Has anyone refinished their factory roof rack?

[Pyrenees]

The factory (aluminum?) roof rack on my 2001 LX has some spots where the original paint has either faded or chipped off. I imagine that this will continue. It's kind of an eyesore and I was thinking about pulling it off and refinishing it - or perhaps just getting a new aftermarket rack/basket if that's feasible. Has anyone repainted their rack? How did it turn out?

Thanks!!

 

[AARONTLC]

The factory (aluminum?) roof rack on my 2001 LX has some spots where the original paint has either faded or chipped off. I imagine that this will continue. It's kind of an eyesore and I was thinking about pulling it off and refinishing it - or perhaps just getting a new aftermarket rack/basket if that's feasible. Has anyone repainted their rack? How did it turn out?

Thanks!!

I am surprised nobody responded to this.

I have a 2001 LC and the rack was flaking really bad. I removed the rack completely and disassembled. I used a Makita “jitterbug” sander with some 200 grit sandpaper and removed all of the old powder coating. I then sprayed all of the aluminum parts with Walmart carb cleaner (cheap and has no oil). I used Rustoleum black bed liner and sprayed 3 + coats. Let dry for 24 hours and it is holding up great! I also sprayed the covers and the rubberish collars that go around the rack mounts so everything has the same texture and color.

Also removed my sun faded spoiler and sprayed it as well.

 

[plainjanefjc]

The factory rack isn’t very functional, I’d go with an aftermarket if you really need a rack or ditch it all together if you don’t need one.

 

[89BIGBLUE]

I had the side rails off and abrasive blasted and powder coated them semigloss black.
They look MUCH better and are holding up well.
The plastic parts on the other hand, looked great for a few months after a hit of McGuires plastic “rejuvenator”, but the sun quickly turned them all grey ish.
Meh.
Matches the crappy failing clear coat on my 99 now, so I’m just running it.

 

[GerLC100]

I am surprised nobody responded to this.

I have a 2001 LC and the rack was flaking really bad. I removed the rack completely and disassembled. I used a Makita “jitterbug” sander with some 200 grit sandpaper and removed all of the old powder coating. I then sprayed all of the aluminum parts with Walmart carb cleaner (cheap and has no oil). I used Rustoleum black bed liner and sprayed 3 + coats. Let dry for 24 hours and it is holding up great! I also sprayed the covers and the rubberish collars that go around the rack mounts so everything has the same texture and color.

Also removed my sun faded spoiler and sprayed it as well.

I'm adding wiper arms to the list 5min and looks shiny again

 

[AARONTLC]

I'm adding wiper arms to the list 5min and looks shiny again

Hah! That was on my list to do as well!

 

[Joe Fast]

I am in the process of doing the same and also adding another two factory crossbars. I haven’t started this project but have had great results using bed liner on other parts in the past. Does anyone have a source or part numbers for the plastic shoes that mount between the rack and roof surfaces? Mine are really deteriorating. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GerLC100]

Based to my knowledge super hard to find as they're not officially Toyota and got installed at POE.
I'd search ebay or the local junk yards.

 

[Gnarwgn]

I've done it twice. Sanded down twice, primer, rustoleum bumper and trim paint (2-3 coats), 2 coats of matte 2k clear. I like the idea of bedliner @AARONTLC, that's probably holding up better than my solution.

While its off - good time to buff/wax/otherwise protect your roof. Also - make check all the screws that hold the rack together and make sure they're actually working. The aluminum gauge is thin, so those screws strip out the holes pretty quick. Make sure your screw the anchors back into the roof with a dose of waterproof window silicone, so that you don't have leaks afterwards.

Agree with the above that the factory rack is cheap aluminum, aftermarket much better. I'll be getting a new rack next.

 

[DuckLN]

I used paint thinner and got the black paint off. Polished the aluminum a bit. That was a few years ago and still lookin good.

 

[Joe Fast]

I just acquired an entire factory roof rack with intact plastic shoes. The goal is to make one functional “factory-style” rack with extra crossbars. This extra rack came off a soon-to-be-scrapped 1999 LX470 at a local body shop. I’m trying to get the third-row seats and toolkit, but the back is damaged, and the hatch is inoperable. We will see. Wish me luck.

 

[GerLC100]

(...) and the hatch is inoperable. (...)

Battery sawzell?