80 series roof rack removal reseal best practices?

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landcruiser3DP

landcruiser3DP

Joined
Apr 9, 2017
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352
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2,550
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tejas
is there a best practices for sealing up this roof once you remove the port installed rack? i just bought some stainless screws and shoved a little goop into the female threads but we get a lot of rain down here sometimes and i started to think i should have sealed up around the area between the outside diameter and the roof or something.
also should i just (sand down that one little rust spot) clean it all with some rubbing alcohol and a factory paint pen to touch up the paint here?
it's a super clean rig and i want to take care of business in these spots.
thanks

IMG_8688.webp


IMG_8689.webp
 
I did not permanently remove the factory rack - that process was beyond my budget. I kept mine as the car was garaged for all but the last 5 years and was going to a life in a garage in Denver. The rack was never used for more than a step ladder. For better or worse, I put a thin bead of urethane sealant around each nutsert. I also put a layer of heavy paint protection film on the feet of the rack. Finally, I cut a V shaped relief on the low point of each foot.

I would have preferred to get rid of the thing, but I think for under $50 I de-risked keeping it.
 
COS80 said:
I wouldn't do anything less than welding them shut to ensure they can't leak. Others are comfortable with glass-filled body filler.
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thanks. i have been trying to get a roof rack on here (kind of more of an adventure than i realized since i'm buying used and everyone seems to try to be sandbagging you) so i didn't think this though.
somehow it seemed to be unnecessary.
so of if i am not up for a project i guess i can take off the crossbars and put the linear front to back pieces back on along with the four "feet"?
i remember hearing about people welding the holes but i guess i didn't realize that was for exactly this reason (meaning it's not just for trucks with rusting...)?
 
landcruiser3DP said:
thanks gents. definitely not going for a project t right now but what's involved in welding them closed?
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You can read about my project on my build thread, p.4. It was a pretty major project and an entire repaint of the roof. Would probably have been a small fortune had I paid a shop to do it.
 
Last edited:
landcruiser3DP said:
is there a best practices for sealing up this roof once you remove the port installed rack? i just bought some stainless screws and shoved a little goop into the female threads but we get a lot of rain down here sometimes and i started to think i should have sealed up around the area between the outside diameter and the roof or something.
also should i just (sand down that one little rust spot) clean it all with some rubbing alcohol and a factory paint pen to touch up the paint here?
it's a super clean rig and i want to take care of business in these spots.
thanks

View attachment 4036218

View attachment 4036219
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What year is your 80?
 
BTLSHP said:
I did not permanently remove the factory rack - that process was beyond my budget. I kept mine as the car was garaged for all but the last 5 years and was going to a life in a garage in Denver. The rack was never used for more than a step ladder. For better or worse, I put a thin bead of urethane sealant around each nutsert. I also put a layer of heavy paint protection film on the feet of the rack. Finally, I cut a V shaped relief on the low point of each foot.

I would have preferred to get rid of the thing, but I think for under $50 I de-risked keeping it.
Click to expand...
i see. so i guess i am going to put mine back on and just remove the two crossbars. whats me step by step here if i want to keep it simple?
take off the new screw and the then put some silicone between the nutserts and the roof (8X). then screw the roof and feet back on?
 
landcruiser3DP said:
97 LX 450
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Was a guy a long time ago far far in space now that made or had someone or someone else made them they are alen head machine screws with a gasket under them. Someone else makes them now or stocks them. I can get a picture of them on my buddies lx tomorrow. I think if you do a Google search it will lead back to mud and you will find what I'm talking about.
 
tmxmotorsports said:
Was a guy a long time ago far far in space now that made or had someone or someone else made them they are alen head machine screws with a gasket under them. Someone else makes them now or stocks them. I can get a picture of them on my buddies lx tomorrow. I think if you do a Google search it will lead back to mud and you will find what I'm talking about.
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I used some flathead screws I found at Master Carr with a rubber washer underneath. That was a few years back and they are holding up fine.

IMG_0593.webp
 
Has anyone used this with success?
www.overlandmetric.com

Roof Rack Delete | 18/8 A2 Stainless | 80 Series

Designed to fill and seal the threaded nutserts exposed after removing the factory roof rack with high quality custom-made hardware. (16) Piece Kit Includes: Quantity (8) M5x0.8x16 Button Head Flange Machine Screws Quantity (8) EPDM UV Stable Rubber Washers 18/8 Stainless Hardware
www.overlandmetric.com www.overlandmetric.com
 
landcruiser3DP said:
i see. so i guess i am going to put mine back on and just remove the two crossbars. whats me step by step here if i want to keep it simple?
take off the new screw and the then put some silicone between the nutserts and the roof (8X). then screw the roof and feet back on?
Click to expand...
I was told to use urethane sealant, not silicone. Silicone attracts moisture out of the air as will eventually cause rust. I did:

- Cut small V notch at low point of each foot for drainage.
- Treated any rust I could see with Ospho
- Primed and painted over treated area.
- Put on sealant
- got some clear helicopter tape and adhered to bottom of foot, the. Cut away excess. I simply thought the plastic was too sharp and fought to go on paint.

Probably most important, I got some silicon o-rings to fit under the head of the screws in the hope of making that area more watertight.

I suspect treating rust, adding drainage and the o—rings were the 95+% solution
 
tmxmotorsports said:
Was a guy a long time ago far far in space now that made or had someone or someone else made them they are alen head machine screws with a gasket under them. Someone else makes them now or stocks them. I can get a picture of them on my buddies lx tomorrow. I think if you do a Google search it will lead back to mud and you will find what I'm talking about.
Click to expand...
right. thanks for that. i remember this kit but never wrapped my head around the need for it. somehow i was thinking you would use it if your nurserts rusted out (that sounds terrible) but it all makes sense now.
i guess i need to make a home depot run - or maybe i will just find some washers here and see if i have any flat rubber washers or some or i have or something.
alternatively putting on those linear runners with the mounts and leaving off the cross bars may not be a bad strategy....
 
landcruiser3DP said:
right. thanks for that. i remember this kit but never wrapped my head around the need for it. somehow i was thinking you would use it if your nurserts rusted out (that sounds terrible) but it all makes sense now.
i guess i need to make a home depot run - or maybe i will just find some washers here and see if i have any flat rubber washers or some or i have or something.
alternatively putting on those linear runners with the mounts and leaving off the cross bars may not be a bad strategy....
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It’s just some screws with rubber washers.

I had the old kit that Wits End sold if anyone wants to buy it.

IMG_2568.webp
 
I ran screws with washers for a few years while deciding what to do. I've got a welder and have filled body holes before so was planning to go that route but over time my plans shifted and I eventually followed this process for the roof rack holes:
  • dimpled each hole down a bit with a punch/hammer
  • sanded, rust converted, primed as needed
  • added a thin finish cloth fiberglass disc over every hole, with epoxy
  • skim coated each hole/dimple with epoxy based filler (I use epoxy and West system fillers)
  • sanded, faired then primed and painted
Largest benefit of this approach over welding is that it is much faster/easier since you don't need to remove the headliner/sunroof to apply coatings on the interior side (welding cooks these off). All of the above takes place outside where it's easy to clean up and can be knocked out over a few work sessions (with waits for curing).

It's been a few years since I did the above and I've seen no cracking/de-lamination on any of the holes in spite of being parked outside full-time with regular heat cycling.
 
jpoole said:
I ran screws with washers for a few years while deciding what to do. I've got a welder and have filled body holes before so was planning to go that route but over time my plans shifted and I eventually followed this process for the roof rack holes:
  • dimpled each hole down a bit with a punch/hammer
  • sanded, rust converted, primed as needed
  • added a thin finish cloth fiberglass disc over every hole, with epoxy
  • skim coated each hole/dimple with epoxy based filler (I use epoxy and West system fillers)
  • sanded, faired then primed and painted
Largest benefit of this approach over welding is that it is much faster/easier since you don't need to remove the headliner/sunroof to apply coatings on the interior side (welding cooks these off). All of the above takes place outside where it's easy to clean up and can be knocked out over a few work sessions (with waits for curing).

It's been a few years since I did the above and I've seen no cracking/de-lamination on any of the holes in spite of being parked outside full-time with regular heat cycling.
Click to expand...
nice. thanks jp.
 
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