Gen 2/2.5 - Who has removed their roof rails?

[All-Terrain]

What's involved?

Would like to pull mine, to gain clearance for a gutter mounted roof rack.

Thanks!

 

[mard]

Hey all. From what I recall reading you have to remove the headliner and undo the nut from inside the car. You then have to cap it to make sure it doesn't leak. I think from what I recall the person here in the forum used rubber rings with flat washers.

 

[raysobi]

I straight up use the grinder to cut the bolts off.

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[All-Terrain]

I straight up use the grinder to cut the bolts off.

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What do you do with the holes that are left?

 

[tlr]

I just unscrewed mine took the rack off. Put silicone on the screw heads and tops of the rivnuts and put the screws back in. Done no leaks no worries.

 

[raysobi]

I put silicone on top of it.

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[All-Terrain]

I just unscrewed mine took the rack off. Put silicone on the screw heads and tops of the rivnuts and put the screws back in. Done no leaks no worries.

Did the rivnuts come loose at all? Screws weren't rusted in place?

 

[tlr]

Had one spin a little but put pressure on it and it stopped.

 

[nckwltn]

Had one spin a little but put pressure on it and it stopped.

same thing here... if you spin it enough, you'll burn through the plastic foot and the rack will come off, making it really easy to pinch the rivnut (nutsert) with pliers. You might also be able to pull up on the rack while you loosen the nut to help put pressure.


I taped off about a 1.5" square with the nut in the very center. Then I used several coats of plasti-dip on each.... seems to have sealed up well, but there isn't too much rain here in So Cal.