SV Roof Rack Decking Panels

Panels drop onto the Sandbar’s crossbars and secure in place — no drilling, no cutting. The install video walks through the full process.

How Many Panels Do You Need?

This depends on your wheelbase. All numbers below assume the rack is empty — no tent, no awning arm, no solar mounted first.

• 144 WB: 6× 60″×18″ panels. 3 front + 3 back. Covers 120″ of the 125″ deck — only 5″ unused. Near-perfect fit.
• 170 WB: 6× 60″×18″ panels covers the front and rear sections (same as the 144). The middle 45″ of deck stays open — ideal for a rooftop tent or solar. Want to fill more? Add 3× 26″×18″ panels for 9 panels total.
• 170 EXT: 9× 60″×18″ panels. 3 front + 3 middle + 3 back. Covers 180″ of the 181″ deck — the closest thing to a full roof deck available.

Panel Sizes Available

• 60″×18″ — standard, most common, best coverage per dollar
• 54″×18″ — slightly shorter, good for tight fit situations
• 26″×18″ — gap filler for the 170 open center section or partial builds
• 54″×12.5″ — narrow panel for mixed configurations

Mounting

Panels slide onto the crossbar L-track and fasten down. Confirm the crossbar positions match your panel layout before installing. If your rack needs additional crossbars for your configuration, the 55" Roof Rack Crossbars 2-Pack adds extra mounting positions. If you want Sandy Vans to handle it, free professional installation is available at our San Diego shop — call (619) 812-1903 to schedule.

How to Choose Roof Rack Decking Panels for Your Sprinter

Decking panels seem simple until you’re trying to figure out how many to order and what size goes where. Here’s the breakdown.

1. How Many Panels Fit on Your Rack?

The key numbers: all Sandbar racks are 55″ wide. Panels are 18″ wide, so 3 panels side by side = 54″ across (1″ gap). The number of rows depends on your wheelbase:

• 144 WB (125″ usable deck): max 2 rows of 3 panels = 6× 60″×18″. Covers 120″ — only 5″ unused.
• 170 WB (165″ usable deck): same 2-row layout = 6× 60″×18″. That leaves a 45″ open section in the middle. To partially fill it: add 3× 26″×18″ panels = 9 panels total. Full-deck option if you don’t have a tent or solar in that zone.
• 170 EXT (181″ usable deck): 3 rows fit = 9× 60″×18″. Covers 180″ — only 1″ unused.

These are the most cost-effective configurations using only the 60″×18″ panel. All numbers assume a clean rack with no tent, awning arm, or solar taking up space.

2. Do You Already Have a Rack?

The panels are engineered around the Sandbar Roof Rack crossbar spacing. They’ll also fit most standard aftermarket racks, but crossbar position matters — if crossbars don’t line up with the panel mounting slots, the panel won’t sit flat. Confirm crossbar spacing before ordering if you’re using a non-Sandbar rack. If your rack is short on crossbars or needs more positions for your panel layout, the 55" Roof Rack Crossbars 2-Pack adds extra support points.

3. Which Panel Size?

60″×18″ is the standard — it’s the most coverage per dollar and the right choice for filling complete rows. The other sizes fill specific gaps:

• 54″×18″: good where a 60″ panel is tight, or for the front row if your air deflector eats into deck space
• 26″×18″: the gap filler for 170 wheelbase center sections or anywhere you have less than 60″ of open deck
• 54″×12.5″: narrower profile for mixed layouts or when you need a partial row without a full-width panel

4. Accounting for Accessories

A rooftop tent takes up a section of deck. An awning arm blocks a panel mounting point. Solar panels typically sit on the crossbars rather than on decking. Plan your layout with accessories in place first, then add panels around them. The L-track slots on every panel also let you mount accessories through the deck itself — lights, tie-down rings, cargo nets, board carriers — without needing bare crossbar access underneath.

5. Mixing Panel Sizes

All four sizes work together on the same rack. A common 170 wheelbase configuration: 6× 60″×18″ (front and rear sections) + 3× 26″×18″ in the middle gap. Email us your wheelbase and accessory layout and we’ll map out the best configuration.

Pre-Order Checklist

• Do you have the Sandy Vans Sandbar Roof Rack installed? (Or a compatible standard rack with matching crossbar spacing?)
• Do you have enough crossbars for your panel layout? If not, add the 55" Roof Rack Crossbars 2-Pack.
• What’s your wheelbase — 144, 170, or 170 EXT?
• What accessories are already on your rack? (Tent, awning, solar, lights — they take space from your panel count.)
• Do you want full deck coverage or strategic coverage (front/rear only, leaving the middle open)?
• Have you watched the install video?

The Callout That Saves Most People Money

For the 144, you don’t need to overthink it — 6 panels nearly fills the rack with 5″ to spare, and that’s it. For the 170 EXT, 9 panels does the same thing. The 170 is the one where configuration matters: the standard 6-panel layout leaves 45″ open in the middle, which is where most people end up mounting their tent or solar anyway. Don’t buy panels to fill a section you’re going to use for something else.