Check under your rear wind deflector mounts for rust

[DirtyPepper]

I don't like the looks of these and am glad mine doesn't have it. Dust deflector eh? Completely worthless here.

Although the roof rack looks OK (IMO) on these, it will be going away soon. Inspecting through the gap behind sunroof, the rack attaching screws coming through the roof are wet. Not a great idea to have drill holes through sheet metal in very rainy locations.

Since posting my note, I've come to appreciate NOT having the rear deflector.
Not gonna drill holes to put it in though.

The factory luggage rack is OK...I don't have any leaking from those points but I've thought about pulling them and running some sealant along the edges just to be safe because I live in the Portland/Vancouver area and ho-boy are we going into the rain season.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Since posting my note, I've come to appreciate NOT having the rear deflector.
Not gonna drill holes to put it in though.

The factory luggage rack is OK...I don't have any leaking from those points but I've thought about pulling them and running some sealant along the edges just to be safe because I live in the Portland/Vancouver area and ho-boy are we going into the rain season.

Not a bad idea to caulk your roof rack ribs too. The screws holding those down on mine are also showing wet inside.

 

[jpoole]

pulling them and running some sealant along the edges

It was clear when I removed the factory/port rack on my 97 that the water was coming in from above the plastic spacers that the feet sit on, and pooling/holding inside the plastic spacers. I had water lines inside those plastic feet bases/spacer/risers.

I'm pointing this out because caulking around the bases may just trap water inside them. I recommend sealing the screws and foot to riser seams to try to keep water out and then adding notching at the low points of the spacers to let the water out.

 

[jpoole]

I found the photos of my factory rack (now permanently removed) that show the waterlines inside the spacer/bases and the notches that I cut to avoid water retention.

 

[DirtyPepper]

It was clear when I removed the factory/port rack on my 97 that the water was coming in from above the plastic spacers that the feet sit on, and pooling/holding inside the plastic spacers. I had water lines inside those plastic feet bases/spacer/risers.

I'm pointing this out because caulking around the bases may just trap water inside them. I recommend sealing the screws and foot to riser seams to try to keep water out and then adding notching at the low points of the spacers to let the water out.

Dumb question but...would plumbers tape help on the screws?

 

[jpoole]

@DirtyPepper

Doesn't seem like a dumb question to me. Sealing screws can be tricky as tightening them can push out or compromise whatever sealant is added. These screws are also inside a little cup that will hold water and encourage it to seep around the screw head, etc.

I'd have to go look to see what I did on mine as I don't recall how much room there is / etc. but sometimes there's enough room to run a counter sink bit to that there is room for a little "donut" of sealing material below the fastener head and that's my preferred way to seal screw heads. If there's room for that, you can run a drill bit/counter sink in reverse (since the foot metal is soft) just enough to create room for sealant to not all get squished out under the screw head and then add your choice of sealant under the head before installing the screws. I'd consider quality butyl as a good sealant option but a urethane adhesive/caulk, etc. could work also. I'd not use tape in this case as I typically just use that on threaded interfaces. Adding a flat washer below the screw head can help the sealant stay in place as the washer won't turn the sealant and spin it into a clump or out of the donut gap as badly, etc. If there's not room to add a little gap for a sealant donut a soft washer (plastic or copper perhaps) could be added to create a seal under the screw head. You could also add some easily removed sealant to the hole above the screw after you have fully installed the rack but you'll have to dig it out whenever you remove the rack.

I'd bed the metal rack foot in a sealant before installing it on the plastic spacer / foot also as that seam may be where more of the water comes from. I'd not seal the plastic feet to the roof / paint in any way.

Replacing any rusty nutserts, converting/coating rust and reinstalling the rack securely is a good idea vs. just letting it ride and hoping it's not too bad. As the feet loosen up they vibrate and wear away paint which adds one more way the factory racks can cause rust. Of course the galvanic corrosion from the nutserts that were installed in likely unsealed holes that were port drilled is the biggest rust risk under there.

 

[Outsane]

One member asked me to make a cap to replace the deflector mount if that helps any one.

Landcruiser Rear deflector mount cap

Landcruiser Rear deflector mount cap For any one who wants a cap to their vehicle after removing the rear deflector from a 80 series Landcruiser or LX450. May fit other rigs like 4runners.

solvefunction.com

 

[Kernal]

Interesting. FWIW when I drove around a couple of weeks without the wing or brackets I just put the original screws back into the nutserts. I did learn however that they must be sealed using a good thread sealer to keep water from getting into the hatch.

 

[PolarRunner]

Post up some photos if you took any.

I'll take some of the current state. Hopefully will get to welding and blending before the snow falls.