Roof Rack / Rail Removal

[fcowell]

I was surprised how easy it was to do. You will love the outcome. I'm assuming you haven't done this yet. I need to post more pics of mine too to get ideas on how to finish the blackout look.

No, haven't done this before. I have a family member who is a pro body tech - we are trading work. The racks are already off with the front plastic pieces painted and in place as a temporary deal until the new parts come in. When they come on, I'll get them painted like I did the body cladding so it blends in.

 

[fcowell]

Got all my parts too. Just a bit under $400 for everything.

I'll tackle it as soon as it warms up a bit more around here, and I find out how to remove the 2016+ style rails without breaking anything.

They're pretty easy to remove from what I understand (a family member who is a pro body tech is doing my work). I'll post pics in the next week or so.

 

[TRWXXA]

They're pretty easy to remove from what I understand (a family member who is a pro body tech is doing my work). I'll post pics in the next week or so.

I tried it today, and it actually was pretty easy to remove. You just start prying up the cover from the rear to the front, with a trim removal tool. when you have released all the clips, then you just pull the cover backwards, and off it comes. Then you just start unbolting the base.

I hit one big snag, however. The bolt over the rear doors is a stud fro some reason. The nuts came off easy, and the passenger side stud did too. The driver side one was cross threaded or something. It came about halfway out and that was it. I could not screw it back in, or out any further. A Dremel cutoff wheel took care of that.

Another surprise awaited...

The clips that hold the forward "hockey stick" trim pieces were not the long one that I expected. They were the short pieces that are also used for the PI "less roof rack" trim piece.

Must be a change for the new rail style.

So now I have two sets of those short clips since I ordered them for the mod.

Right now the Ex is sitting in the garage waiting for the sealant I put around the hole-filling grub screws to dry. Then I'll put on the long trim strips.

 

[fcowell]

Got the parts, except for two small pieces that are on back order

Have all parts except for two minor ones that are on back order - just sitting in my garage waiting to go on!

 

[Pepper2829]

Part number update and pricing

Only trying to update an already great thread.

Finally did this. Ordered all the parts prior....in reality, all you need are the gutter moldings from the windshield and some hardware.

The retainers have new part numbers
FB5Z-7850002-A (right)
FB5Z-7850002-B (left)

Though I do not see a need in ordering them. Apparently 2016 and up models all have the short ones, plus, you could just cut your existing long ones. (and still reverse the process)

The left one is/was on back order as of a month ago. A retired parts manager on another forum did a dealer search for me and found 5 in the country. (I thought I kept that email, will look in my notes to see if I still have the dealerships that still had them) In any case, I wouldn't order them again. (Having new foam around the hole on the under side is a plus though)

Parts diagram showed you needing 4 bolts..W713232-S439...I only used 2 (one for each retainer) there again, stock ones could be reused. (But new ones have a sealant on the threads)

I initially used the rubber washers listed earlier, wasn't happy with them, and did not want to use silicone (They were broken and messed up after only two days). I ended up ordering
http://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
and
http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Find-Fas...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00
(did not use yet, unless I get water penetration)
And I wasn't happy with the phillips screws I got locally, so I ordered
http://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

The metal washer is not much lager then the button head, looks pretty good, and I have had no water penetration.

As no one has mentioned it, I guess I will, if you want to be able to reverse this when your using stainless, use anti-seize.

So this can be done for less than $100. (Mouldings are $43/$44)

As my Explorer is tri-coat white, I do not want to run black moulding down the gutter.
I will be painting all the lower plastic and will paint the roof mouldings too.

Maybe this winter if I'm not so busy, I want to make an actual filler strip front to rear in sheet metal (box tube that will fill the gutter flush) and paint body color. One piece that can bolt down.

As a side note, when removing the rails, do not try to separate the moulding from the pedestal. Take it off as a unit, remove the rubber gasket, the you turn the moulding 90 degrees to remove it. Trying to pry them apart on the vehicle, will result in a broken clip.

Hope this helps. Obviously not the only way to do it. Just one possible way. Also the cheapest way to do it. (Unless you can find a wrecked police version and get used parts lol)

 

[fcowell]

Thanks for the info. Needing the bolts since I lost mine during the project.

Like you, my 2016 is white and after getting the gutter moulding, I realized I couldn't paint it and sent them back. Also, just got in the plastic retainers and realized that I don't need those either as the 2016 already has the "short ones" as you mentioned. If anybody needs those, let me know -$20 plus mailing.

-Frank

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Pepper2829.:wavey:

Peter

 

[Pepper2829]

Thanks Peterk9!
Been around for a while, just had no need to post.
Was a member of the ranger station for years
Usually hang out on a couple of the other Ford forums.

Nice to see other Canadians on here

 

[TRWXXA]

Can anyone who has done this mod, AND got the long, straight trim pieces from Ford that fill the roof gutter post a close-up pic of the end of it. The parts I got online from a Ford dealer (which happens to get a lot of recommendations on this forum, by the way) seem different from the trim pieces on the Interceptor SUVs I have seen.

Are the trim pieces rigid, semi-rigid or flexible? The ones I got are very flexible and came coiled up in a box. They were wrapped in packaging that is not like the usual Ford OEM packaging I am used to. The part number was essentially printed on a large Avery address label. On the vehicle it doesn't sit level with the roof line and shows every high and low spot in the gutter. It just doesn't look very good, or original. It makes me want to put the roof rack rails back on.

I am concerned that I got counterfeit parts, and paid a lot of money for them. I know automobile trim pieces are usually very pricey -- probably because they are often paid for by insurance companies (and why not gouge them on the price?). But I am gonna be extremely pissed if they took some $2/ft. generic rubber trim, sealed it in brown paper and plastic, stuck a part number on it, and charged me the OEM price.

 

[Pepper2829]

TRWXXA....
Gitme in post 44 (page 2 I think) has a factory interceptor and has some good pics. Ends are finished nice.
All the reading I have done on the "OEM/Ford" gutter filler strip is that
1. its expensive and
2. when ppl get it, it looks like generic door moulding crap comparable to stuff bought at Lowes.
So, you may have got Ford stuff...you didn't mention where you bought it...you may not have. What you described though is what any description I have heard about it. For generic looking crap, I wasn't will to spend that kind of coin on it.

I know you asked for someone that has used it, but I did a lot of reading on it before ordering parts (not just this forum)
Just my 2 cents

 

[TRWXXA]

TRWXXA....
Gitme in post 44 (page 2 I think) has a factory interceptor and has some good pics. Ends are finished nice.
All the reading I have done on the "OEM/Ford" gutter filler strip is that
1. its expensive and
2. when ppl get it, it looks like generic door moulding crap comparable to stuff bought at Lowes.
So, you may have got Ford stuff...you didn't mention where you bought it...you may not have. What you described though is what any description I have heard about it. For generic looking crap, I wasn't will to spend that kind of coin on it.

I know you asked for someone that has used it, but I did a lot of reading on it before ordering parts (not just this forum)
Just my 2 cents

Mine is the top one.

They don't look very much alike, do they?

I did not mention from where I bought it, but it is a dealer/parts supplier that gets recommended a lot on this forum.

Not sure I am going to handle it yet, but I'm pretty steamed that they would slip crap from Pep Boys in place of OEM parts, and charge the OEM price.

Why is it that car dealers have the reputation of being lying-@ss sleazebags?

Just wondering.

 

[La-rue]

They don't look very much alike, do they?

The differing angles angles of the pics makes for a bad comparison. Your pic is from a lower angle that will always show more detail in the surface, as far as smoothness goes.

 

[TRWXXA]

The differing angles angles of the pics makes for a bad comparison. Your pic is from a lower angle that will always show more detail in the surface, as far as smoothness goes.

Look at the ends. One is an unfinished T-shaped cross section. The other is a finished rectangular cross section.

But thank you for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts for you, including "The Devil's in the Details" home game.

 

[La-rue]

Oh okay I see that now. Didn't notice that in the lower pic. Main thing that caught my eye was the "bumpiness" of yours, which could also be the case with the lower one, but like I said, from the angle of that pic it's hard to tell.

 

[Pepper2829]

From what I remember when I went snooping at the back of the dealership when the first batch of Interceptors came in, that moulding seemed to be more of a stiff plastic like foam (?) with a bit of give. Your T-moulding looks like hard plastic, which like you said, would tend distort in heat.
At first glance, yours looked alright, filled the gap nice, but the waviness and the unfinished end certainly doesn't look oem

 

[TRWXXA]

From what I remember when I went snooping at the back of the dealership when the first batch of Interceptors came in, that moulding seemed to be more of a stiff plastic like foam (?) with a bit of give. Your T-moulding looks like hard plastic, which like you said, would tend distort in heat.
At first glance, yours looked alright, filled the gap nice, but the waviness and the unfinished end certainly doesn't look oem

Nope. They are flexible rubber, like something you'd buy off the roll, by the foot at Pep Boys.

 

[arred79]

I am in the process of converting my 2013 to a slicktop and removing the roof rack, I love the actual Ford moulding strips used on the utility interceptors that run the full length of the roof, gives it a nice finished look. And although they are quite pricey, to anyone that has actually gone ahead and ordered them, how do they attach?

 

[micafd3s]

I just bought and installed just the front trim piece.. used the stock clip underneath and just painted them black since the new trim piece did not have the rubber sides like the stock ones to cover it up and was showing a bit..
you don't have to get a new clip nor cut the existing one... so if you wanted to reverse.. you would be able to
it does give a slight bulge in the mid section but not noticeable..

 

[BillyG2014Sport]

I am very interested in this mod. I love the way the Range Rover Sport looks without a roof rack. I never see anyone using there XS roof rack or with cross bars installed. To bad Ford didn't make them all slick tops and make us purchase the entire assembly if we wanted a rack. The Sport should have came with a factory slick top.
Has anyone priced what the dealer would charge to order the parts and install them for you. It sounds pretty simple according to some members however also seems like everyone is ordering different parts and having issues with bolts and clips. I'm sure the Ford dealership would have to eat any mistakes with wrong parts ordered or problems encountered when they are installing it. There is nothing like dropping your car off and picking it up with the work completed for you exactly the way it is supposed to be with out having to rig anything. That way if any issued arrise later on you can bring it back to Ford and get them to fix it. I am sure labor would cost a fortune!

 

[ibuytoys]

Just deleted the roof rack tonight on my new '17 Sport and love how it looks! Used the front trim pieces from the Interceptor and plugged the holes with black nylon plugs and RTV. If anyone is looking for like new roof rack system, gloss black in color, send me a PM.