Removing stock roof rack: Penetrating oil OK or headliner nightmare?

[e9999]

OK, I see some rust color discoloration under one of the mounts of the roof rack longitudinal beams. Afraid to look under there but may force myself to if I can figure out how to remove the various parts of the thing. Now, I read several mentions of the nutserts spinning and creating an ugly scene. I'd like to avoid that, if at all possible.
Question for those of you who already have taken the thing apart: any risk of staining the headliner if I were to spray some penetrating oil under the mounts before I take it apart (or later for that matter)? I imagine that is a risk if the nutserts don't "fill up" the holes fully.
Waddaya think?
And any advice on minimizing risks of not being able to remove the blasted thing?
thanks
E

 

[Rogue]

I wouldn't. If you are going to though, you should spray it through the top into each of the holes where the screws go down into the roof. It'll be a lot more precise that way. Don't use much either if you are afraid of the stains.

 

[G-Cat]

longitudinal beams.
E

Great phrase. I am about to remove mine, as well. What are you going to use to fill/plug the holes?

 

[e9999]

Great phrase. I am about to remove mine, as well. What are you going to use to fill/plug the holes?

me, I'm not worrying about filling the holes, I'm worrying about taking it off first, and then discovering what needs to be done...

If it's too bad, I may just put it back together and pretend it's not there...

E

 

[cruiserdan]

If it's too bad, I may just put it back together and pretend it's not there...

E

Not you, NO WAY!

Have you measured the temperature between the headliner and the roof skin yet?

 

[e9999]

Not you, NO WAY!

Have you measured the temperature between the headliner and the roof skin yet?

hmmm.... not a bad point, temperature would have an effect on the penetration of Kroil, you know surface tension being a function of activation energy and all.... hmmm..... wonder if a fiber optic two-color pyrometer would do it...

(any photos of the nutserts in the holes left on this site?)

E

 

[RavenTai]

the front row of both the longitudinal beams and the center ribs has the sunroof pan between the nutserts and headliner so anything that makes it through the nutsert will just drip in the pan, the aft row on my LX has a bunch of sound proofing in between that would absorb any penetrant, one of the LC/LX differences is more soundproofing, not sure if this roof padding is part of this "more" or is it is present on the LC also.

So if you do try to presoak them only do the fronts, not only is that safer for the headliner those are harder to get to (headliner and sunroof) than the rears (just headliner) if there si a problem

Penetrating oil might discolor the paint if left to long, especially on a white vehicle, I would do it the night before only, after this you are committed to removing the rack to get the oil back out


Putting penetrate between the roof and bottom of the foot would not get it into the nutsert, putting some around the screw head might allow it to get to where you want it

After I drilled the heads off of mine and removed the rack I soaked them overnight with PB blaster, the nutserts still would not let go of the screws

Another thing you might try if you have confidence in you drilling skills is to just drill them in the first place without trying to turn them with the rack in place, this would give you a chance to see what you are working with directly soak them and watch as you turn them out

HTH
Raven

 

[hoser]

If your nutserts spin, I think your best bet is to cut the roof rack apart to expose the screws. Cut off the heads of the screws and punch the nutserts below--trying not to dent the roof. You might be able to grind off the "T" part of the nutsert with a dremel but I'm not sure. There seems to be no easy way to remove them out w/o removing the headliner.

 

[RavenTai]

If your nutserts spin, I think your best bet is to cut the roof rack apart to expose the screws. Cut off the heads of the screws and punch the nutserts below--trying not to dent the roof. You might be able to grind off the "T" part of the nutsert with a dremel but I'm not sure. There seems to be no easy way to remove them out w/o removing the headliner.

if you drill the heads off the screws (#11 or 3/16 bit,) you can lift the "longitudinal beams" (still like that term) right off without damaging it, not sure why I wanted to keep them but I did, I would have to have a serious brain malfunction to want to put it back on


to get the spun nutserts out I cut off the screws flush with the nutsert and lightly ground them down just a little bit with a die grinder to get rid of the small flange of the nutsert (dremel would work, never a full size grinder you would gouge the roof metal) and lightly tapped them through, be carful the roof is thin and also a soft steel, this mans it is easy to warp but also easy to straiten, the metal arround all the nutserts was pulled up carefully tapping with the handle of a screwdriver got it back flush

But after all that I still had to remove the headliner, so if they spin you might as well cut to the chase remove the headliner if you have "spinners"

 

[e9999]

DISASTER!

I'm seriously ticked off! At myself. Darn it, I really messed up.

I proceeded without thinking and waiting and probably screwed up. I had this recollection about removing the "cover" off the mounts. So I see these 2 little screwheads and I figure I can just take the "cover" off and will see if I should put Kroil on the real screws or not. Darn it. These are the actual screws that hold the thing. The cover part that I read about was probably for the 100.
So the first screw I try starts spinning after a while with a sickening squeak. The second one came off but was very hard. Was completely dry and oxidized. That's when I realize it was *the* screw. So I'm already fawked. Worse, having removed one of the screws, I can see what looks like rust under the "seal". So now, I have the thing somewhat off, not tight, and the nutsert probably spinning. And that's the first mount only. And I'm supposed to leave on a long trip in a couple of weeks, which is why I was going to look under that thing...

I'm real unhappy right now!

So what do I do? Kroil on all the other ones? Try and take the headliner off? Drill that sucker head? Any good photos left out there of what these things look like?

Shat!

grrrrr.....

 

[e9999]

oh, and how does one drill a spinning screw?



E

 

[e9999]

how big a job is taking the headliner out?

I remember vaguely some horror stories....



E

 

[e9999]

I can't believe it! I asked the right question about the right thing to do upfront to avoid problems and I still did it!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!


E

 

[RavenTai]

Bummer, trust me I feel your pain and I am not done yet

There are some pictures by both me and nakman in this thread

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

You should also read this thread

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=18708

I was able to drill the heads off because they nutserts still held enough to be drilled but not enough to break through the rust between the insert and screw

Use a sharp bit and light pressure, lubricant would help also

I’ll post about the headliner in your headliner thread,

 

[e9999]

Bummer, trust me I feel your pain and I am not done yet

There are some pictures by both me and nakman in this thread

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

You should also read this thread

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=18708

I was able to drill the heads off because they nutserts still held enough to be drilled but not enough to break through the rust between the insert and screw

Use a sharp bit and light pressure, lubricant would help also

I’ll post about the headliner in your headliner thread,

yup, saw these.
Consolation may be that the rust is probably so bad that Kroil would likely not have helped.

I started out taking the headliner off.

Plan for now is to see if I can reach the spinner simply by forcing the rear of the headliner down a bit. And put Kroil on all the other screws. Maybe I won't have to get to the sunroof area. Not holding my breath though.

Just my luck...

sigh

E

 

[RavenTai]

DO not force the headliner! it is very weak and brittle!!!!

the work you need to do it has to be all the way out

 

[e9999]

DO not force the headliner! it is very weak and brittle!!!!

the work you need to do it has to be all the way out

E

 

[e9999]

guys, had a thought.
Is there any part of this nutsert cr*p that sticks above the roof? If so, maybe I could gently pry the plastic foot or cut a piece off, and secure the nutsert with vise grip pliers?
E

 

[RavenTai]

nope, see the pics in the other thread

 

[RavenTai]

if you want the feet off just drill the heads off the screws