Roof box?

[Berean]

Hi everyone, I bought a 2004 Disco 2 recently, very tidy, to fit my family (x5) in, take my two dogs, tow a trailer tent with bikes on top of it, and wonder about extra storage. I've thought about fitting a roofbox, but it's been suggested I should stow weight on top of the trailer, but i'd have nowhere for the bikes, so is fitting a topbox on half length longitudinal bars a good/bad idea, or should I think of a basket and waterproof roof bag? I'm a newbie so any advice gratefully received! Many thanks

[camel_landy]

Hi & welcome to the mad world of LR ownership!!

There are several schools of thought regarding sticking things on the roof; the arguments typically fall into the following areas:

• Raising the centre of gravity, stability, etc...
• Roof strength (or lack of).
• Aerodynamics & fuel consumption.

Don't get seduced into thinking that just because they did it on the Camel Trophy, means you're going to be able to do it with your car.

As a suggestion, it'll be worth looking into the weights & limits for your car. Familiarise yourself with things like GVW, kerb weights, towing weights, etc... And if you're wondering why the roof limits are so low, bear in mind the body of a D2 is made out of aluminium and doesn't offer much strength. Same goes for using the spare wheel for carrying anything.

I'm not a fan of sticking things on the roof but sometimes it's the most pragmatic solution. However, if you do, make sure you keep it to the minimum and limit it to soft but bulky stuff (roof box with sleeping bags, pillows, clothing, etc...) or light but bulky (e.g. Surfboards, canoes, etc...).

HTH

M

[Berean]

Lots to think about! Thanks so much for your advice. Cheers!