Best way to fill roof rack holes? (1 Viewer)

[Scamper]

Would good material adhere strongly enough to last many years? (Roof can get hot in the desert, could also flex?)

E

If you do a good job of prepping the surface, the glass will hold very well. You'd probably have to grind it off if you wanted to remove it. The flex is also another consideration. Since the roof itself tends to flex, you would want the patch to be able to flex too...at least to some degree. A welded patch would be the best fix I think, but the glass matt would be second best I think. It also would be easy for a DIY job if you didn't have the welding equipment. Either repair will require filler and paint.

Not sure how I would do it myself...the beauty of the nut/washer technique is it's simplicty and low cost. The beauty of the patch technique is that it's permanent and returns the truck to stock appearace.

 

[RavenTai]

OK, thanks. Did look at the FSM. The pan/housing does look like a bigger job indeed. What are we talking about there? 2 or 3 hours? Any risk of misalignment or damage? I may avoid having to do that (see nutsert thread). I hope...


E

Taking out the pan you need at least a 2 man job, there is a slight risk of damage but less likely than the headliner, biggest danger spot is when it comes out you have to fish the drive tubes around obstructions, I pulled the headliner and prepped for removing the sunroof pan on a Saturday, Sunday I removed the glass and pan filled the holes and reinstalled both the pan and headliner, It was close to midnight Sunday when I was done but I have a tendency to get side tracked (oh, wile I am here….) while working

One note, the roof is not very visible, it will be even less so after lift, as long as you roughly match the color and reflectiveness it will not be noticed by anybody, even with protruding fasteners when they are rattle cann’ed they disappear

I know it is hokey but it is a working inexpensive permanent fix that stops the rust, I guess I am the cheap skate of the 80’s forum

 

[IdahoDoug]

The plugs were extremely low profile - no way anything's going to hook them. Imagine rivet heads. The edges were feathered so there's nothing to hook. They had a clip on the barrel so when inserted they snapped in and held themselves in - loosely though. I bedded them with silicone after painting them body color and had a half dozen of them down around the fairly harsh environment behind all 4 wheelwells for 4 years and 45,000 miles uneventfully. Think chunks of frozen slush hanging there, debris getting tossed against them, etc. Not a movement. When I pried them out, I destroyed them with pliers but it was because I put all the trim back on to sell, so no big deal. Use a special plastic primer on them before painting if you want them to last - available at professional body paint supply houses.

I got them at Eagle before they were bought by Lowes. They were in the small bits trays along with those anti skid cushions for furniture, rubber corks, etc. Not prepackaged, but in the little bins where you put your chosen items in little baggies, etc. I'd MUCH rather do this than screw around with all the other methods. HTH.

DougM

 

[e9999]

Doug, I went looking at Home Depot for these things, but they didn't have them.
Will try Lowes if I can find one.

All,
I looked at a bunch of hardware at HD but nothing seems to be very good. The Nutserts or the plugs may be the best way to go it seems.

I found some neoprene and nylon washers as well as SS Allen head round bolts but then I have to secure them from the inside of course, and I'm concerned about the washer settling with time.

Any idea which would be the best washer:
- Nylon, hard and thin, not as good a seal but will last longer?
- Neoprene, soft and thicker, probably seals better but may not last?

Or do like RT, no washer, just sealer?

thx
E

 

[e9999]

Taking out the pan you need at least a 2 man job, there is a slight risk of damage but less likely than the headliner, biggest danger spot is when it comes out you have to fish the drive tubes around obstructions, I pulled the headliner and prepped for removing the sunroof pan on a Saturday, Sunday I removed the glass and pan filled the holes and reinstalled both the pan and headliner, It was close to midnight Sunday when I was done but I have a tendency to get side tracked (oh, wile I am here….) while working

One note, the roof is not very visible, it will be even less so after lift, as long as you roughly match the color and reflectiveness it will not be noticed by anybody, even with protruding fasteners when they are rattle cann’ed they disappear

I know it is hokey but it is a working inexpensive permanent fix that stops the rust, I guess I am the cheap skate of the 80’s forum

Yes, the roof is not that critical. I may repaint myself.

Man, this sunroof job looks like a mess also... Hope I don't have to do it.


This whole rack thing is more of a job than the Birfs, timewise, I bet...



E

 

[RavenTai]

This whole rack thing is more of a job than the Birfs, timewise, I bet...



E

It did take me more time to do the roof rack than it did the birf's, If I had started in the right direction it maigh have been about the same

 

[RavenTai]

Any idea which would be the best washer:
- Nylon, hard and thin, not as good a seal but will last longer?
- Neoprene, soft and thicker, probably seals better but may not last?

Or do like RT, no washer, just sealer?

thx
E

if you are going to use sealing washers use the rubber ( Neoprene ), nylon will not seal leading to more rust, the rubber will last just fine here,

 

[e9999]

thanks RT.

But guys, I think I found the perfect solution to the problem. Buy *RUBBER* rivet nuts / nut inserts / well nuts (all same thing). Beauty of it is that it goes all in from the outside. It's rubber with a nut insert. You put it in from the outside, tighten it, it expands and clamps the hole shut. Waterproofing it at the same time. The beauty is that it's easily removable from the outside. And even if it eventually breaks down, should only take 10 mins to replace them all. Won't damage the new paint either. Only drawbacks I can see are that the stress and sharp edges may degrade them in a matter of a few years maybe, and also that they have no serious weight holding power, but that matters little if I don't put the rack back on. And if I want to, it'd be a simple matter to put metal rivnuts back in. No special tool needed either. I may just chamfer the underside of the hole a bit to help with tears.

Check McMaster.com catalog p. 3072 under "rubber-insulated riv nuts".


YEA!

comments?

E

 

[RavenTai]

I think I found the perfect solution to the problem. Buy *RUBBER* rivet nuts / nut inserts / well nuts (all same thing). Beauty of it is that it goes all in from the outside. It's rubber with a nut insert. You put it in from the outside, tighten it, it expands and clamps the hole shut. Waterproofing it at the same time. The beauty is that it's easily removable from the outside. And even if it eventually breaks down, should only take 10 mins to replace them all. Won't damage the new paint either. Only drawbacks I can see are that the stress and sharp edges may degrade them in a matter of a few years maybe, and also that they have no serious weight holding power, but that matters little if I don't put the rack back on. And if I want to, it'd be a simple matter to put metal rivnuts back in. No special tool needed either. I may just chamfer the underside of the hole a bit to help with tears.

Check McMaster.com catalog p. 3072 under "rubber-insulated riv nuts".


YEA!

comments?

E

only possible problem with those I see is that they are quite a bit larger than the stock ones, you could step the screw size down to 6-32 and it woudl fit, not sure what kind of screw and washer options you will have in that size

 

[e9999]

Went to have a body shop look at the holes and tell me how much to weld and paint.
Guy took one look and said he can't do that at his shop (one of the best in town).
Scared to touch it I think.
Asked him how much to paint roof: $1000. Doesn't do touch up either, all or nothing...
sheesh....


love my rubber rivnut idea more by the minute!

E

 

[e9999]

went to OSH to find plugs etc. To my surprise, they have a much wider selection of specialized hardware than Home Depot. They had both well nuts as well as plastic plugs, although both only in a limited number of inch sized. So may end up with McMaster anyway for the more precise sizes but it's nice to see and try out some easy to get local stuff.
more later on the well nut idea and fit
E

 

[e9999]

BEAUUUUUTIFUUUULLLLL:
I think this will be perfect!


check out these well nut photos. Went in straight from the outside, cylindrical of course. Showing it after compression. I don't think it's gonna get any more waterproof and easier than this (may add a bit of sealer under the lip and screwhead too, just to be sure.
And easily removable from the outside too...

Eh, I may just use gold bolts everywhere for more Bling!

 

[RavenTai]

that lookd like a winner, what is the OD of the barrel before compression?

 

[e9999]

that lookd like a winner, what is the OD of the barrel before compression?

they come in many different sizes. The holes in my roof are 9/32" (or 0.281"), but could not find that size at OSH. This well nut was 0.300" or so, which is very close to 19/64. I will likely go with 9/32" so I don't have to enlarge my holes.

E

 

[e9999]

OK, now here is another beautiful solution (suggested by IDDoug):

plastic plugs from OSH

Lower profile, perhaps less durable (with UV exposure and all), but likely equally waterproof with good sealer. Nice too. Much more elegant!

What to do, what to do?

E

 

[Junk]

This has been listed as a faq, so here is a link to the other thread currently going on.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=22358

 

[GXO]

POR Putty fills things nicely and hardens to steel strength and does not have the same reaction to water as other fillers. Could be used as a sealant or a filler as needed and will take paint as well.

 

[Brian Macgyver]

OK, there have been several threads on how to fill good nutserts with finish washers or rosettes or whatever they are called. Good way to handle the good nutserts from the outside...

But now, what about plain holes? I have access to the underside of the roof (yea!) and will end up with some removed nutserts. What's the best way to do these holes? Of course, I could put new nutserts back in if I can find a tool. But is there a better approach? A round head stainless steel bolt over a rubber washer on the outside with a lock nut on the inside? I'd rather not take the headliner off again so it has to be secure, and the rubber gasket if any better not shrink or crack in a couple of years...
Rivets?
Metal screw from the outside?
Anchor?

what?

E

My brother found a way. He turned the truck over and scraped the rack off on a rock. While doing the resulting bodywork on the roof, those holes magically disappeared!

 

[OZCAL]

My brother found a way. He turned the truck over and scraped the rack off on a rock. While doing the resulting bodywork on the roof, those holes magically disappeared!

Yeah but, no Linex

Glad your brother's OK

 

[clarkrw3]

You could always try Tyler, and my fix of lineX or Rhino lining...the place that did mine will match any paint...they had a couple trucks matched and had done an incredible job. It also gives you a nice pad if you want to strap anything up there in a pinch.

I know many of you hate the idea but I think it's great, and definitive.