So you say you spun your nutcerts (1 Viewer)

[Uluabob]

OK Mud,
So I am trying to remove my OEM roof rack from my '96, as a half banana mechanic I figured even this was something I couldn't screw up. Well I proved myself wrong. So in reading the other various threads on this topic, I believe I have spun the nut certs on three out of the four corners of the main roof bars. I have freed up one of the screw top bolts on each corner by JB blaster soaking and pounding with the vessel impact driver with a JIS head on it. I have no intentions of ever putting this rack back on (have a ironman 4x4 basket rack waiting on deck for mounting) but I don't want to do anything to f up the truck. I am fine with cutting etc. and intend to grind the rusty patches beneath the cross bar feet and hit with rust reformer and primer after the rack is off. What should I do to get these remaining screw top bolts out? I've heard of drilling but that makes me nervous about f'ing up the roof, hack saw from the side? Shaped charge? Many thanks y'all

 

[FMC80]

I used a dremel and drilled out the nutserts and retrieved the pieces with a magnet. With a 96, you’re headliner should be easy to drop if need be.

 

[Uluabob]

I used a dremel and drilled out the nutserts and retrieved the pieces with a magnet. With a 96, you’re headliner should be easy to drop if need be.

Thank you, so like drill down through the head of the screw bolt? I guess once the head is gone I can just pull the rack off of the shaft of the bolt? Is there a specific dremel bit you used? Thanks

 

[FMC80]

So your roof rack is still on the roof and you can’t remove it right? I used a sawzall to cut through the rack and cut through the long bolts. After I removed the rack and threw away, I retrieved the nursery’s by dremel on t the center out. Does that makes sense? I’ll link a thread to show you what I referenced.

Removing factory roof rack

I purchased a Prinsu roof rack and I'm in the process of removing the factory rack now. I'm having a problem with a couple of screws that continue to turn, but not come out. I'm assuming the nutsert is spinning, any suggestion on getting it out? The screws that have come out, leave behind a...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Uluabob]

So your roof rack is still on the roof and you can’t remove it right? I used a sawzall to cut through the rack and cut through the long bolts. After I removed the rack and threw away, I retrieved the nursery’s by dremel on t the center out. Does that makes sense? I’ll link a thread to show you what I referenced.

ah thank you, yes rack is still on, and I missed the sawzall part! Makes sense to just kind of chop it up and get it out of the way. Is there any harm in leaving the nutserts and just filling them with like jb weld or something? Thank you

 

[FMC80]

If there’s rust around the nutserts, I’d remove them and remove the rust, use some type of rust converter and then weld it shut. If you can’t weld it then seal it very well after you remove the rust. I used JB SteelStik because I can’t weld and my headliner isn’t easily removable like yours

 

[Uluabob]

If there’s rust around the nutserts, I’d remove them and remove the rust, use some type of rust converter and then weld it shut. If you can’t weld it then seal it very well after you remove the rust. I used JB SteelStik because I can’t weld and my headliner isn’t easily removable like yours

Roger that, thank you!