OEM Roof Rack Install - Heads Up

Hi All,

I just finished installing my OEM roof rack but ran into a problem mid way through so I figured I would let you guys know what it was in case you also decide to install one. I ordered my roof rack online, to save some money, and I ended up wasting a lot of time. I received my roof rack and began installing it. So I tore off my weather guards, made the holes in the cover tape, put down the tape on washers and began bolting down the rack per the instructions. Then I ran into the issue. The passenger side rail does not come attached, you install it mid-way through the entire install. Well, I come to find out that the square nut that you bolt the rail to is missing. Must have fallen out during shipping or was never placed in to begin with. Either way I had to stop, call the place I ordered it from (happened to be Amazon) and tell them the situation. I ended up having to remove the rack and pack it up to be returned. I then had to run to the dealer to buy another once since I tore out the weather strips (they use double sided tape so you can't just put them back on).

The dealership was really cool and gave it to me at the same price as Amazon after hearing what had happened. And as always, Amazon was cool about giving me a full refund including shipping both ways and the UPS pickup. So it didn't cost me anything more than a lot of time. But take my experience as a heads-up to you who plan on doing this install as well... check that the square nut that you bolt the passenger-side rail to is installed in the rack before you start!

In all, I am happy with the rack. It looks good and the install was actually easy (I'm a pro now since I pretty much did it twice). So again, this is just a heads-up. Hope this helps someone in the future and they don't end up wasting a bunch of time like I did.

 

Similar thing happened to me this morning...I was installing the OEM roof rack when I noticed the right side rack was not screwing in. I thought I dropped the square nut, which did happen but it ended up in the roof ditch just under the rack attachment hole. I think this happens when you flip the roof rack. Somehow, at a certain angle this nut comes loose.

 

Square nuts are available at hardware stores or can be made easily.

I would be irritated about the situation but would noodle a way around it till a new package arrived or live with the remedy.

 

Havik
Have a home for your old weather strip rubber?

 

They're just sitting around in my garage.

 

I'll take a picture of mine and post it up tomorrow. Can you do the same? I want to compare. Thanks.

 

After dealing with other missing items in the past, now I ALWAYS check all parts, then thoroughly read all instructions before starting anything. Well worth the time savings and headache.

 

Mine sits flush, but I bent the black bracket (dunno what its actually called but it holds the front of the rack down where you push that little pin into) that sits under the rack itself. I had to play with it to get it how I liked. Learned of this 'fix' in another thread.

You can't see the bracket in the above pic, but you see that it's flush and can be done.

 

....and same here FTR/CantSitStill

 

Hmmm. And now to go see what that black shit is near the window that I notice in that picture.