Howdy, Im removing the roof wind deflector and roof rails in prep for installing a roof rack. What are the screw types i'm looking for to plug the holes? Thanks all.
Screws help
- Thread starter seattle80series
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A lot of people weld the holes up.
I used fiberglass impregnated bondo on the holes were my flares were and they have held up. I going to do the same on the roof rack holes.
I used fiberglass impregnated bondo on the holes were my flares were and they have held up. I going to do the same on the roof rack holes.
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- #3
When you say weld do you mean with bondo or actually weld?
@Broski means actually weld the holes closed.
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- #5
Got it, thanks guys.
What year LC? In order to weld up the holes, you need to drop the headliner. For my '94, the headliner is nearly impossible to remove without ruining it. The 95-97 uses a different design that is much easier to remove. So for a '94, welding wasn't an option, and all the rivnuts were gone, so I used something else, see Best way to fill roof rack holes?.
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- #9
95’, I hadn’t considered the headliner..
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- #10
So is the idea of stainless screws and seam sealer are undesirable because it’ll fail at some point?
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Stainless screws should work fine, that is what CDan used after all, and are reversible. Welding is the best permanent solution. Other people have used epoxy putty or other sealing products.
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The packing tape over my rack holes has held now for a couple years 
Yeah - I was going to add "Extra points for welding up the holes without setting the headliner on fire", but I'm late to the party.
Fillers work OK, just remember to dimple the application areas so you don't wind up with a really thin coat that will crack. Haven't done mine yet and will likely go the Witt's End solution before a permanent fill as part of a repaint.
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- #14
Hello neighbor.
I looked real close at using that type of extra-wide flange stainless steel screw, seemed really good at first, but I think there is a problem with it - the thread inserts are at something of an angle to the sheet metal, they aren't square to the surface - so the thin side of the rubber has to crush down enough so that the thick side has enough pressure to make a good seal.
The bonded gasket washers will pivot to whatever angle they need, but you still have a water entry path under the head & down the shaft of the screw. Need to seal with RTV or another small o-ring.
issues.
The bonded gasket washers will pivot to whatever angle they need, but you still have a water entry path under the head & down the shaft of the screw. Need to seal with RTV or another small o-ring.
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- #17
Are you saying the screw itself isn't at a right angle to the head of the screw?
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- #19
That looks pretty good to me... did you use seam sealer on the threads?
no
It puts the scew head at an angle to the sheet metal surface.
@TomH right side photo shows it well, left side hardly at all.
A larger diameter flange exaggerates the effect.
The angle varies - not all the same.
The rub-rail end screw thread inserts are much closer to flat/square than the roof rack ones.
Not surprising.
The male screw in female thread insert is close enough to plugged that you would probably never get an actual leak.
Mine never did (the factory install), but the problem isn't that - it's corrosion, one drop at a time over the years.
Mine are badly corroded from years in Phoenix AZ weather - so water obviously did get in there and sat, over and over again.