Roof Rack install question

While your at it using silicone to make it better, you should replace those 2 pos torx bolts that are exposed to the weather securing the rail to the bracket with 6mm (if my memory is correct) phillips head stainless. The torx heads retain water, corode, bolt will get tight or seize in bracket, and torx head gets stripped. Drill out time. Don't ask me how I know. For the long torx bolt for the cross member I can't find a stainless replacement. Crap hardware.

 

I made it mostly with stuff I had laying around other than the Rapala lock n hold rod holders from Bass Pro, they’re spring loaded so the top part of the rods just snap in place and doesn’t move around I did not use the bottom part of the Rappala kit.
I cut six pieces of 2.5” PVC 16” long and I notched them enough for the reels to slide in (I painted them with PlastiDip but that won’t hold up too long it’ll peel away it’s just what I had in my he shed)
Then I cut two 24” pieces of an old aluminum server rack, I used that to fasten the pvc sections and to fasten the Rapala holders. Painted them black, I drilled and riveted the pvc pipes to the aluminum section, then I tied them together with paracord just to keep them from flexing away from each other too much.
Got some black foam copper pipe insulation I had, stuffed that between the aluminum and the roof rails, got four 4” stainless hose clamps and used them to fasten the two finished sections to the roof rack rails (I also used some black rubber around those to keep it from scratching the rails)

All in all it cost me under $30 to make it and a few hours.

 

That's awesome! I did something similar with a cargo carrier with 1.5 inch pvc and u bolts. I like your set up a lot, I could probably squeeze two or three in even with kayaks on top of mine. Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks for the heads up. This thing did come with crap hardware. I stripped one in the back so I got all stainless. Except the one that goes in for the arm.

 

Yeah that arm one is unique.

 

I got all the way through installing both sides of the racks. But, the passenger side crossbar bolt has nothing to catch on! There is nothing in the bracket for it to tighten! Am I missing a piece or what? Very very confused. Any help on what might be happening would be greatly appreciated.

A pic of the long bolt that connects the cross bar to the roof rack.

 

Did you put the brackets on the right sides?

 

I hope not. I guess I will pull it off and see.

 

I know they are marked L and R. I haven't pulled mine but be careful, there's supposed to be some kind of plastic clip you have to look for. Don't want you to break something.

 

Yeah I just checked both brackets have nothing where the screw would catch anything and I was pretty careful to put em on the right sides.

 

So is there a clip? Sorry can't help you more. Mine was installed by dealer. Someone here should be able to help?

 

Yes there is a clip. Unfortunately it happened to me to and had to take it all off. My clip fell off and I had to tape it in its spot with heavy duty tape for it to stay. After that I was able to screw it in. Hope this helps.

 

Can you tell me where the clip is and what am I looking for? Have to remove mine in couple weeks. Thanks

 

The right hand side with the long bolt that connects the cross bar to the roof rack. Underneath where the long bolt would go into the rack has the clip to screw in to. The clip is held in the roof rack with two little plastic lips but mine fell out too. Had to take mine all apart to fix it.

The area I circled in red holds the clip, on the underside. The clip sits in the rack itself, but poorly held in, I noticed my clip jiggled around, and when I attempted to finish and put the final cross bar bolt in the clip was gone. I think maybe I pushed to hard, as the below warning states not too. Whoops lol

 

Looks like the quote above #74 shows the clip you are missing for that long screw.

 

Awesome and thanks. Looks like you may have also helped the other person who couldn't figure out what that long bolt fastens too.

 

This was exactly what happened to me except taking off the rack I stripped one of the two small screws holding the plastic to the metal bracket and had a hell of a day getting that off. Needless to say this install went from an hour to over a day and a few trips to Home Depot but all good now.

 

Lol the same thing happened to me!! Exact same thing, took me the better part of the day to get squared away. I was so pissed because each screw I had already put silicon on and had to use a power drill to take it completely off. Then back on and the clip fell off again!!! So hence taping the clip so I could get the bolt in. The one small screw I stripped I ended up saying screw it and put a screw that was slightly diff but fit in there. Then slapped on more silicon and called it a day. Been holding just fine.

 

Here are those pics finally after my install.

 

Very Nice