Whether you’re hauling some awkwardly shaped cargo or trying to fit some tents or bikes in your vehicle, you know very well that it’ll take some magic to fit those things inside your cabin.
The good news is that there are dozens of storage options you can get to create more cargo space for your vehicle. Most of them utilize the free space you have outside of your sedan, SUV, or truck.
Check out the following products and see which one suits your daily driver best.
A truck bed rack is a handy accessory for those who often bring oversized cargo like tents, bikes, kayaks, and awnings. This accessory also prevents such cargo from damaging the truck bed, as the items won’t scratch the bed’s surface.
When in the market for a truck rack, you’ll notice that there are several types to choose from.
A contractor rack, also known as a ladder rack, has mounting points for each corner of the truck bed, as well as the cross bars and lateral bars. This creates an upright structure with a high weight capacity.
A contractor rack is best used for lugging around oversized building supplies and tools.
Economy racks are relatively lightweight and closely resemble the structure of a contractor rack. Unlike a contractor rack, however, an economy rack doesn’t have lateral bars, resulting in a lower weight capacity.
Still, an economy rack can handle cargo like kayaks and canoes.
A headache rack features two supporting bars near the cab and is joined by an upper and lower crossbar.
A headache rack only has a single crossbar and a couple of uprights at the bulkhead, which lets you hoist oversized cargo up and over the cab while the rear is tucked inside the truck bed.
The design of a headache rack also has protective capabilities, shielding the rear window from impacts and abrasions.
Service body racks are specifically designed for service-style pickup beds. They do, however, follow the same design and structure as contractor racks.
A side mount rack is intended for hauling moderate amounts of overhead cargo.
Unlike other truck racks, this type doesn’t occupy all the corners of the truck bed. Instead, it keeps half of the bed’s overhead space clear for taller cargo.
Average Price Range: $500-$1,000
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Sporting goods and camping equipment can fit perfectly on a roof rack, creating more space inside the cabin for storing other small items and providing more legroom for your passengers.
Also known as a rooftop cargo carrier, roof racks generally consist of a set of bars or beams that are bolted onto the roof with crossbars aligned perpendicularly to the vehicle.
When shopping for a roof rack, it’s important to consider your vehicle’s weight capacity to prevent overloading. It’s also a good idea to match the roof rack you’re getting with the shape of your vehicle’s roof to ensure a perfect fit.
Average Price Range: $500-$1,000
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Bike racks can either be rear-mounted, roof-mounted, or tow point-mounted.
Most rear-mounted bike racks feature a simple design and can also be installed on smaller vehicles.
A rear-mounted bike rack is made of a simple metal frame that can be attached to the back of a car. It comes with a few straps for keeping the bicycle in place as well as two arms for hanging the bike.
Rear-mounted bike racks are generally inexpensive and easy to install. However, keep in mind that rear-mounted bike racks still come with specifications that should match your vehicle’s dimensions and other features.
This type of bike rack can also obscure your vision from behind and create more width for your vehicle.
A roof-mounted bike rack typically clamps onto a bar on the roof. Clamping mechanisms for this type of bike rack can either be a pivoting arm or a front bar.
Some vehicles can have up to four roof-mounted bike racks and carry them around without any problems. Also, this type of bike rack won’t obscure your vision while driving since the rack will be on the roof.
One possible downside to using a roof-mounted bike rack is that you’ll need to install roof bars on your vehicle since they don’t come with the bike rack hardware.
Among the three types of bike rack configurations, the tow point-mounted rack can hold the most number of bikes at five.
Many tow point bike racks also feature foldable and minimalist designs, so you can store them away with ease. Also, a lot of these bike racks now come with tilting designs for easier access.
The tow point-mounted bike rack can be quite expensive, and you’ll need to install a tow bar or ball to serve as a mounting point for the rack.
Average Price Range: $250-$500
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Cargo carriers come in all shapes and sizes. When shopping for one, you might find yourself choosing between a roof-mounted cargo carrier and a rear-mounted one.
Roof-mounted carriers can provide you with more space than a rear-mounted one, but the items on your roof can cut down your vehicle’s aerodynamics. The increased vehicle height can also be a problem when parking in low-clearance areas.
With a rear-mounted cargo carrier, you won’t have to worry about your vehicle’s aerodynamics, but it can leave your cargo exposed and vulnerable to collision damage.
Average Price Range: $100-$500
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A cargo basket is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a basket-type storage solution that fits over the roof of your vehicle.
Average Price Range: $500-$1,000
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Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.