Roof Rack Delete (2 Viewers)

[Will Van]

Deleting the roof rack and found rust underneath (surprise). Documenting the process here.

Does anyone know the hardware specs for the roof rack delete nutserts? I would assume they're M6-1.0, but what do I know. (Edit: They’re M5-0.8 nutserts/screws)

Here is member @western flyer’s fine work, and my goal for the project.

 

[Proven]

I don't, but I would like to know because this is on my list.

I would really like to get a better roof rack.

 

[Will Van]

I’ll get you the specs as soon as I can. Phillips screwhead fasteners are frozen on right now. Borrowing an impact screwdriver.

 

[Rifleman]

Do to age and rust, don't be surprised if that impack dosen't work, and you end up having to cut some of those screws off. The reason i say that, most of the time the nutsert will just start to spin in the sheetmetal, leaving you no choice but to saw cut those screws off.

 

[aktundra]

Seems to me I’ve seen a fitting, that can use a OEM roof rack hole, as a path to route wires out the roof to bring power to the new roof rack for lights, compressor, etc

 

[Red Merle]

I don't know the thread pitch, but I am sure a replacement should be available if you can get at least one of them out. I would make a lot of efforts to not cut them off, if I could, because it might scar the roof or it might mangle the hole the nutsert is in. Remember that these were port installed. They just drilled into the sheet metal.

I would soak them in something that won't eat paint and I would use 3M blue tape around all of the feet as a protector against the work you are doing. I would sacrifice the rack before I cut the nuts unless you can be sure you aren't screwing up the body. You might be able to use a little heat from a small torch, but I would be careful with that.

One little thing I do when dealing with pretty much any of my rusty fasteners is to just go slow and if you get a turn, squirt some more Kroil or whatever you are using and then drive it back in the same amount. Eventually the thing becomes unstuck and you'll be able to back it out. If you try to horse it at all or you let the bolt heat up, they break off like play-doh and then you are in my world of making little projects into big projects.

 

[Will Van]

Luckily the impact screwdriver worked like a charm and I was able to remove the roof rack. I had to go to Harbor Freight and buy one. They're M5-0.8 screws/nutserts. Unfortunately the underside looks pretty gnarly.

DS Front

PS Front

DS Rear

PS Rear

 

[Warpigg]

Could be worse I broke all mine off and had to cut some off. 1-2 of the nutserts came out to so I have to drop my headliner and weld my roof this summer, siliconed in the meantime...

 

[Will Van]

I'm not exactly sure what to do now. Im debating drilling out the M5 nutserts, and installing a set of stainless steel M6 nutsuerts with silicone epoxy, and stainless "fender fasteners" with silicone seats.

Universal Metric Fender Fastener Kits (Universal to replace M6-1.0 OEM fasteners)

I'm also not sure what to do with the ribs on the ridges. I want to keep them, but I'm sure the situation is similar underneath there.

 

[Red Merle]

The idea of the new nutserts is a good one, the point I was trying to make is that you have to be careful as to how you go about that. You just don't want to widen the holes in the sheet metal getting the old ones out. My advice was meant to give you a baseline beyond just firing up the sawzall and ripping it off. That would f-up the paint and probably the holes.

See how many you can get out with the gentle persuasion methods. Get the Kroil going now and let it soak for a week or two with frequent applications.

When it comes to drilling them out, beware that the metal might already be compromised and power tools could make it worse. The whole thing is going to have to be dealt with at some point. I guess you have to ask yourself is now is the right time for it. I would still start soaking the fasteners at any rate.

 

[Will Van]

The idea of the new nutserts is a good one, the point I was trying to make is that you have to be careful as to how you go about that. You just don't want to widen the holes in the sheet metal getting the old ones out. My advice was meant to give you a baseline beyond just firing up the sawzall and ripping it off. That would f-up the paint and probably the holes.

See how many you can get out with the gentle persuasion methods. Get the Kroil going now and let it soak for a week or two with frequent applications.

When it comes to drilling them out, beware that the metal might already be compromised and power tools could make it worse. The whole thing is going to have to be dealt with at some point. I guess you have to ask yourself is now is the right time for it. I would still start soaking the fasteners at any rate.

Apologies, I'm not following you. I thought you were giving me advice on how to remove the screws from the nutserts (in order to get the roof rack off). At this point, I've already got the screws out and the roof rack off. There's no need to soak the fasteners. Or are you suggesting soaking the nutserts?

Drilling the nutsert is pretty standard. That's how I remove nutserts in any application. Albeit, in this case I need to be very careful not to drill too deep, and poke a hole through the headliner. But drilling out the M5 nutsert and installing and M6 stainless nutsert should be pretty straightforward. I will also hopefully get some solid sheetmetal with the slightly larger nutsert, rather than the rusty crud currently around the M5 nutsert. Basically just making the diameter of the hole for the nutsert slightly larger.

Am I missing something?

 

[Red Merle]

Apologies, I'm not following you. I thought you were giving me advice on how to remove the screws from the nutserts (in order to get the roof rack off). At this point, I've already got the screws out and the roof rack off. There's no need to soak the fasteners. Or are you suggesting soaking the nutserts?

Drilling the nutsert is pretty standard. That's how I remove nutserts in any application. Albeit, in this case I need to be very careful not to drill too deep, and poke a hole through the headliner. But drilling out the M5 nutsert and installing and M6 stainless nutsert should be pretty straightforward. I will also hopefully get some solid sheetmetal with the slightly larger nutsert, rather than the rusty crud currently around the M5 nutsert. Basically just making the diameter of the hole for the nutsert slightly larger.

Am I missing something?

I can't tell what pictures you have going. Was that your truck? You posted very similar pics the other day and I thought you were still asking how to get the rack off.

No. Ignore everything I said and proceed with the new nutserts. The old parts will probably fall into the headliner and become annoying at some point and tearing into the headliner is not a Sunday stroll on the '93-94 models. You might be able to fish out some of the big chunks with a telescoping magnet.

Just be careful and take your time. Snapping a bit off in the hole just makes your day. Do you have a set of extractors and a bunch of good drill bits? You got this.

EDIT: I think you were posting the pics as I was writing. That looks fine. You are going to have to touch up the paint at any rate, but the nutserts might be ok. I might not even bore all of those out unless you feel the need to.

 

[Will Van]

I can't tell what pictures you have going. Was that your truck? You posted very similar pics the other day and I thought you were still asking how to get the rack off.

No. Ignore everything I said and proceed with the new nutserts. The old parts will probably fall into the headliner and become annoying at some point and tearing into the headliner is not a Sunday stroll on the '93-94 models. You might be able to fish out some of the big chunks with a telescoping magnet.

Just be careful and take your time. Snapping a bit off in the hole just makes your day. Do you have a set of extractors and a bunch of good drill bits? You got this.

So sorry. I'm bad about posting pictures and not making it clear if the vehicle is mine, or an example of what I'm trying to do.

Before I could read your original post (about soaking the fasteners), I had already run to Harbor Freight, purchased an impact screwdriver, and pulled off the roof rack.

 

[Red Merle]

That would be an all weekend job where I live. You should thank the rust gods for staying up here in their happy hunting grounds.

Nothing too major there, but that rust has gotten under the paint. If you have to paint to have it look good, I would be curious to see what a gold 80 would look like with another color roof. Or just have it touched up at a good paint shop.

I wish I could rip bolts off with power tools. I have to take the old fashioned approach of saving up for, planning out and then executing my plans for the truck I own. I can't just bozz in there with an impact tool and just rip bolts for an hour and a half. It takes days sometimes, but it's worth it in the end when you finally get the damn thing loose.

Sometimes the bar gets you though. I started out trying to adjust my headlight on the driver's side on Friday and I found out something was stripped down below. I decided to take out the whole assembly. I got the first two bolts off with no effort at all and then I proceeded to snap the third one off almost immediately. I drove at least 5 drill bits and and a screw extractor into that hole and I still was not able to get it out. It's scorched Earth now. The only way that is getting fixed is if I have to take the entire front end of the truck apart for some reason.

 

[Will Van]

Well, I've got the old nutserts drilled out.

I placed a stainless nutsert in place, but didn't expand it, just to see what it would look like.

And then screwed in a fender fastener. Again, just to see what it would look like.

 

[Will Van]

Before I actually install the nutserts, I think I'm going to follow @western flyer's example (Factory Rack Removal Options?) and take the opportunity to clean up the paint around the holes.

This is his excellent work!

Steps:

• Clean
• Grind rust
• Replace bad nutserts
• Tape off (Frog tape)
• Rust Bullet (small disposable brushes, second pic below)
• Primer
• Dupli-Color Final Color
• Dupli-Color Clear
• Permathane on top of nutserts
• Loctite 565 on threads
• SS hardware
• Sealing washers

I've never done paint work before, so I'm going to do a little more research before I get started.

Does anybody know the best way to remove the paint/rust? Grind? With what?

 

[Malleus]

Ospho

 

[Red Merle]

I think that's going to work out just fine.

As for prepping the rust areas, as @Malleus said, using a rust "converter" like Ospho will help keep the rust from spreading. I would still use something to get the bubbled paint and rust off though. In such small areas, I would think a Dremel tool might be a good choice. Otherwise, maybe just use some sandpaper and to the spots by hand.

Also, not sure if your Dulpicolor is an exact match but you can usually get an auto body supply shop to make you a rattle can of paint using the original mix ratios. I think the can I had made was less than $30, but it is an exact match. You would still need to do a clear coat on top, but it could look pretty sharp, especially if you can use a DA polisher or an old fashioned buffer. Rather than making hard tape lines like @western flyer did, you could experiment with the folded paper method which will make for more of a feathered edge which will look a little better.

This video has a lot of good info in it, but at around the 5 minute mark he shows the area masked off and you can see that the paper isn't tight to the area he is painting.

 

[Will Van]

Do you think a rust inhibitor is necessary? I’m taking it down to bare metal. There is no rust.

I’m about to primer, sand, paint, and clear.

 

[Red Merle]

Probably not. That looks really clean.