Removing frontrunner rack, back to stock, problems? (1 Viewer)

[navydivedoc]

Hi Everyone. After a 3 year break I am back in a cruiser. Picked up a built 2021 LX570, just got it up north from Alabama. I need to start a build thread, but I have a specific question here.

Lots of good stuff came on the roof of this truck. But I'm not a big roof hauling guy. I am planning on selling off the alucab, and removing/selling the frontrunner rack. Going back to a stock roof rail system, though the longer land cruiser oem rails vs late model LX.

My concern is the mounting system. I've read the various threads about not dropping the mounting bases into the headliner. How much more likely is this removing an aftermarket rack? Are these generally installed with locktite? Sealant seems to be commonly applied, will this be a problem? Any advice appreciated, mainly just trying to plan for the worst. Thanks

 

[sdnative]

Should be a reverse of the install I would imagine (but no firsthand experience). I installed a Front Runner on my LC but haven't tried to uninstall. I do believe the later LX require dropping the headliner.

 

[navydivedoc]

Yes, the headliner was dropped to install this one. Seems straightforward to remove. Did Frontrunner have you seal or locktite the bolts or seal down the mounting feet?

 

[jlm43]

On 2016 and newer LX's, the racks are installed with loose hardware and the headliner needs to be dropped to have access to the hardware. So you'll have to drop it again to remove the FR rack and install whatever you choose to go with. It's the 2008 to 2015 LX's and all LC's that have the captured nuts which makes installation a bit easier. But those captured nuts can fall into the headliner if the bolts are not removed carefully.

 

[navydivedoc]

On 2016 and newer LX's, the racks are installed with loose hardware and the headliner needs to be dropped to have access to the hardware. So you'll have to drop it again to remove the FR rack and install whatever you choose to go with. It's the 2008 to 2015 LX's and all LC's that have the captured nuts which makes installation a bit easier. But those captured nuts can fall into the headliner if the bolts are not removed carefully.

Thanks, this is extremely helpful. Maybe I'll rethink my stance on this rack!

 

[sdnative]

Yes, the headliner was dropped to install this one. Seems straightforward to remove. Did Frontrunner have you seal or locktite the bolts or seal down the mounting feet?

I don't recall anything about them recommending Loctite, but they do recommend sealant. I used Permatex 2 to seal around the bolts and holes.

I seem to recall the factory rack had gaskets around the bolt holes. If going back to the factory rack you'll need to replace these, or use sealant.

 

[2021 LC200]

This looks awesome. Love the CBI bumper on the 16+ LX570. Just the front runner rack with light bar without the rooftop alu cab will look good as well. Probably not worth the hassle removing. Overall great looking 200!

 

[lx200inAR]

This is such a nice build that it might be worth asking original owner (if you can anyways) if they ordered and installed the clip nut brackets that the LC and early LX had. It’s possible they did if they were thinking ahead to the possibility of changing out the rack.

 

[navydivedoc]

Thanks. It was done at OK4wd. I've emailed them to see, my suspicion is they retrofitted the OEM parts.

 

[navydivedoc]

This looks awesome. Love the CBI bumper on the 16+ LX570. Just the front runner rack with light bar without the rooftop alu cab will look good as well. Probably not worth the hassle removing. Overall great looking 200!

View attachment 3758923

Thanks. I love everything about the build. The CBI and the replaced rocker panels really clean up the LX excess to my eye.

 

[TheComedian]

If you are taking care while removing there is probably no need to remove the headliner. The nuts are always in a pair in a small plastic housing. So if you are able to remove one of the screws and secure it you can do then the other one and they don’t fall into wherever they do in the cabin behind the trims.
Thats what I did when I mounted my ARB slimline and I lost only one pair and that was easily to fish out in the trunk while bending up a trim wide enough to fit my hand.
So aftermarket to oem should be in that sense one to one the same as oem to aftermarket.


/edit
Ah found a picture of it made by Baja Transit. Not even nuts and a cage. It is one piece. Have been a few years since installing it.

Roof rack nuts. Headliner.

Roof rack nuts. Headliner.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[jlm43]

@TheComedian do you have an LX or a Land Cruiser? Those clips you’re talking about are not used on 2016 and newer LX’s if I remember correctly.

 

[TheComedian]

@TheComedian do you have an LX or a Land Cruiser? Those clips you’re talking about are not used on 2016 and newer LX’s if I remember correctly.

A 2008 Land Cruiser GX
Shortly double checked it with a post face-facelift heritage on Partsouq.
It is one to one the same stuff from the first till the last 200 as I see right.

The little yellow thing is what sticks through the metal as a spacer. In theory it should have a tight fit to keep it in place while working on the roof rails.

 

[jlm43]

A 2008 Land Cruiser GX
Shortly double checked it with a post face-facelift heritage on Partsouq.
It is one to one the same stuff from the first till the last 200 as I see right.

The little yellow thing is what sticks through the metal as a spacer. In theory it should have a tight fit to keep it in place while working on the roof rails.

Post 2016 LX's do not have those nut brackets installed from the factory unfortunately.

@navydivedoc hopefully you hear back from the installer on whether or not they installed the LC nut brackets. That would definitely simplify things.

 

[navydivedoc]

To close the loop on this. OK4wd had records of the installation, but couldn't guarantee that the oem mounting points were installed. I may just keep the rack. Or I may pull one bolt and look for the telltale yellow cylinder. Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[lx200inAR]

To close the loop on this. OK4wd had records of the installation, but couldn't guarantee that the oem mounting points were installed. I may just keep the rack. Or I may pull one bolt and look for the telltale yellow cylinder. Thanks everyone for the input.

I’d pull one up near the front. I was able to drop a small enough part of the headliner in the front to retrieve the nut retainer from the 2nd set of holes on my LX. Probably only took about 45 min total. A small nut might be harder or easier to find.. not sure.

 

[2021 LC200]

In case it is just a nut which was tightened with a key from the inside, when the roof liner was down, it probably is best not to touch it at all. Leaks from after market racks not properly sealed or tightened is a known issue.