1998-2001 Mountaineer Inadequate Roof Rack Fix | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1998-2001 Mountaineer Inadequate Roof Rack Fix

Turdle

DIY stunt double
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Elite Explorer
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City, State
Humboldt, KS
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Mounty
Hi Guys
I have a mountaineer with a hard to work with stock rack.
Please show me if you can, the mounting of the stock explorer rack rails. The ones screwed into the roof.

I need to see how close , or far, they are to each other--if I can get an explorer rack rails on my roof.
Size of screws if you know will help. Phillips head ( like mountaineer) or are they hex head?

Goon go swipe a rack at a pick and pull so I need to know in advance how to deal with it.


Thanks!!!
 



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Off the top of my head I would think the racks would be interchangeable. They attach to the roof with blind rivet nuts (can't think of the actual name). I'm pretty such that Monty's and Expl's travel down the same assembly line and only take their identity when they reach the exterior trim station. I'm kinda busy today with family stuff, but it no one else can give you actual measurements/details let me know and I can compare racks as I have both a Monty and an Expl of the approx same year.
 






Thanks @koda2000

The reason I ask this, is, without looking at one which I cannot, many years ago I sent a mounty rack to a member here who had an explorer.If I recall correctly it didn't just bolt right on, he had to do some work to make it fit. I do know that different Trim levels have varying holes cut into the body ( hatches are slightly different vehicle to vehicle) fender holes for flares--etc.

The Mountaineer side rail is held in place by 5 phillips head m4 or possibly m6 bolts on each rail.
 






I just did a quick check on my Expl. It has Phillips screws on the rails. I couldn't tell how many per rail w/out removing stuff and I can't see inside the rails w/out standing on a step ladder, but 6 seems about right.

BTW: I just dawned on me, those things that that screws screw into are called riv-nuts.
 






My truck is still at work with the gf but I had her try and take a picture of what I could discribe to her the beat i could.

She didn't count how many there were but that's the outside rail. The bolt sticking up isn't part of that, that's my roof rack mount.

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Jon, Don't get an Explorer rack off a '97. They're different and not in a good way. The later models (2000's and 2001's for sure) have a better design allowing you to easily remove the x-bars if desired.
 






I know the 98 Explorer roof rack is different than the 98 Mountaineer. I checked that last year when I bought this 98 Limited. The four end bolts are located much differently between the Ford and Mercury. I didn't compare the inner three, or count how many there were between the ends.

The distance that the holes differ is several inches. I think the roof shape is identical for all 95-01's. I still plan to go get another Mountaineer rack, my local PAP has one recently.

I thought some of those screws were Torx, are they all Phillips(which suck)? I'll have to remember to find my impact driver(old tool) to remove those.
 






Man you guys are right. Explorer-early Mountaineer Roof racks are not created equal. I tried a b2 and an escape rack but they are too narrow, however I bet an escape rack will bolt right on the b2. Why did I even spend time to check that? idunno, and it was a scorcher out there. But there ya go.



Anyway, I got the main rails with gaskets off what I think is a 94. These are built like a small scale ex trac setup, metal, all the good stuff.

I got 2 cross bars off a 97 mounty, which are metal all along the tubes with a heavier plastic end, it screws down with a wheel screw to wedge itself tight in the track.

The front bar is off a 98 explorer which seemed to also have more metal. It is the permanent mount bar to the front held with the 2 torx screws I was not aware of, which made me walk another mile back to the office to borrow a bit, and back. And it was hot. It's either real muddy at this place, or, if it isn't muddy it is because it is hot.




I also got 2 cross bars from the same 98 which are metal with a rubber strip on the top edge. These have a slider to lock and unlock them


The mounting holes seem real close from what I can tell, and all rails fit into this track. The 94 rack bolt pattern was identical to the 98 on the side rails, so, I feel confident it will work.
 






I'm still learning to post pics... the length of the out side rails 57". There are 5 phillips screws holding them in. The inside 4 rails are riveted on. I cant measure them becaus my cargo basket, but they are about a foot shorter, 6 in on each side. Outside to outside is 40 inches. The middle rails are 8 inches apart.

And mine has a sunroof... not sure if that makes a F or not.

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And yes the cross bars are crap. I made my own out of 1x1 and some bolts. It sits about 4 inches lower than the factory cross bars a not plastic.

IMG_0433.JPG
 












I'm glad you had "fun" at the JY. From what you saw, is the 2nd gen Explorer rack any better than the 1st gen parts? I still have my 93 body and rack on my 99(built from the 93 body), and those racks also aren't very good looking. I know they are not very strong, but boy they are ugly.
 






























And yes the cross bars are crap. I made my own out of 1x1 and some bolts. It sits about 4 inches lower than the factory cross bars a not plastic.

View attachment 98260

Possibly a dumb question...but how did you get the head of that bolt under the rail? Is one end open? Or can you simply slide it in sideways?
 






I'm glad you had "fun" at the JY. From what you saw, is the 2nd gen Explorer rack any better than the 1st gen parts?

In my opinion, the 1st gen rack was not that great, even when it wasn't very old (I have owned my truck since it was 6 years old). My 94 crossbars are similar, if not identical, to the '97 crossbar pictured above in this thread. The rubber/plastic crossbar itself looks identical. The "base" are may be a little different but not much.

Someone had mentioned the 1st gen rails. As far as the rails go, they have held up well. Probably they are the best part of the whole setup. As far as the little strips running in the water channels on the roof -- they tend to crack and break, at least on my 1st gen. I'm thinking that late? 2nd gen rack / Mounty rack surely must be better overall.
 






It sounds like the 1st gen side rails are better for mounting an aftermarket rack, if one exists. I haven't planned to carry boxes(parcels) on the roof. If I did, I would want the strongest mounting parts to hold down onto.

I tore up my 98 Explorer rear crossbar trying to straighten it out. I got tired of it fighting me, so I yanked it off, which twisted the side rail a bit, and broke the crossbar. I was trying to clean the truck up etc, it didn't want to play nice.
 



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The end caps of the tail pop off so you can slide them out/in. They are basically just plastic caps.

The bolt I used was actually a T bolt. It's basically a flatter head bolt. The a big flat washer and slid it in the channel. Then another flat washer and lock washer on top. Then a nut. Then the rail with another lock but and nut. The nut in between makes up for the space from the curve of the roof.

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