Roof rack loads for panoramic roof?

mark09 · Post by **mark09** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:10 am

I purchased roof rack and box for our up and coming trip away and the supplier advised I check allowable luggage load for the roof of an X5 40d with panoramic sunroof. Anyone know where I can find this info? I have check the BMW website but found nothing!

Cheers

javaboss · Post by **javaboss** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:28 am

That is worrying. I have a 40d msport on order for 1st March with the panoramic roof. I told the dealer that we use a Thule roof box two or three times a year. He said there was no issue whatsoever with having a roof box fitted with a panoramic roof.

He better be right. We have 2 children and two golden retrivers so the car will be useless if we can't fit the roof box!

phill · Post by **phill** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 9:38 am

It will be in the manual, you can normally download them from BMW website (technical specs at the back) my E53 says 100 kg no mention wether the car has pano roof or not so would assume both same

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petert · Post by **petert** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:22 pm

I have a 2010 35d with pano roof. Owners manual makes no differentiation between car with or without pano roof. Limit stated as 100kg.
Peter T

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 3:04 pm

Just returned from holiday, complete with large Thule roofbox (which we hired - bit low on storage space at home). No probs with our X5 M Sport with pano roof. Noticed it's worth closing the internal blind across the roof which reduces wind noise from the box. The structural strength in the roof will run down the sides rather than the middle so makes sense ...

javaboss · Post by **javaboss** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:07 pm

Makes sense. Mine is a Thule Atlantis 200 (I think!) which isn't the biggest - it's 450 litres. Not sure if more than 100kgs loaded but I don't think it's going to be an issue.

dirtymonkey29 · Post by **dirtymonkey29** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:31 pm

Having been to a lot of scrap yards over the years and seen 2 or 3 cars piled on top of each other I think you'll be pretty safe with a full roof box.

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:53 pm

The one hired was the Atlantis 780 which is slightly larger. I suspect the weight limit given by Thule is either in case it's put on a small car, or because the boxes themselves are made from flimsy plastic. I imagine the forces created by driving along an autoroute at [cough] mph far exceed the 75kgs also. You'll be fine.

mark09 · Post by **mark09** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:28 pm

All seemed ok although didn't really over load it.

Nice gloss black Thule roof box

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:39 pm

Very stylish - pain we don't have the storage space to allow buying one. I was following a new white British played M Sport through France on Tuesday - presume it wasn't you?!

mark09 · Post by **mark09** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 2:27 pm

No not me. Enjoying myself with the family in Yorkshire !

Happy new year to all

javaboss · Post by **javaboss** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:52 pm

Does anyone know what the 'foot' type is for connecting to the car rails? I bought my Thule and aerobars etc from Halfords for my existing Lexus RX350. I'm making the assumption that the aerobars will be wide enough to fit my new X5 when it arrives in March. However, I'm assuming that I will need new feet to fix to the flush roof rails on the X5? (the RX rails are raised up and the feet grip around them)

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:03 pm

We hired a Thule roof box, and the guy that came to fit it initially came with the wrong type of attachments for the roof rack. You get types that are designed to fit roof rails (per M sport) and types for bars down the side of the car (per SE cars). The latter uses a type of attachment that clamps from underneath the bar as well as on top, whereas the M sport rail is solid and therefore clamping from below is not possible. For the rails you need the ones that clamps from the top, and is tightened from the sides. Hope this helps.

mark09 · Post by **mark09** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:33 pm

It took roofbox company 3 attempts to get the correct fittings for my M Sport. I will post up the correct foot pack reference once I return home but from memory it was 753.

I did originally order the wisper bar set but the foot fittings were not compatible.

pionsee · Post by **pionsee** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:46 am

I've had thule roof bars and a kamei roof box on my 2011 40d M Sport recently. You need the Thule 869 Aerobars, 4003 fitting kit and 753 footpack.

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