Rack seals (1 Viewer)

[landtank]

It's been known for a while that the factory roof racks can get rusty. I've had a new assignment these last months and have worked with a gasket company that makes custom gaskets using our machines.

Is there any interest in a gasket that would stick to the foot of the rack and seal out dirt and moisture while protecting the paint underneath?

I haven't called the operator/designer yet as I wanted to get an idea if there was any interest first before starting such a venture. I'd have to rely on his expertise to select the material but they use all sorts of stuff and hoild several patents on their product, so I'm sure it would be great.

Thanks for any input.

 

[97 FZJ80]

I'm interested in the gaskets. Also for the plastic ends of the chrome strips under the rack. Also for the rear deflector.

John

 

[Beowulf]

Rick,
I am interested.
-B-

 

[krich97]

I might be interested depending on cost etc. I just bot the C-Dan special washers and screws and was planning to remove the rack, but I was going to leave the strips and might want gaskets for the end caps and/or for the rear deflector. It sounds like a good idea.

 

[Rich]

I've previously given some thought to this problem. I think that the solution to retaining the factory rack and preventing rust of the roof top requires the following:

1. A flexible adhesive rubber membrane that adheres only to the roof top and not the foot of the rack, with holes that are slightly larger than the rivnuts installed in the roof.

2. After applying the membrane, but before mounting the rack, seal the top of the rivnuts with a flexible sealant that will adhere to the already (possibly) corroded rivnut, the metal spacer tube in rack foot, and the rubber membrane. Permatex makes some flexible sealer (it is brown goop in a tube) that is not silicone based that would adhere and seal well while remaining flexible enough to not crack. Adhesion to the membrane would need to be verified. Also seal the tops of the two bolts that mount the rack foot.

The goal would be to seal the paint and rivnut from moisture, but not seal the hollow space under the rack foot. In fact, after sealing the paint and rivnut as described, I think it would be advantageous to make small drain holes in the rack foot to help ensure moisture does not collect and remain in the hollow space under the foot.

Given the plastic construction of the rack foot and it's hollow nature, I think that sooner or later moisture or condensation is going to collect there and it would be easier to effectively seal the roof top than the rack foot and that maintaining or increasing the ability for any water that does end up inside the foot itself to drain out is a good idea.

The mounting materials that were choosen by Toyota for the roof rack mounting are unfortunate. The rivnuts appear to be steel with a thin zinc coating. The metal spacer tube in the foot that contacts the rivnut is aluminum. The bolts appear to be plain steel with a brown or black finish of some sort. The combination of different metals, along with perhaps some corrosive road salt or ocean spray is an excellant recipe for galvanic corrosion. The direct contact of the plastic foot on the paint is a great way to slowly wear through the paint. If Toyota had used stainless steel for the rivnuts, the spacer tube, and the mounting bolt, and provided better drainage for the rack foot, I think that corrosion of the roof and hardware would not be a problem. A flexible membrane between the hard plastic and the paint would have completed the solution.

Having a firm stamp out a bunch of adhesive gaskets to help solve this problem is a great idea.

I haven't checked, but I expect that auto body supply shops may carry suitable material that could be cut to shape.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

Remember guys that there will be variations between the racks. araco didnt put the racks on your trucks you freindly stealer did.
Dave

 

[landtank]

The machine that I service would cut these out verses stamping. I don't think this will be an issue. The material I saw was about 1/8" thick with an adhesive backing and I beleive reinforced. I can have any shape cut out and it will only cut the gasket not the backing so it would be a peel and stick sort of thing. My concern on sticking it to the foot was wear on the paint from vibrations. I've got no experience in this sort of thing and would hate to offer something that did more damage than good. So let the ideas fly. From looking at his trash barrel I'd say that what we would want could come out of his waste. But then again if the owners get involved it would be a different story I'm sure. When I get home I can scan my foot print and post it so everyone can match it to what they have to find out what other variations are out there.

 

[PHAEDRUS]

I cant see how this would be a bad thing though rick,
I would probably stick it to the roof and allow the rack to ride on it. the adhesive should prevent the gasket material from abrading on the paint. the big quesiton will be longevity. I like it and think this is a good idea.
ditching the rack is a good idea too IMOP. but hery if you want to keep it sticking something to the painted surface to protect it isnt a bad idea.
Dave
edited since i cant type and so -B- wont pick on me and make me feel bad :'(

 

[cruiserdan]

It sounds like a great idea. I have a couple loose rack feet that I could supply for use to mock-up the gaskets. I recommend that the gasket footprint be about 1/4 inch larger than the foot to enable a person to clean up the roof if required. This would make it so the roof would not need to be finish painted to look good.

 

[CruiserLegolas]

I'm interested too, so count me in.

 

[GXO]

I would be interested if I wasn't filling in my rack mount holes with POR putty, removing the metal strips and doing the same, then bedlining the whole damn thing.

 

[bkgiii]

Count me as 'interested', too!

 

[Beowulf]

>> ... so -B- wont pick on me and make me feel bad <<

Fat chance.

-B-

 

[landtank]

Just to let everyone know the pattern is going out in the mail today. I've got a set coming back hopefully by the weekend. They will be slightly oversized and from what I can tell the right side is a mirror image of the left so whether you want to adhere them to the feet or the roof they would work. I've already sourced stainless steel bolts with a allen head as I don't think you'll have the ability to tighten down the foot to the seal with the Philips head screws. Once they get the pattern I should be able to get a price which I'm sure will be volume dependant.

 

[Eduardo96FZJ80]

[quote author=Beowulf link=board=2;threadid=17059;start=msg165604#msg165604 date=1085762124]



Fat chance.

-B-
[/quote]
that you will pick on him?

 

[Junk]

Rick, send me a pm when you get the details and we'll put a sticky to keep info at the top of the forum for a few days dude.

 

[YngTLCOwner]

I would love to get in on this being how I plan to take the POS off soon.

 

[97 FZJ80]

Any updates on the gaskets?

 

[IdahoDoug]

I'm also curious and was waiting to see what would come of this. Informationally, I buy the clear 3M film that protects paint from scuffing in huge rolls and this may make an ideal material since it's already proven for automotive paint protection. Other stuff may have an adhesive that goes acidic or otherwise impacts the paint. Anyhow, what's up with it?

DougM

 

[landtank]

Well, the operator of the equipment I was dealing with turned out to be an idiot of sorts. The samples that he sent me were of the wrong material and cut by hand instead of with the equipment. Without the self adhesive backing they will move around and not stay positioned properly. SO I just got the dongle and key fpor our CadCam softwarew so I can create the image file for the machine myself and then try again with this guy to get a professional set of the correct material.

I'll keep everyone posted.