Roof Rail Deleting?????????
I'm having my Trac painted all over since there was body work to be done all around. I wanted to get you folks opinion on deleting the roof rails. I'm not sure whether to weld/fill the bolt holes and make it permanent or just plug/ paint them so the rails can be put back on in the future if wanted. I'm a bit wary of the "Christmas tree" style plastic plugs ...... I sure don't want a leak. What's the consensus here?
Many have done it and just used the plastic plugs (painted to match) to cover the holes. It's really up to you. If you aren't going to use them, then just fill it in before the painting gets done and sell them on E-Bay. I have never used mine, but I like how they look up there. But the ones who have had them removed, it does look good. I think the back part of them has a spot that it has to have a piece covering the area anyway. Probably would be a good idea to just fill it all in and get it painted and not worry about putting them back on. :thumbsup:
If you are looking to remove the rails then fill them in. Make a choice & comit to it. To me the plugs look 1/2 aA$$ed. I have always been an advocate of clean repairs.
My Benz has no bondo. All the bodywork was lead. It was a pain to do but it is clean. Could I have used bondo? Sure but I would have had to redo it eventually.
I personally like the rails and they are functional to carry stuff in the roof rack. If you don't see yourself using the roof rack now is the time to do it right since you're getting a paint job!
I like the slick look and the rails are useless without the cross bars. But, the cross bars aren't that expensive. I think I know I'm definitely, positively, absolutely, partially, somewhat sure of what I may or may not do ..... :goofy: :goofy: :goofy: :yes:
As long as you have an idea of what you want to do. :grin:
Leave the rails...may help with resale value (a little)? I like the looks of rails. SUVs look nekid w/o them. It doesn't sound like you have cross-bars. I leave my cross-bars off in order to get every inch of mileage. Having owned SUVs since '97, I've used a rack once.
The little extras like the rails and side tie-downs adds to the look of the ST. I love it - because to me unlike the Ridgeline which looks plain and incomplete and the ST's added stuff makes it look more like a truck than a car with a bed - unlike like that "initial FWD" Ridgeline uni-body... :P
IMHO the Ridgeline looks as if they forgot to finish putting all the parts on... needs some kind of trim or rack or something - too plain lookin for my taste!
a buddy told me that the roof rails also helps if the ST rolls over? not to sure how accurate that is though.
I'll post a pic of the one that broke off of mine when it rolled over. :scratch:
No help! :yes:
I've had my roof rack off and back on 3 times. First time looking for the clean look, but with the same dilemma as others, what to do with the screw holes. I temp put the screws back in with silicone. Thought it looked to plain so I put the racks back on. I searched and searched for caps, screw covers that I might adhesive on (to be able to go back to stock if need be). So I took them off one more time. The wife got mad, saying she didn't drive 900 miles with me to get the Sport Trac to look like all the other plain 'crew cab' style trucks, so back on the racks went (without the rails). Guess I like mine with them on (even if to me they aren't really practical to ever have a need to use), and regardless of the wife wanting them on. :goofy:
The clever maneuver was the black eye I gave myself on the first try taking the racks off trying to muscle one of the rack end caps off. What a klutz! :lol:
Now if I went the extra $$ for a black Adrenalin, no roof racks are the best look in my opinion. :scratch:
Roof racks on 2nd Gen ST's were standard right? And no caps exist if you want to take them off?
From all I've read and searched, the racks were standard (exception being the Adrenalin) and no screw caps available.
It's too bad someone couldn't custom up a thin ridge cap\channel for each side (spanning the 2 screws in front and to in back on the same side). Something even in a semi-hard rubber.
I wondered if I had found single screw caps whether I'd be looking up at the 8 dots on the roof all the time? :hmmm:
Leave in 'em on and move in on...
:dance: