How to measure your van for a ladder rack

We ask for year, make, model, roof height and wheelbase on every quote because vehicle-specific kits are cut and mounted for that combination. A rack for the wrong roof or the wrong wheelbase is not a small inconvenience. It is the wrong kit. This guide shows you how to collect those details from the van, using only the roofs and wheelbases that appear in our catalog.

Start with the door sticker

Open the driver's door and look at the jamb sticker, sometimes called the certification label. It lists the year, the model code and, on many vans, enough trim detail to confirm the roof and the body length. A photo of that sticker, sent with your quote request, is the single most useful thing you can give us. The owner's manual and the original window sticker are good backups if the jamb label is worn.

How to read roof height

Our catalog uses these labels, and we stay with them rather than inventing heights in inches:

• Ford Transit (2015 and newer): Low roof, Medium roof or High roof.
• RAM ProMaster (2013 and newer): Low roof or High roof. We do not list a medium roof for this van.
• Mercedes Sprinter: Low roof or High roof, in both the 2002 to 2006 and the 2007 and newer ranges.
• Chevy Express / GMC Savana: our catalog does not assign a roof height. Tell us if the van has a raised or conversion roof.

If the sticker is unclear, use a simple check in the cargo area. On a Transit, a high roof is the one most people can stand up in, a low roof is the shortest, and a medium roof sits in between. On a ProMaster or Sprinter, you are choosing between low and high only. Do not guess from a photo of the outside alone if you can avoid it. We would rather have the sticker.

How to measure wheelbase

Wheelbase is the distance from the centre of the front wheel to the centre of the rear wheel, measured in inches, in a straight line along the side of the van. A tape measure and a helper are enough. You do not measure the cargo floor, and you do not measure bumper to bumper.

Compare your measurement to the wheelbases we list:

• Ford Transit: 130 in or 148 in, plus 148 in extended on the high roof.
• RAM ProMaster: 118 in, 136 in or 159 in, plus 159 in extended on the high roof.
• Mercedes Sprinter: 144 in or 170 in, plus 170 in extended on the 2007 and newer high roof.
• Chevy Express / GMC Savana: 135 in regular or 155 in extended.
• Ford Transit Connect (2014 and newer): 105 in short wheelbase or 120.5 in long wheelbase.
• RAM ProMaster City (2015 and newer): 122 in.

A measurement a fraction of an inch off one of those figures is normal. If you land halfway between two lengths, measure again and send both the tape reading and a sticker photo. For a Sprinter, also note whether factory-style roof tracks are already on the roof. Many 2007 and newer racks need those tracks before the rack can be installed.

What to send with the quote

Year, make, model, roof height, wheelbase, and what you want on the roof or inside the van. If any of those is uncertain, add photos of the door sticker and the full van from the side. We confirm fitment before every order. Prices are in CAD plus HST, with pickup in Vaughan or delivery typically in 5 to 7 business days, and installation by appointment.

When you know the van, these guides will help you pick a line: Transit roofs, ProMaster, Sprinter and Express / Savana.