Is this legal?

[mm]

Is carrying a mattress and box spring on the rooftop (with
accessories to hold it on top of a passenger car) legal when driving
on a highway?

If so, would a full size bed fit on a subaru legacy rooftop?

 

[Josh Assing]

dude -- lurk before you post, understand how posting works.

"it depends" -- check with your local law enforcement & highway patrol.

define "fit" -- I wouldn't trust that rack to hold it going at freeway speeds.

 

[P T]

Once I saw a guy carrying a mattress on top of his car on the highway.
He had it tied down across the top, left to right. The problem is the
wind got under the mattress and was lifting it up. The guy was pretty
much unaware I think. It looked like it was only a matter of time until
it slip off to the side or off the back.

I would be reluctant to carry a mattress on top of a car ON A HIGHWAY.

 

[AS]

I moved a full size set on top of the roof-rack of a legacy L sw.

The preacautions I took, other than for protection of the set, was to
have the box spring on top of the mattress, for rigidity, and the front
edge of the set pretty close to the front end of the roofrack (to
prevent lift), thus leaving a longer section past the rear end of the rack.

5 times I moved a full size mattress on top of the roof rack of the 03
outback. Just made sure that the front end of the mattress was close to
the front end of the rack. Strapped the mattress tightly without
deforming it. It worked well.

Nope, not a mover here

 

[KLS]

Once I saw a guy carrying a mattress on top of his car on the highway.
He had it tied down across the top, left to right. The problem is the
wind got under the mattress and was lifting it up. The guy was pretty
much unaware I think. It looked like it was only a matter of time until
it slip off to the side or off the back.

Was this in Phoenix, AZ, in December 2002? If so, we drove over that
mattress on one of the highways in the evening with our rental car.
Just about had a heart attack when we suddenly encountered this large
white object in the middle of the lane we couldn't avoid, and then I
saw something flapping out the underside of the car, and we pulled off
on the exit ramp and discovered that the mattress had gotten trapped
under the chassis! Had to back and forth a bit to free the poor
mattress. Quite a memorable experience.

 

[nobody >]

I moved a full size set on top of the roof-rack of a legacy L sw.

The preacautions I took, other than for protection of the set, was to
have the box spring on top of the mattress, for rigidity, and the front
edge of the set pretty close to the front end of the roofrack (to
prevent lift), thus leaving a longer section past the rear end of the rack.

5 times I moved a full size mattress on top of the roof rack of the 03
outback. Just made sure that the front end of the mattress was close to
the front end of the rack. Strapped the mattress tightly without
deforming it. It worked well.

Nope, not a mover here

Whatever you do to secure the mattress, MAKE SURE THE FRONT IS TIED
DOWN. I'd recommend running a rope up to the front of the car somehow,
possibly tyeing it off to the tow hook or tiedown hook and padding the
rope as it goes over the hood front.

I've seen too many mattresses trying to achieve flight without the front
tied down.

 

[mm]

I moved a full size set on top of the roof-rack of a legacy L sw.

I have 2005 Lagacy wagon (GT).

The preacautions I took, other than for protection of the set, was to
have the box spring on top of the mattress, for rigidity, and the front
edge of the set pretty close to the front end of the roofrack (to
prevent lift), thus leaving a longer section past the rear end of the rack.

What kind of roof rack I should install? I called the Subar service
today and was told about *crossbar*.

5 times I moved a full size mattress on top of the roof rack of the 03
outback. Just made sure that the front end of the mattress was close to
the front end of the rack.

The rack you are referrigng to is the same as "crossbar", right?

Strapped the mattress tightly without deforming it. It worked well.

Can you tell me what you used to tighten it? I am going to have to
hire someone to load it for me. - I am a female

I am going to need something to cover the mattress from getting dirty.
Any suggestion?

Along with the matress set on rooftop, I am also thinking to attach a
trailer to carry things during a small move. Do you think I can manage
driving with a trailer fully loaded and a full size bed set on the
rooftop? Usually, I don't even have a passenger in my car. Should I
practise before I attempt it?

Nope, not a mover here

Me neither

 

[mm]

Whatever you do to secure the mattress, MAKE SURE THE FRONT IS TIED
DOWN. I'd recommend running a rope up to the front of the car somehow,
possibly tyeing it off to the tow hook or tiedown hook and padding the
rope as it goes over the hood front.

Sure but how to tie down the mattress in that front area?

 

[CompUser]

@n15g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
(e-mail address removed) says...

Sure but how to tie down the mattress in that front area?

You don't have a friend with a pickup truck?

Buy him dinner and be done with it.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Make it easy on yourself: use your feminine wiles...

Find a couple of "guy persons" w/ a pickup to help you--guys are
generally suckers for "damsels in distress"--or hire a small truck/van
from U-Haul or other vendors. Trying to be nice here, but your questions
indicate such a lack of experience w/ such an adventure that I see tears
and damaged goods in the picture before you're done!

Best of luck,

Rick