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.
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.
