Motorhomes with factory fitted roof bars

[canoegnu]

Hi All,

I'm looking at upgrading my 22 year old Herald Aragon to a newer van with a more powerful engine, ideally a little bit smaller as well. A two or three berth coachbuilt, 6m long or less, 2.3m wide or less would be ideal. I have a couple of other requirements, which are making it really difficult to find a suitable used van, namely:

1. I want to use it as a ski van in the Alps in winter, so I need pretty good insulation.

2. I want it to have roof bars / rack, so that I can fit a roof box and carry a sea kayak in summer. I'm not too happy about the strength of aftermarket racks, which just screw into the wood on the roof, so I'm really looking for something where the roof bars are an integral part of the roof structure (like my current Aragon).

The roof bar thing seems to be a real sticking point. It seems that hardly any vans are built with them these days and the aftermarket ones I have seen fitted look rather flimsy.

Can any one recommend makes / models of van to look for, which would satisfy the above? Many thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Ian

 

[WildThingsKev]

I have a Rapido 7090 with factory fitted rails which I use to carry kayaks, I also walk all over the roof regularly to clear snow whilst skiing for 2 months. I used Fiamma roofbars as the transverse bars which fit nicely with a little bit of modification. The van is pretty well insulated with interior fresh water and a heated cofferdam around the waste tank.

My van is 2008 7.4m but something like this 2002/52 Fiat Rapido 772F low profile motorhome | eBay or newer would, I think, be built to the same spec.

 

[Deleted member 8180]

My Knaus sun to has factory roof bars which I’ve carried 17 foot canoes on. Needs a roller on the back to get it up though. I’ll be moving it on at the end of the year if you’re interested ...

 

[The laird]

I have a Rapido 7090 with factory fitted rails which I use to carry kayaks, I also walk all over the roof regularly to clear snow whilst skiing for 2 months. I used Fiamma roofbars as the transverse bars which fit nicely with a little bit of modification. The van is pretty well insulated with interior fresh water and a heated cofferdam around the waste tank.

My van is 2008 7.4m but something like this 2002/52 Fiat Rapido 772F low profile motorhome | eBay or newer would, I think, be built to the same spec.

Heated cofferdam? Can you tell me is this a jacket/blanket? Excuse my asking

 

[The laird]

I may be wrong, use of word "coffer dam" indicates to me some kind of heated void?

Yeah I was thinking a heated boundary or like terry?

 

[Weston]

My Knaus sun to has factory roof bars which I’ve carried 17 foot canoes on. Needs a roller on the back to get it up though. I’ll be moving it on at the end of the year if you’re interested ...

Not wishing to divert this thread but I am interested in the roller, that you have. I have a Mclouis with fitted bars (the newer ones do not have them) and struggled to get my canoe up and down and could not get a roller at a sensible price. Mastodon do you have any info on your roller.

 

[witzend]

Not wishing to divert this thread but I am interested in the roller, that you have..

May not suit your application But Rhino Roof bars do a roller

 

[WildThingsKev]

Heated cofferdam? Can you tell me is this a jacket/blanket? Excuse my asking

It's the word I use to describe the void surrounding an underslung tank and encased by an outer skin, typical on continental brands. One of the truma blown air pipes blows into the void.

I've made a few modifications to mine; sealing the gaps around the waste pipes to stop all the hot air coming straight back out, bonding insulating foam all over the outer skin and making an insulated and baffled exhaust vent around the drain pipe/valve to allow the warm air to flow down to that point.

Works to -25C if the heating is continuously on!