Check the bars!

[SeaDoug]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/p6203941.jpg/
No, not the drinking kind, the upright ones.
Fortunately this one gently leant over after we took the boats off on arrival at the campsite on Mull....and came off in my hand!
I did check them before setting out, but obviously not closely enough. They were normallly stored in a garage, not left on the car, but had not been removed from the cross bar for 10 years or so.
SeaDoug

[Jim]

No drain....

[SeaDoug]

...and plastic coated to keep the moisture in, Jim.
But they were always stored in a garage, with the uprights hanging down, so any internal water should have been at the loop end, not the bracket end.

[Jim]

The heat from welding changes the structure of the steel in the heat affected zone, coupled with the possibility that the steel in the welding rod/wire may not have been accurately matched to the steel for the tube or plates (which also may be different) all adds up to faster corrosion around welds as a potential difference can exist between different areas of a non homogeneous piece of metal setting up a battery to drive corrosion. When we measure the thickness of steel plate on ships the area around welds always gets extra scrutiny for necking.

It could be that the welding flux was never cleaned up properly if it was stick or gasless welded, that will also accelerate corrosion.

I'm not accusing you of not taking care of them, just explaining why they rust around the base of the tube.....

[SeaDoug]

Thanks for explanation, Jim - but I was just trying to warn of the possibility of bars which have maybe carried your kayaks safely for years having a fit of old age as you speed down the road.....mine had transferred between at least 4 cars in their useful life, and carried countless boats. The discussions about failing roofracks etc may distract from this basic bit of kit which might not be checked in detail before a trip.
Do it now!
Cheers!
SeaDoug (with Chiefs ticket and [ex] AMIMarE)

[Chris Bolton]

My bars did exactly the same, Doug. Initially it was my well built 18 year old son who was blamed for overtightening the straps, but it was clearly corrosion from the inside. Rather than buy replacments, I bought a welder and made some with solid flat bar.

Chris

[Jim]

My bars did exactly the same, Doug. Initially it was my well built 18 year old son who was blamed for overtightening the straps, but it was clearly corrosion from the inside. Rather than buy replacments, I bought a welder and made some with solid flat bar.

Chris

These days you can almost buy a welder for the price of a set of uprights so that's not as wacky as it might first sound!