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

[e9999]

dang, this was a good helpful thread.

Back to it!

Kroil didn't work for squat.

One more question:
is there enough flex in the headliner that if I just remove the rearmost 3 clips, and maybe the center 2, I could get access to the underside of the rear corner mount spinners? Or do I have to remove the front clips, visors, roofrack junk and all?

blah!

E

Never mind, guys, I did it. Removed all the junk on the sides plus the 3 clips in the rear and the 2 in the middle. Didn't touch the front part (light), sunroof controls etc.

I could easily lower the back of the headliner by 4" or so. And I can see the nutsert inner parts. Man, these things are tiny! And that was supposed to hold the rack? sheesh...

Note: thanks to most useful warnings from good guys here about the cost and fragility of the liner, I decided to support it with an adjustable tripod in the back so it would not bend too much and crack. So far, so good, seems fine. Wish me luck!

Now to see if I can hold these nutserts from underneath and have somebody unscrew them from the top...

More to come!

E

 

[e9999]

decided to take it off completely...

more on separate headliner removal thread...

E