Will the factory roof rails be an issue ...

[Finlayforprez]

You can kind of see it here:

 

[epiclr4]

Please feel free to contact me. If you order the black design package, then it comes with full-length rails. You can definitely take them off if you wish. My 2011 had a Voyager rack, which I really liked, but I have been extremely happy with the Urban Offroad rack. I ended up going with the Urban Offroad rack because it is the only rack (at least what I could find) that works with the full-length roof rails and their shop was located about 3 hours away (right near Yosemite National Park), so Derek (the owner) did some custom work and installed it for free. He is an awesome fabricator.

I guess I need to do a bit of research myself on this 160 lb limit. It looks as though the roof rails are bolted directly into the same holes that my Voyager rack sat on - then the Urban rack is directly bolted onto that - so not sure if they mean the cross bars? I have my rack, 2 large pelican boxes (each weight about 40-50 lbs), a hi lift jack, and I stand up there quite often - seems to have no issues at all. I know Derek at Urban Offroad has done a bit of testing of the rack, but he has had a lot of crap up there.

Let me know if you have any questions.

-David

So if you look at the Land Rover Accessories PDF file that is out there it says their Expedition Roof Rack which is similar to your Urban Rack can handle 120 Lbs. The Cross Bars can handle 158 Lbs.

What this doesn't answer is how much weight the roof itself can hold. I will do some more searching.

 

[danrhiggins]

I am also wondering if I should pass on the rails for now (I may not even need them this year) and leave that as something I can do to enhance the truck in the future. Since I have no experience going off road or using an LR4 I really don't know what I need. (Probably shows from some of my posts.) Which begs the question, how hard is it to add these things later on the 2014? I think I saw a video on installing extended rails but I can't remember if that was replacing the short ones or installing new ones. For example, are the holes already drilled.

The Black Pack comes with the rails so if I go that route I'll have them whether I want them or not.

 

[Torkramer]

I'm no authority on this, by far, but I believe the weight limits advertised on almost all roof racks are more for handling stability. In other words, Land Rover doesn't want someone suing them after they rolled their LR4 with a Fiat on the roof, so the advertised limit is quite low. That may or may not be the actual structural limit.

 

[Finlayforprez]

I'm no authority on this, by far, but I believe the weight limits advertised on almost all roof racks are more for handling stability. In other words, Land Rover doesn't want someone suing them after they rolled their LR4 with a Fiat on the roof, so the advertised limit is quite low. That may or may not be the actual structural limit.

I agree. On my 2011 and now my 2013, I am pretty sure I exceeded the limits.