Will modifying my roof rack cause issues?

[Fisher23]

Will cutting this material off my roof rack cause issues, like increased wind noise or structural problems?

I have that ARB Flat Classic rack with the mesh and want to increase my visibility through the sun roof.

The rack looks like this.
I do not understand the purpose of the sheet metal at the front?

AND I want to make it look like this.

 

[TeCKis300]

Will cutting this material off my roof rack cause issues, like increased wind noise or structural problems?

I have that ARB Flat Classic rack with the mesh and want to increase my visibility through the sun roof.

The rack looks like this.
I do not understand the purpose of the sheet metal at the front?

View attachment 3220446

AND I want to make it look like this.

View attachment 3220447

I think it'll be fine structurally. Harmonic wind noise might be very real problem with a tube at the leading edge.

Air flowing around a cylinder can create oscillations at certain speeds and what the sheet metal is likely there to mitigate. Lookup Karman vortex on youtube. A number of unexpected engineering failures have resulted from this.

There's other ways to solve that problem if you want to remove the sheet metal. You can wrap the tube with something like a wire to form an external corkscrew.

Here's an oldie.

 

[Tex68w]

I think it'll be fine structurally. Harmonic wind noise might be very real problem with a tube at the leading edge.

Air flowing around a cylinder can create oscillations at certain speeds and what the sheet metal is likely there to mitigate. Lookup Karman vortex on youtube. A number of unexpected engineering failures have resulted from this.

There's other ways to solve that problem if you want to remove the sheet metal. You can wrap the tube with something like a wire to form an external corkscrew.

Here's an oldie.

Funny, I was going to mention the Tacoma bridge in regards to this. @Fisher23 I do believe you will get some odd droning if you remove that panel as it appears to be there solely to mitigate and diffuse those harmonics.

 

[Fisher23]

Thanks !

 

[scott johnson]

Might need to add a faring to the front.

 

[TheIcemanCometh]

The other issue is the mesh and where it is tacked to the crossbars. Not a structural issue but it flopping around when not loaded.

 

[Fisher23]

The other issue is the mesh and where it is tacked to the crossbars. Not a structural issue but it flopping around when not loaded.

The mesh is really heavy duty, approximately 1/4" or 5/16" thick so it's not flopping around at all.
It doesn't even seem to flex when walking on it.