Gutter too narrow for roof racks?

[Promethean]

Hey guys,

I just got some rola roof racks for the feroza and Im having a bit of trouble fitting the back up. The rack mount will slide into the channel on one side (snugly) but the other gutter is about half the width. It doesnt seem to like being coaxed and tends to chip pretty easily - anyone else had this problem or a solution? Dont really want to start grinding into the mount unless I know I wont have to resell it and start again.

Thanks
JD

[Goatse.AJ]

What vehicle?

[murcod]

The back one- so on the plastic/ fibreglass canopy? There should be special stainless brackets that will fit under one of the bolts that holds the canopy together? That then secures the foot of the Rola rack from moving.

[Promethean]

Thanks for the replies. Its a 1994 SPXII, and I dont see any bolt or anything that holds it together - its just a single moulded piece with a channel running just beside where the window attaches. I'll post pics if I can...

JD

[Promethean]

OK these show the right-hand-side track, when you can just force the foot down into the gutter (obviously the attachments arent in place yet). On the other side, however, the gutter has no space at all. Am I just fitting them wrong?



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[r0ck_m0nkey]

On the other side, however, the gutter has no space at all. Am I just fitting them wrong?

Have a good look at your last picture.

Look along the edge of the top of the glass, you can just see the tops of some bolts hidden underneath. In the picture you can see three of them, the heads are just round and flat. There should be a small metal bracket with your roof racks that needs to slip down the side of the glass and be held in place by one of these bolts. WHich bolt simply depends on where you want the rack, the rear ones are the easiest to get to. To get to the other side of the bolt, you need to remove some trim from the roof on the inside. You'll see the nuts once you do. Take the nut off, open the window and slide the bolt out. Put the bracket on and slip the bolt through the metal bracket and tighten it all back up, then attach your roof rack feet to that bracket.

Take a picture of the feet and brackets for the roof racks that you have, someone will quickly tell you if you have the right brackets or not.

[Promethean]

Thanks for the info RM, didnt even think about using those bolts - I was just going to modify the clamping parts of the mount to widen it. Ive attached pics of the detachable mount:


and also how the mount attaches to the rack (without the metal clamps attached):


Even so, if I understand you correctly, I still have the problem that the foot of the rack that slides into the gutter, which the mount then uses to clamp onto, wont actually fit into the space on the lefthand gutter as it does in the first pics I posted of the righthand side... Are you saying that I shouldnt worry about using the inner gutter at all and just bolt it onto the window sill?

Thanks again
JD

[murcod]

It appears you've got the wrong types of mounts to fit a Feroza? There should be a stainless steel bracket that fits under one of those bolt heads previously pointed out. It's shaped to fit flush with the recess profile and clear the closed rear window, it projects out above the roof line. That is then fastened onto the rack end supports.

Here you go- similar to this:



That flat black bit is the bracket and it holds the rack ends down onto the roof. The rack ends are just flat padded rubber underneath and literally just sit ontop of the canopy.

(Hopefully some of the above makes sense?)

[Goatse.AJ]

I'll see if I can get a couple of pics of mine and post them up tonight when i get home. Hopefully I'll be home before it gets dark, otherwise I'll do itr some time over the weekend.

[Promethean]

thanks for the help guys, I'll try and source some of those mounts for the back.

JD