Remove or Install Your Factory Roof Rack

Apr 23

Accessories, How-To, How-To Body, Storage and Organization

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Article by: RobRed

Applicable Models: 1998 – 2007 / 100 Series Land Cruiser or Lx 470

Removal:

1. Remove the four corner Support Covers by grasping with two hands and lifting vertically. You may have to give them a tug, but the Covers will come off. Your hands need to be clean to get a good grip on the Covers. Do not use tools to try to pry the Covers off as the finish may be damaged.
2. Each of the four Corner Supports is bolted to the roof with two bolts each. These can be removed with a T30 Torx bit. Remove all eight bolts.
3. Slide each Side Rail forward approximately 6 – 10 mm to release them from the Center Supports. Remove the Rack Assembly and place it upside down on a work table protected with clean shop rags.
4. Using a T15 Torx bit, remove the Screws that hold the Rear Supports to the Side Rails. After the Rear Supports are removed, the Cross Bars may be removed and turned around as shown in this sketch.

Reverse above to Install and note the cross rail instructions below.

Cross Bar Install:

1. Roof Rack Installers need to be certain that the two Roof Rack Cross Bars are installed as shown in the illustration. If the Cross Bars are installed any other way, Wind Noise complaints are likely to result.
- a. Before any vehicle is delivered with a Roof Rack already installed, it should be checked to make certain the Cross Bars are properly installed.
- b. If a customer complains of a Wind Noise coming from the top of his vehicle, check to make certain the Cross Bars are properly installed.
2. If the Cross Bars are not installed as shown in the illustration, the Roof Rack must be removed, the Cross Bars re-orientated, and the Rack reinstalled. Please use the procedures in this bulletin for removal and installation.

Precautions:

1. Use 3M Ultra Pro body sealer on the ends of the eight (T30) Support Bolts and make sure the white rubber sealing sleeves are in place.
Torque (T30): 65 inch pounds (7.3 Nm)
2. Make certain the Screws holding the Rear Supports to the Rails are snug and the bottom surfaces of the Rails and Supports are flush with one another.
3. When reinstalling the Support Covers, make sure they are fully seated by giving each a light blow with a closed fist. The top surface of each Cover should be flush with the surface of each Side Rail.

Field complaints of a wind noise, described as a low level “howl” starting at approximately 25 m.p.h., have been traced to improper installation of the Cross Bars. When the Cross Bars are removed and properly reinstalled, the noise goes away. Note some racks use T40 bolts.

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