Nissan’s Patrol is not for someone looking for a fuel-efficient vehicle as it’s always been made to be a terrain conqueror. Its powerful engine and drive train make it relaxing to drive on the motorway too.
This is why the Y62 Patrol is a great vehicle to travel the country with as it has a comfortable ride thanks to Nissan’s special seat technology. While you won’t get as great of a turning circle (12.5m) for a vehicle that’s 7.175 mm long it’s good enough. The V8 underneath it also makes a pleasant sound but nothing beats a Patrol with a roof rack on it.
Benefits of Adding a Roof Rack
Cargo
A lengthy vehicle like the Patrol can make the most out of a roof rack’s most notable advantages. That’s the ability to increase storage space without making it cumbersome to drive with it. Unlike a trailer, a Patrol Y62 roof rack doesn’t add to the length of your vehicle which is already quite big. The roof is where you keep everything that can’t be affected by the elements
Safety
Just because something is on the roof of your Patrol, it doesn’t mean that it makes it unsafe to drive. In fact, with a Nissan Patrol Y62 roof rack on, you get to put more weight on your SUV which will make it even more stable at lower speeds. That is as long as you don’t stack items on top of each other and spread the weight evenly across the whole roof.
Theft
Having all your gear and tools in the back of your trailer can make it a lot easier for somebody to nick it than it is on the roof. While the roof of your Patrol isn’t unreachable it will take a lot more effort to get to them than it is to install the roof rack or mount your equipment up top.
Types of Roof Rack Designs
Flush
A flush bar roof rack is the sleekest and sportiest roof rack design you can go for as it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb when placed on your Patrol. But because of their design, they are not the most accommodating or the most secure Y62 roof racks you can get. Flush bar roof racks are made to transport bicycles, roof boxes or kayaks.
Platform
If you want to get the most out of your Patrol’s roof, then you should go for a platform roof rack. This is a flat surface on which you get to secure all your gear and equipment. There are platform roof racks that have rails around them to keep items in place even when driving through challenging terrain.
Through Bar
A through bar is a reasonable alternative between flush bar and platform roof racks. They are not as large or as sleek but they are definitely quite an accommodating option since they make the most out of the area you set them to cover and generate the least amount of wind noise. If you need to carry different types of equipment, a through bar is for you.
Types of Roof Rack Mounting Solutions
Fixed Point
The simplest and easiest to mount Y62 roof racks are known as fixed point roof racks. They fit on the factory fitting points on your Patrol’s roof line and offer a reasonable load limit but are not as flexible as other types of roof racks. That’s because you can’t choose where the racks will sit on the roof, it has to be where those fixed points are.
Raised
With raised roof racks you can get a higher load limit than that of a fixed point rack and the rack doesn’t come in contact with the roof which means it won’t scratch the roof as easily or at all. However, raised roof rail racks are quite short and thus need to be placed towards the rear of the roof which is not good for stability.
Solid Mount
Solid mount roof racks are made to work with a factory-fitted raised rail on the roof of your Patrol. It’s because of this that they’re the best low-profile racks that also don’t damage the paint on the roof. Like raised roof racks, solid mount ones are also placed towards the back of your Patrol.
Gutter Mount
A gutter mount Y62 roof rack is simple and thus easy to fit while it also offers a high load limit. The downside is that you need to get locking knobs in order to fit the roof racks.
Track Mount
Your Patrol may not come with the most minimalistic mounting points for which you should get track mount roof racks. Track mount Y62 roof racks are extremely flexible and also easy to install thanks to the use of bolts and rivets. But if you go with aftermarket track mount roof racks make sure they’re compatible with the factory tracks otherwise you’ll have a difficult time installing them.
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