Hello;  Through all this talk of roof racks, no one has mentioned the roof
racks so common around these parts.  They consist of two risers and a one
inch square bar joining the risers.  The risers have for Vanagon only
printed on them, and are some kind of die cast zinc-like material.  I took
the original wimpy thin walled cross pipe off and put heavy walled 1 inch
square pipe in it's place.  I'm a windsurfing type, and built an extension
to hold 4 windsurfers and a canoe, and all the rigging necessary for a days
fun at our local wind machine/ fun centre.  The racks hold maybe 400 lbs.
fully loaded.  So far no problems.  Oh I should say that these racks rode on
my 75 westy for 5 years, and now are on my 87 GL.  I cut a short ladder down
so it fit snugly into the parcel rack, which I find nescessary to losd and
off-losd the boards.  These risers must be made by VW, or at least made for
VW's, but I've not seem any mention of them.
Larry Carter