have DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) and I recall reading here that DCC lowers the overall height by 30mm, which seems to make sense as the California Brochure gives the overall height at 1990mm.

So, probably, depending on tyres and rims (and any suspension mods) etc., a non DCC California might come in at *2015mm* with these roof bars and your supports.

I remain fascinated and tentatively tempted by your drop down rack as #5 above, but suspect the overall height may be too much for my specific requirement.

*Correction changed 2005mm to 2015mm*

 

[Johnboy]

The height of the Kombi-rak will be very similar to your set up. The mounting blocks for the California are essentially the same as those you have fitted, but the Kombi-rak rails ate 40mm deep (+11mm or so to the Wingbars). However, the Wingbars have a slight bend in them whereas mine are straight - so there's probably an extra 5mm difference.

John

 

[Viktorgeorge]

The height of the Kombi-rak will be very similar to your set up. The mounting blocks for the California are essentially the same as those you have fitted, but the Kombi-rak rails ate 40mm deep (+11mm or so to the Wingbars). However, the Wingbars have a slight bend in them whereas mine are straight - so there's probably an extra 5mm difference.

John

I thought it looked more than an extra 5mm from you photo extracts below, I am impressed by that @Johnboy.

 

[Johnboy]

Hi, the top photo is the Kombi-rak fitted to a Transporter with raised rails - I have had to make an adapter to fit Thule footpack for that set-up.
The second photo is my California which is just over 2m high to the top of the bars.

John

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Hi, the top photo is the Kombi-rak fitted to a Transporter with raised rails - I have had to make an adapter to fit Thule footpack for that set-up.
The second photo is my California which is just over 2m high to the top of the bars.

John

That explains that @Johnboy. I was puzzled.

Do you know how much ‘just over’ 2 metres? Or better, what is the height above the top of the awning (with my current set up it is 25mm as above)?

 

[Johnboy]

I was going to go and measure for you, but I forgot that I have taken the roofrack off as I have had a lot of long journeys recently (saves a couple of mpg). I was going to give it a clean and general inspection before putting it back on, but have not got round to doing this.
I have a guide system so I can put it back on in exactly the same place, so it is easy to take off and put back on without any alignment problems.

So as I recall, I previously measured about 2005mm average, but there was a difference between front and rear. The center of the van roof is the highest point - so there is a slight variation where you site the bars. Also there is what I call the alignment bar which (necessarily) sits on top of the roofrack which raises the height by approx 19mm. However I also made a low profile version which is fitted to my California which only adds 5mm (you can see it in the latter photo of your last post) - So that would give a max height of 2010mm on my van.

John

 

[ThomasHJ]

I to recently installed the low mounts I bought from @Johnboy a while back. hadn't gotten around to it yet. I've combined them with the 127cm evo wingbars as well. I think the whole looks very nice.

To be honest, I thought I'd remembered the Cali would stay below 2m with this setup, so I hadn't even thought about measuring the new height. Recently drove into an underground parking garage which is signed to be 2m max. Only realised the new bars were on the van when I drove under the first 2m barrier. Nothing happend, so that went really well. When I actually drove into the garage I heard a sound when the van passed under the moving/colapsing barrier and heard the same sound again when I left the parking garage. Which makes me think I need to check the actual height. I'm quite convinced that the sound has nothing to do with the roof bars and probably came from something outside the van, as I passed the 2m barrier with no issues. But I will measure the actual height soon just to be sure.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I to recently installed the low mounts I bought from @Johnboy a while back. hadn't gotten around to it yet. I've combined them with the 127cm evo wingbars as well. I think the whole looks very nice.

To be honest, I thought I'd remembered the Cali would stay below 2m with this setup, so I hadn't even thought about measuring the new height. Recently drove into an underground parking garage which is signed to be 2m max. Only realised the new bars were on the van when I drove under the first 2m barrier. Nothing happend, so that went really well. When I actually drove into the garage I heard a sound when the van passed under the moving/colapsing barrier and heard the same sound again when I left the parking garage. Which makes me think I need to check the actual height. I'm quite convinced that the sound has nothing to do with the roof bars and probably came from something outside the van, as I passed the 2m barrier with no issues. But I will measure the actual height soon just to be sure.

Well, @ThomasHJ, I would be interested to hear if (assuming you have no DCC) if you come out at 2015mm to the centre of the WinBars, or something different.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

I was going to go and measure for you, but I forgot that I have taken the roofrack off as I have had a lot of long journeys recently (saves a couple of mpg). I was going to give it a clean and general inspection before putting it back on, but have not got round to doing this.
I have a guide system so I can put it back on in exactly the same place, so it is easy to take off and put back on without any alignment problems.

So as I recall, I previously measured about 2005mm average, but there was a difference between front and rear. The center of the van roof is the highest point - so there is a slight variation where you site the bars. Also there is what I call the alignment bar which (necessarily) sits on top of the roofrack which raises the height by approx 19mm. However I also made a low profile version which is fitted to my California which only adds 5mm (you can see it in the latter photo of your last post) - So that would give a max height of 2010mm on my van.

John

Thank you @Johnboy, that does sound an excellent low profile result for your Kombi-rak.

I note what you say about fuel consumption. I am interested to see the effect the two wing bars (with nothing attached) on your mounts, which I just installed, will have on fuel consumption and wind noise (Thule suggest the Evo WingBar is aerodynamic and therefore quiet).

Also, I had not thought to check any height difference for either the rear WingBar or one repositioned to the center. I will do that for completeness sake and post my findings.

In my experience, car parks with 2000mm headroom (often in one or two zones) are not that uncommon, so I am ever fearful of a scrape. With that in mind I hope @ThomasHJ 's "sounds" were not scrapes.

 

[Johnboy]

My old T4 had a height of 1950mm if I remember correctly. I ended up in a traffic queue for a multi storey carpark with a height limit of 1.9m I had no option but to go in because I had a huge queue behind.
My son got out and walked alongside as I went in until we parked - same on the way out. We got close, but no scrapes!!. I am sure they have to give a bit of a "plus" tolerance when stating a height limit. But I was taking a bit of a risk.

Regards fuel consumption with roofbars. Virtually impossible to compare (maybe over long term testing) as it is hugely dependent on headwind/tailwind, speed and driving conditions.

Being the nerdy type, I do have my own set of calculations which say approx 1mpg at 70mph for Wingbars. Not really been able to verify tho'

 

[Viktorgeorge]

My old T4 had a height of 1950mm if I remember correctly. I ended up in a traffic queue for a multi storey carpark with a height limit of 1.9m I had no option but to go in because I had a huge queue behind.
My son got out and walked alongside as I went in until we parked - same on the way out. We got close, but no scrapes!!. I am sure they have to give a bit of a "plus" tolerance when stating a height limit. But I was taking a bit of a risk.

Regards fuel consumption with roofbars. Virtually impossible to compare (maybe over long term testing) as it is hugely dependent on headwind/tailwind, speed and driving conditions.

Being the nerdy type, I do have my own set of calculations which say approx 1mpg at 70mph for Wingbars. Not really been able to verify tho'

I have found myself in the same height restricted car park situations several times already with my wife as a walking aside monitor, particularly on the continent, although only an owner for 17 months.

The WingBars do look very aerodynamic, and I am deliberating whether to leave on permanently rather only than when the need arises; 1mpg would be hard to observe in practice.