One of the most common questions we're asked at Rack-it, from dealers and end users alike is "What is the Load Rating on a rack?" or "How much weight can I put up on the rack?" It would be nice if we had a simple answer to that question, but load rating is a bit tricky ... here's why:
Rack-it "rates" our racks to carry up to 1700 pounds. However, this does not mean that the user should carry this type of weight on top of their rack. The rack itself can hold up to 1700 pounds in a static environment.
However the truck and / or truck body's bedrails it is attached to may not have this same "load rating."
You may have noticed when you purchased your truck a published payload capacity. Payload capacity for pick up trucks means how much weight it can carry, and takes into consideration both passengers and cargo in both the cab and the bed. The truck manufacturers do not publish any data on what their bedrails can support; therefore we have a pretty big gray area when it comes to "load rating."
At the end of the day, the rack can bear much more weight than the truck's bedrails it is attached to so we recommend the following:
1. Use Common Sense when loading your rack. If it looks or feels like too much weight, then it probably is.
2. Load the rack in a way that evenly distributes weight. Anytime a user places a load on top of a Rack-it Truck Rack, it will notably change the handling characteristics of the vehicle. We cannot control the way in which the end user loads material on the rack; therefore it is the sole responsibility of the user to secure these materials safely (distributing weight evenly) to the rack before transporting.
3. Never exceed the manufacturer's GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) as overloading can cause serious damage to the bodywork of the vehicle.
