T&C Roof rack load

Anyone know the load rating of the factory roof rack bars on the T&C Vans? I
need to move a ladder, about 175# , later tonight. I only have to move it
maybe 10 miles but it's my wife's van, I don't want to snap the load bars.

I have the manual and Haynes at home but I need to know before I leave work
in case I have to bring a company truck home. But those I have to pay the
gas on, which I'd rather avoid if I can.

Thanks in advance.

 

They can't withstand much of a load over 100 lbs - the exact value may
be in your owner's manual or listed in the literature describing
options. I read the value a while back for my 2002 Caravan.
Keep in mind that that only things that are holding the roof rack to
the roof are basically pop rivets just into the roof's sheet metal and
not into the frame.

I haul a ladder on mine all the time but I tie it down with multiple
bungee cords on all sides hooked to points below the fenders and below
the bumpers thus exerting a downward force on the roof and the rack.
Keep in mind that a ladder may be well below the rack's rated limit
but the wind load at speed can be much greater. That's why I tie it
downward.

Doug

 

175lb ladder is a hell of a heavy ladder. gonna be fun to watch you
manhanding it. Its either what, 50ft+ long, or a load rating of what,
500lb (or both?).

You didn't give the year, but I had a full size mattress and
box-springs on the top of my 97 a efw weeks back. not a problem
(although getting them up to my 2nd floor apartment was another story)

 

Thanks guys. First, yes, it's a 60' Triple fly Type 1A (300 lbs). It's
Massive. Hugely massive. Ri-DONKulously massive. It's a three man setup, at
least. I'll likely only use it a couple times then re-sell it.

I got it home last night. I did heed the advice and fastened it with 6
different ratcheting load straps to hard points on the undercarriage. I
also laid 2x4's across the roof so the weight was running on the side rails
of the rack instead of on the crossmembers , which seemed to bend pretty
easily.

Thanks.

 

As often as not, crossbars are to position than to carry. I have 2
vans, an 87 (caravan SE 3.0) and a 97 (T+C Lxi) both with roof bars.
Whn i moved, I only had the 87, but stuck my kitchen table on there,
on the roof but under the front barthat way it was acting as a bar
stoping the table, rather than holding it. I've also done similar with
boxes int he past. of cours,e its a lot harder with the 97, since it
doesn't have those screw-tight fasteners, but the press-and slide to
stop ones (which are also impossible to adjust easily solo, shy of
climbing ont he roof yourself)

Another thing many people don't realise is that ina van, a roof
provides a lot of the ridgidity. not sure if any of the chysler vans
have a truck-like chassis, but i have seen some where, with the roof
cut off (to make into a convertable) the van collapsed in the middle
(passengerless)

Incidentally, this is something i'm considering if i don't sell my 87
soon, so does this have a truck chassis, or at least be able to
withstand me removing the roof from the wop of the windscreen back?
9alternatively, I guess i could just take the actual roof itself off,
and replace it with a canvas one, with cross/roll bars.