Roof rack MPG ?

[cr2000xj]

I dont really notice much difference with my rack either and I carry a spare, hi lift and tools up there all the time.

 

[D.Silver369]

WebDog i also feel like im getting a lot of drag from my roof rack and my spare tire...have you ever run a full size spare on your roof rack after you put the solid front on yours?

 

[stoneattic]

I pulled my 4 Yakama 58" bars with Yakima LandShark kayak holders off and saw no discernible difference in mpg, which surprised the he11 out of me. I did have the fairing on it which might have helped.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

i have two thules bars holding a campinglab awning, and I still am up in the high teens and 20's. stock tires 3.55's, etc. 1992 laredo.

I plan on putting a full length "Bajarack Megamule" rack on ASAP, and I'm hoping like the nice yellow one above, to minimize the impact due to a hard, light aluminum fairing.

 

[goodburbon]

Cargomaster Safari rack -1 to -2 without spare, -2 to -3 with spare. Wind drag also caused noticable power loss on highway, most prevalently displayed by excessive downshifting/ inability to maintain speed over overpasses. The tubes were half inch-ish and the bottom rungs are pointed to reduce drag.

 

[cj11]

I have a yakima and have tried taking it off acouple of times never noticed any differance my mpg has takin a dump lately dont know why seems ever since it has gotten so damn cold.

I have never used the wind sheild for the rack because I have lights there will be removing the lights in a couple of days. Will it make any diff if i use the sheild

 

[goodburbon]

I have a yakima and have tried taking it off acouple of times never noticed any differance my mpg has takin a dump lately dont know why seems ever since it has gotten so damn cold.

I have never used the wind sheild for the rack because I have lights there will be removing the lights in a couple of days. Will it make any diff if i use the sheild

You have a gigantic wind sail of lights on the roof. If you leave them there and remove the rack expecting mileage to change it's not gonna happen. You'd have to remove both.

 

[cj11]

My lights are mounted to my rack not the roof. So when I removed the rack the lights went with it

 

[SuzysJ]

Simple enough: Make it remove-able, all or in part.

 

[Mike Mike]

I'm going to leave it on when i build it. Just trying to decide which will have the smallest impact on my wallet.

 

[DeathValleyPaul]

I normally get 10.3 mpg. With the roof rack mounted I get 10.2 With a box on the roof rack that was 2 feet high, by 4 feet x 3 feet, the mileage went down to 9.9.

The same thing happens when I put a hitch basket on the rear. Unless you can make your Cherokee bigger, the roof is a good place for light weight bulky items.

But the real news is I went from 13 to 10.3 when I put my Exo Cage on. Half of it is the extra weight, half of it is the ruining the perfect cement block profile!

 

[Super mud]

87 xj 4.0 aw4 31x10.50s stock gears.
Around October I was getting about 20mpg on my drive up the mountains into PA with my square tube rack+5 KC lights+spare and toolbox. Broke down on the way back and just started driving it again this winter after do a rear axle swap and some stuff. Now I'm getting almost 10mpg for some stupid reason without the rack but once I fix the mpg problem I'll be putting the rack back on after some mods to it.
I extended it the full length of the roof and will be trying to make a foldable light bar which when down will have a "spoiler" on top to add some aerodynamics and shoot the air resistance over top the rack and luggage. If I remember I'll get back to this thread on the recordings without the rack and with the lightbar down. Wish me luck