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What is the best way to attach a bed (160cm-by-200cm = 64"-by-80") to the roof bars? The car is Citroën C4 Picasso, with the bars as shown in the image below. I need to transport it only for a couple of miles, but without damage (it will be new and might have to be returned to the store.) I think about tying it with cords, so the question is mostly about how to tie in the most secure way. However, I am open to other suggestions/ideas.

(image source)
enter image description here

Additional info:
Bed is just rectangular (no headboard) - perhaps 20-30 cm thick (8"-12"), packaged in plastic or cardboard. Bars are about 120cm long (48") and spaced at about 80cm (32").

isherwood
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Roger V.
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    Do you have a photo of the bed? How long are the roof bars? – Martin Jul 27 '23 at 12:51
  • @Martin it is just rectangular (no headboard) - perhaps 20-30 cm thick (8"-12"). Bars are about 120cm long (48") and spaced at 80cm (32"). – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 12:53
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    When you say "bed" do you mean mattress? Box spring? Bed *frame*? – Huesmann Jul 27 '23 at 13:02
  • @Huesmann it is a bed frame. – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 13:08
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    Are you asking about proper use of tie-down straps, or about appropriate rope knots, or something else? One or both of those would be my solution, being very careful to secure against front-and-back motion since side-by-side is reasonably easy. Since you don't have crossbars on that rack, you may scratch up the roof unless you pad the load (and secure the padding, and keep the padding from degrading your grip on the load), not that anyone will notice. – keshlam Jul 27 '23 at 13:16
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    If it's new, can you ask the store you purchased it from whether they offer free / paid shipping? – Matthew Jul 27 '23 at 13:22
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    @Matthew since it has to be transported only a couple of miles (literally), it seems like a waste of money to pay for the shipping (40€). And, as I mentioned, it might have to be transported back (if it doesn't pass in the staircase.) – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 13:26
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    @keshlam this is it. Could you expand your comment into sn answer? I am not sure though, how one avoids sliding to a side... – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 13:29
  • I'm honestly not sure how to answer this except by showing you how I would do it... Ratchet straps or trucker's hitches (which serve a similar function) over the top of the load at each support, pulled very tight, to secure against side to side motion and hold it down (there's risk of airflow trying to lift it up, unless you drive slowly). Additional straps/ropes that secure each end of the load to the nearest support, again pulled very tight; this is a step which takes some judgement and experience. This is all assuming that you're bringing the bed home in a well-sealed box; if not... – keshlam Jul 27 '23 at 13:49
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    Many stores will have staff who can help you lift, and secure, the load. – keshlam Jul 27 '23 at 13:50
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    Can this bedframe be disassembled in the store parking lot? Screws, pins, locking cams, etc? If so, then that'll make it easier and safer to secure it to the car for transport, or it might possibly fit inside. This could also address the mostly unstated additional issue of navigating a stairwell. – MarkL Jul 27 '23 at 14:12

2 Answers2

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Beds and cars are off topic here, but I'm writing an answer because I've brought substantial amounts of lumber and sheet goods home on my wife's Audi A3 using this technique*.

  • Secure a few 8' 2x4s or 2x6s to the rack using suitable rope technique or something like ratchet straps and head to the store. Four is better since you can avoid the arch in the middle of the bars to some extent; two solid ones would probably be adequate. If using rope, see YouTube for lessons. Trucker's hitches are great, but maybe not for this first step. You need a lashing knot or bend.

  • Position the bed on the wooden rails in a suitable manner. Be sure to distribute the load fairly evenly. Pay attention to the lifting notes on the carton or package. For longer loads than a mattress, bias to the rear to reduce the chance for wind lift.

  • Secure the bed to the lumber rails and the car bars using more rope or straps. By wrapping around the load and through the bars, locking against the bar supports, the possibility of lateral movement is eliminated. This is one nice benefit of a wide load. Snug the lashings up enough that neither the load nor the rails can shift in a sudden stop. If appropriate, run around the load front-to-back, looping over the bar a couple times to lock position.

  • Don't exceed about 50 mph, corner gently, and keep a close eye on the front for uplift. Things get destroyed in high wind, maybe on or in the traffic behind. Stop and adjust, if needed. Watch carefully for potholes or dips--bounce can dramatically increase the dynamic weight of the load on the roof.

If using rope, good technique is critical. Inexperienced people tend to leave room for shifting loads, which instantly loosen the tie. You must eliminate or accommodate that possibility.

Also note the possibility that interior boards or load items can be loose by virtue of the shape of the load. If they are, secure them further or move them outward.

Of course, heed the total load rating for your vehicle (to a degree--the rating assumes central loading and you're mostly loading the ends, ideally). You don't want the bars or the roof coming off at an inopportune time with a pile of roofing shingles splattering out behind.

And protect your car's roof. Hand buckles to a helper so they don't bounce. Secure rope and strap ends so they aren't whipping. Use caution when lifting the load over.

* I want a bumper sticker for my ol' BMW 330i reading, "This little car has probably hauled more lumber than your giant pickup".

isherwood
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Seriously, rent an truck or pay someone to haul it for you.

  1. I think that the bed frame, due its dimensions, cannot rest directly on the rails. That means the flimsy packaging needs to be strong enough that the roof rails won't punch through the packaging. I suppose here that the bed is either empty in the middle, or does have some flexible mattress inserts. I don't think that this will work, as proper ratchet straps need tension to keep the load from falling down.

  2. The package hangs over the roof, as your roof is supposedly narrower than the 1.6m. That could mean legal troubles.

isherwood
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Martin
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    Or rent/borrow a trailer, if the car has a towing hitch. But most stores will deliver for a nominal fee, and that improves the odds of it being in good shape to return if needed. – Ecnerwal Jul 27 '23 at 13:20
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    Seriously, until all Americans decided that a pickup truck was needed for _everything_ folks did things like this all the time. (I can't speak to elsewhere.) It's not a big deal. It just takes some good ol' fashioned ingenuity. I give people enough credit for that. – isherwood Jul 27 '23 at 13:37
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    @Ecnerwal trailer is a good idea. I am new to this community, but it seems to me that *pay someone to do this for you* is a rather universal solution, that could be applicable to any question in this community... isn't it disallowed by the community rules? – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 13:40
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    @isherwood I also hauled lumber on the roof rails ages ago, with an flimsy 3 door Opel Corsa. I don't know if the general attitude changed over time, or it is only me being overcautious. IMHO the roof rack would be a solution for people who have an ability and a feeling for "practical solutions", but not for everyone. – Martin Jul 27 '23 at 13:45
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    @isherwood nah, Euro guy here. No loads of guns here, they exist, but with stricter, not neccessarily wiser, regulations. But ok, I will try to formulate an better answer – Martin Jul 27 '23 at 13:51
  • @Martin I think the point about the oversized load was relevant, I will definitely check it (though I do not expect it to be a problem on local roads.) – Roger V. Jul 27 '23 at 14:10
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    @RogerVadim No, it's not disallowed to suggest that the better way to DIY might be to rent or borrow or hire something better suited to the job. Or that certain tasks (not this one) are strictly out of the realm of DIY altogether and require a qualified professional. – Ecnerwal Jul 27 '23 at 14:36
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    Improvising is fine . . . until it goes off the rails and destroys property or injures someone. – Jim Stewart Jul 27 '23 at 14:39