Everyone who is familiar with ladder racks will probably also know that there are two main materials that define them. People who are in the market for a ladder rack, looking to upgrade their vehicle, can either buy an aluminum ladder rack or a steel ladder rack. These two materials are quite common in everyday life and everything surrounding us. They are strong metals that provide a sense of stability and durability to everything they are associated with. However, their characteristics differ from one another, which in turn means aluminum and steel ladder racks are different as well.
Choosing between the two can be a bit tricky, especially if you are not familiar with the main features of each option and what they bring to the table. Here are listed some of the main characteristics of both categories, exposing the differences between aluminum and steel ladder racks.
Benefits of aluminum ladder racks
One of the main benefits of an aluminum ladder rack is its weight. As a lightweight material, this ensemble is easy to mount on the top of any vehicle and does not make it much heavier. This in turn means that the vehicle can maintain its normal fuel consumption and speed, whether with or without the ladder rack. This is also an advantage when it comes to cargo vehicles that should keep their weight to a certain number.
In addition, aluminum ladder racks are coated in a special material which does not allow them to get rusty. This means that it can preserve its initial look through time and always seem like a new and attractive addition to your vehicle.
Advantages of steel ladder racks
Probably the main advantage of a steel ladder rack comes down to cost. In general steel racks are cheaper than aluminum racks when it comes to the same model with the same features. In addition, steel ladder racks are known to be very strong and durable as the material itself and they are more resistant when it comes to bending. Also, similar to aluminum ladder racks, steel ones also can be coated to protect their surface, however they do not provide the same aesthetically pleasing look that the material of aluminum does.
All in all, ignoring cost and just looking at features, the main difference between an aluminum ladder rack and a steel ladder rack is weight. Therefore when you are choosing a ladder rack to buy, you need to keep in mind what kind of vehicle you have and what kind of job you need the rack for. Basically your vehicle needs to be able to support the weight of the ladder rack without hurting its performance. Just the same, the ladder rack needs to support the ladder type you use for your job. The best solution might be a universal ladder rack that fits your vehicle’s weight specifications. Whether it is steel or aluminum, it all depends on that!
