Misaligned Roof Mounts?

Anyone ever seen the roof rack bolt holes on the roof misaligned to the point where bolts won’t thread in?

I went to install my new Prinsu this morning and was checking threads before I got too deep into the install. That’s when I found that the front drivers side bolt holes are slightly covered by the panels.

Does anyone know if these are adjustable forwards or backwards in any way before I start trying to drill the overlap out?

 

Is that what the sheet metal looks like around there...?!?!

 

Did you buy this truck new? The paint to me looks suspect, like the roof has been re-skinned

 

My truck came with those black rubber strips running along the sides of the roof completely loose. I pushed them right in before driving it off the lot. I was shocked how flimsy/loose they fit.

But I am truly horrified to see this. I hope the OP is going to tell us that’s not how he found it...

 

It’s not been repainted. When the trucks leave the factory without a factory roof rack, they apply a foam seal over the factory holes prior to body paint. What you see in the picture is where I have cut through the paint and foam seal to expose the bolt holes.

 

After I pulled the black strips, I cut through the factory foam seals and paint to expose the bolt holes. All we’re good except the front drivers side pair.

 

Thankgod. For a moment I thought I was staring at a Jeep...

 

take a screw driver and see if they move.
thats easier than taking down headliner to check.

 

Let's be honest the 3rd gen is a lot like a Jeep in some aspects.

I guess the hole being off that much kind of throws out the Mexico vs. USA debate in terms of build quality.

 

They're not adjustable, that's a manufactuiring defect. A tapered tap might fit where the oem bolts would not and just cut the thread pattern into the overlap. Or carefully dremel that overlap. Galvanizing primer is reccomended by rack installers when exposing bare metal there.

 

Thanks. Unfortunately that didn’t work. I tried using two pan head screw drivers two apply pressure down while pushing back and nothing budged.

 

That’s what I was afraid of.

 

I would not use a tapered tap to try and cut threads past it. If it snaps you'll be in a world of hurt. I'd get out the blue painters tape and a dremel tool with a carbide bur bit and massage the over lapping part back. I'd also zinc chromate the shit out of it with a small model paint brush

 

Mine was the same way, I put a Phillips head screwdriver in the hole and move the skin away until I had the clearance needed.

 

This makes more sense as I started thinking about how I might get the threads in the overlap to align with existing threads without having to continue on into the original bolt holes. This will probably be the route I take unless someone knows of these are accessible and adjustable from the headliner side.

 

Thanks. Can you elaborate more? Are you saying you moved the metal that overlaps the bolt holes?

 

I dont think either Factory installs the roof racks, pretty sure they are only Port installed or Dealer installed, they should all have the foam seal originally.

 

It looks like they used a Glock 22 to put the holes in ....

 

you're not going to snap a tap doing this. Tap's too big and the threads are already cut. The misalign isn't even the full depth of the major-minor thread diameter. The skin is soft mild steel. If you don't have the right metric tap, a file or dremel. Can be done by deforming that edge carefully with a hammer /nail set or screwdriver. Just be careful not to miss.

 

Short of putting a mag drill on the roof he's not going to able to start the tap straight into the path of the insert. If he attacks it with a tap and it goes in cocked the tap is going to snap or the insert is going to tear free of the body. If he's lucky he'll get both

In my experience use a bur bit and grind away the overlapping metal and move on with life.