Last Updated on January 2, 2023 by Will Sabel
Have you ever had noise issues while driving a car with a roof box? Are you wondering why this happens in the first place? There are few possibilities but the most common is the wind angle and airspeed hitting the roof rack.
These problems can be minimized either by completely removing the rack from the groove or by adding some critical components to dampen the excess noise.
In this article we will discuss the possibilities of tackling noises and mention how to stop wind noise from roof rack, hoping to make your driving experience better than before. Without further ado let’s dig into the reasons behind a noisy drive and try to curb it with some easy procedures.
Why Does Roof Rack Get Noisy During A drive?
The noise that comes from the roof rack while you are speeding up is known as Aeolian noise. It is caused by the wind that hits the rack from different angles. Not to forget the speed of the wind and the car also plays a major part in this.
All these factors can be manipulated in some way to minimize the sound or even eliminate it. Altering the speed or wind direction is destined to provide less sound, if not done right the noise can peak up to make things worse.
How To Stop Wind Noise From Roof Rack
1. Remove The Rack
The safest way to go about it is to completely move the rack from its position. Doing so will free up space and the absence of railing will allow the wind to pass by freely without being obstructed. If you are not carrying any additional gear with you, we prefer that you remove the rack to get rid of the noise once and for all.
2. Add Aerodynamic Crossbars
Roof rack noise is a phenomenon that is still a pain in the neck for many people. Rather than being creative which can be a little time-consuming, people prefer aftermarket products that can eliminate wind noise. For roof racks, there are aerodynamic crossbars that are tailormade to cut down the excessive noise.
Aerodynamic crossbars are oval, have a lower profile and include wind diffusing grooves to tackle the flow of wind and dampen the noise. The diffuser grooves are helpful and will create a vortex rather than a directional flow, which is extremely helpful in minimizing noise.
The oval-shaped cross bars are known for their aerodynamic properties because of their round shape on the bars. With better aerodynamics, your car is going to be more fuel efficient.
3. Use Wind Fairing
Have you seen the horizontal flaps on air conditioners? What is the use? Well, they guide the wind in a particular direction. This is what wind fairing is and it can be used on cars too.
These wind guiding installations can be put up on roof racks to deflect the incoming wind and make it less severe when in contact with the rails or objects. Wind fairing helps to break the airflow and alters the angle as well.
Wind fairing devices are common aftermarket gears and most of them have a universal fit. It’s better to get fairing gear made by the same brand as your roof rack.
4. Change The Moving Speed Of The Vehicle
Airflow speed plays a major role in producing noises. When it hits the rack at different speeds, you are likely to hear ranging sounds. For this process, you won’t need any additional installations. Just varying the driving speed can work wonders.
This is more experimental and does not guarantee total success in eliminating the noise, but what’s the problem in giving it a try? It works for many and might work for you too. Altering the car speed by 5 miles per hour either by throttling or reducing the speed can encourage positive results.
In this case, you are adjusting the speed of your car, but how about the wind speed from the environment? You cannot do anything about it in the first place, but you can tweak the relative speed somehow by powering or slowing down your car.
5. Padding The Crossbars
Shielding the crossbars helps to protect them from damage caused by the loaded objects. It also protects the rack from rust and weather conditions. Apart from that the padding also provides a stellar benefit in dampening the noise.
Keep in mind that roof rack pads come in different sizes and will change the diameter of the crossbar when wrapped. The main purpose of such padding is to disturb the flow of air and guide it on a smoother path.
You can also be creative and save your money by wrapping other options like fabric or rope on the crossbars. Just make sure they are tightly wrapped and secured so that they don’t fall off while driving.
Final Verdict
You might want to know how to stop wind noise from roof rack without taking off the rails and bars? We suggest you use air fairing gadgets on the front of the rack to guide the air effectively.
Another functional alternative is to use padding on the crossbars. This will protect the rails from unwanted hazards and also terminate the noise caused by wind speed and flowing direction.
Whatever you pick from the list above, should give you some sort of assurance to tackle wind noise. See what complements your car and then select wisely.
