Nutserts to mount roof rack?

[ZMagic97]

I believe the original Front Runner Slimline Roof Racks used nutserts.

 

[spikolli]

I have used Rivnuts for all kinds of things. Admittedly not for a roof rack. At one of places I worked we used them to install grab bars inside the car for disabled drivers and passengers. Think driver pulling them self out of wheelchair into drivers seat kind of thing. I agree with those who recommend epoxy to seal them. I would also make sure to use steel rivnuts in a steel panel to minimize galvanic corrosion.

 

[evldave]

I've used rivnuts, as well as bolt-through (on my 88 'burb). Both work, but obviously the bolt-through work better (spreads out the load, more secure).

The only caution I would have with rivnuts, and I had this issue, is if you are carrying a sail load (kayak, surfboard, etc) that will 'pull up' on the rack, and/or you do a lot of driving that might make those large items move up/down a lot (also pulling up on the rack), you run the risk of pulling the rivnut out. I had this happen and had to weld in a new square of sheetmetal and re-rvnut one of my mounts. I know of this happening to a couple other vehicles that were driven in a lot of up/down motion.

Based on my experiences with both methods, if I were attaching a rack to an older Suburban like your again, I would go through the effort to take out the headliner and do a bolt-through installation.