Factory roof rack refinishing - Paint, re-anodize, ???

[super90]

My factory roof rack pn my '94 FZJ is looking a little shabby these days. Isn't this thing anodized aluminum? Will paint stick to it, or should I re-anodize it? I guess the same question for the spoiler on the tail gate.

Re-anodizing would probably be the best, but would a shop be able to handle such big pieces and would it be really expensive??

I thought about painting it, but am afraid the paint won't stick.

Any thoughts on this?

TIA,

Robert Callaway
San Antonio, TX

 

[Brentbba]

Read recently in an email on uses of WD-40 that it was great on restoring roof racks. Haven't tried yet, but may tomorrow. The beast is due for a bath.

 

[RavenTai]

What part is deteriorating? Parts of the rack that look like aluminum are actually steel and therefore cannot be anodized

The parts tha looked bad on mine before I pulled it were the feet (plastic) and the roof ribs (steel)

 

[Rookie2]

Raven: What did you do to restore the look of the plastic feet? Mine have turned a light shade of charcoal.

 

[RavenTai]

I made them look better by throwing them in the garbage.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=16749

you could probably rattle cna them black and they would look OK.

 

[TX_TLC]

Didn't you just ask this same question?

 

[super90]

Posted twice as I didn't see the first one appear. My appologies.

Next question. Are there fittings in the roof or did they just use sheet metal screws? Reason I ask is I am wondering if I pull the rack to repaint it, is there a risk that the fittings in the roof will grenade and I'll be SOL? Trying to manage the downside risk.

Since the rack is steel, repainting makes the most sense.

Still considering just pulling the rack off all together and ditching it.

TIA.

 

[RavenTai]

some of the parts are aluminum, just the parts that looked bad on mine were plastic and steel.


I say ditch it, I do not miss mine at all, there are a lot of threads about this with pictures, one of them is linked above searching will get you a wealth of info.

 

[Beowulf]

Still considering just pulling the rack off all together and ditching it.

Ditch it and do without or get a real rack. The pads will wear through your paint if you don't do something about it. The rack is attached with nutserts embedded in the steel roof. They tend to rust and, on occassion, will "spin" when trying to remove the rack.

Lotsa posts on this topic with many, many suggestions and tips.

-B-

 

[Riley]

Another vote for ditching it. I was stupid enough to spend a little money trying to fix up my OEM rack before I realized that it was a lost cause.

Quit while you're ahead and toss it in the bushes.

 

[TX_TLC]

The rack is attached with "nut-serts". They allow a machine screw to be "threaded" into the roof. This is were you will have some problems. I highly doubt even if your truck had been in Texas its whole life you will be successfull in pulling and reattaching all 8 of the bolts into the nutserts. I had no real sheetmetal rust but I had 3 bolts that wouldn't turn at all (rusted) and 2 came out fine and the other 3 I had to work but it came out. The three that wouldn't move I finally just popped them out, nut sert and all through the hole in the sheetmetal.

Your original post was on page 2....

 

[Cruisin'Carolina]

If you must keep it, sand the metal parts down and shoot em.

There is a fairly good plastic paint from Krylon or Rustoleum that will stick to that.

 

[super90]

Honestly, now I am afraid of pulling the rack and opening Pandora's Box. This truck came from Southern California and Arizona, now in South Texas. I guess if anyone stands a chance of it not rusting, we do, but that is not how my luck runs !

I polished up the end pieces on the main rack and then waxed them. They look a lot better. I tried treating the rubber pads with some Meguiar's rubber treatment. We'll see how that lasts. The aluminum (is that true?) sections might be more of a challenge.

Yes, pulling it wouldn't be all bad, but I need to do a few more projects on the truck before I tackle that. P/S pump is leaking and the new one is in a box in "inventory". Also have oil weaping around the distributor, so I need to replace the o-ring on that. Need to change all the gear lube too. Not big jobs, but they do take priority over the rack removal.

 

[OZCAL]

Honestly, now I am afraid of pulling the rack and opening Pandora's Box. This truck came from Southern California and Arizona, now in South Texas. I guess if anyone stands a chance of it not rusting, we do, but that is not how my luck runs !

I polished up the end pieces on the main rack and then waxed them. They look a lot better. I tried treating the rubber pads with some Meguiar's rubber treatment. We'll see how that lasts. The aluminum (is that true?) sections might be more of a challenge.

Yes, pulling it wouldn't be all bad, but I need to do a few more projects on the truck before I tackle that. P/S pump is leaking and the new one is in a box in "inventory". Also have oil weaping around the distributor, so I need to replace the o-ring on that. Need to change all the gear lube too. Not big jobs, but they do take priority over the rack removal.

No you really have to look! It's eight phillips head screws, and if they all come out clean, have a , grease up the nutserts and screws and put them back in until you decide what to do. But if any one has rust or won't come out, you have a problem that will only get worse and it has to be dealt with. As mentioned above there are a couple of threads about "what to do".

Good luck and welcome from another newbie!

David