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Teknikmobil.com – Indonesia has a strong homecoming event every year, so installing a roof box on your car is an alternative for carrying more items. Cars with 7 passengers are the ones most often taken home or on long trips, for example on trips. Due to the large number of passengers, the number of car designs used for luggage is reduced. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see that installing a roof box is a very logical alternative.
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Photo by Jeff Moser / BikeCarson.com
Many roof boxes are offered by various manufacturers of four-wheeled vehicle accessories. Various brands are available in the market both offline and online. The products are also diverse, not only in shape, capacity, but also in very varied prices. We can see this from very cheap prices up to tens of millions of rupiah. With a roof box on the car, passengers don’t have to pack their belongings and can travel comfortably.
But is a car with a roof box still in standard condition when driving, especially when cornering, on potholes, and also when braking? This is a question that requires you to think both before and after installing a roof box on your car. In this article, we will try to explain the important things that you should consider when choosing a roof box as your best choice.
Car Center of Mass Problem
Making a car is not enough to design the car body as well as possible, install the engine, chassis and other equipment. But it’s more than that. All components in a car also pay attention to important things such as the car’s center of mass. Everything is calculated and the center of mass is determined. The center of mass will primarily determine the level of passenger safety apart from comfort when driving. The center of mass will be related to the ability of the braking system, maximum speed when cornering and so on. Therefore, the standard of a car has become an absolute must if you want it to run as the company wants.
Then what about the roof box problem? The addition of a roof box which then contains cargo will increase the position of the center of mass. The heavier the load added to the roof box, the higher the center of mass will be. And the higher the center of mass, the more likely it is that the car will roll over or at least sway. Therefore, even though there is a roof box, try to place items that are light but take up space in the roof box.
Testimonials carried out for example by Nasmoco through their articles, provide the following information. The result is that it is predicted that a car with a load of 50 kg on the roof has a tendency to roll around 20% greater. If it is empty when cornering, the car will tilt at a maximum of 10.5 degrees. When loaded, this slope increases to 12.9 degrees.
Pay attention to the speed when turning
The position of the car’s center of mass will affect its turning ability. When cornering, the car requires more balance than when traveling on a straight road. The vehicle’s load will be more focused on the inner wheels. Therefore, with the car’s center point being higher, you have to reduce your speed when cornering from the speed you normally do without the roof box being filled. Simply put, the greater the corner, the more you have to reduce your car’s speed.
Effect on braking stopping distance
This is a problem of inertial mass (remember basic physics or physics in middle school/high school). Additional weight carried in the roof box or in the trunk of the car will increase the overall mass of the car. Based on Newton’s laws of motion, one of which states that the greater the inertial mass, the more difficult it is for an object to be moved and vice versa. Therefore, the greater the mass of the vehicle, the more difficult it will be for the car to stop. This is what has an effect on the vehicle’s braking stopping distance. Even cars with additional mass in the roof box or trunk will experience braking stopping distances that are longer than normal. So, it’s a good idea to keep your vehicle a little further away from the vehicle in front of you while carrying a heavier load than you usually carry during the trip.
Balance decreases, avoid deep/high potholes/bumps
Increasing the position of the car’s center of mass will reduce the overall balance of the vehicle. This is very dangerous when the car goes through a pothole. At normal speed with standard load, you will probably be able to control the vehicle well. However, at the same speed but with increased load you can lose control and the car can roll over. Therefore, reducing your speed when passing through holes/bumps on the road you are traveling on from your usual speed, or avoiding them is a better and wiser way.
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Although there are some other effects such as engine speed, aerodynamic problems, but they are nothing compared to the important things we outlined above. Problems that occur with the engine, for example, will only result in the use of slightly more fuel than usual. Meanwhile, for aerodynamic issues, although it will have a big impact, for vehicles that are designed for home use, it will not have as much of an impact compared to those for racing vehicles. The problem that is more highlighted in terms of installing a roof box is the issue of ensuring safety for the occupants in the car.
Therefore, reconsider installing and adding weight to your vehicle. Especially when traveling, especially for loads with a large mass at the top or in the roof box. There is no need to add a roof box if it is not really necessary, because the standard of a vehicle is closely related to all the components in the car and the safety issue of you and other passengers is the main thing that you must pay attention to.[]