Cleaning/Restoring process for OEM roof racks

[VX KAT]

Thought I'd share some pics of the cleaning/restoring process I've done on most of the OEM roof racks I've obtained and sold here over the last 8 months or so. This condition was fairly typical of what I've encountered. Some worse, some better. But it's really expected since they're anywhere from 9-11 yrs old....that's a lot of crud and sun and such!

I know I've sung the praises of Aerospace Protectant 303 on here until you're all probably sick of hearing about it....but these pics really tell the story.

Here's one as received from a 2001. The rubber strips on this one are in a bit better than average condition.
I disassembled all parts:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1496.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1497.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1511.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1518.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1516.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1515.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1500.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1491.JPG

SURPRISE! This was a first....think it's a hornet or wasp's nest..luckily it was empty.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1520.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1493.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1525.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1522.JPG

[atilla_the_fun]

I always wondered why aren't our roof racks more stylish? I think they disappoint, like our dashboards...

Great work Kat!

[VX KAT]

Cleaning & restoration process begins! I let the hard plastic pieces soak with the 303 on for a few hours, and spray & wipe down the black metal cross members.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1530.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1531.JPG


Bottom of cross member and both rubber strips soaking with 303:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1536.JPG


After soaking for a while, I rub down and hand buff all parts with a very damp rag with 303. Then wipe dry.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1542.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1534.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1532.JPG


Close up of bottom of cross member and end caps, particulary amazing, I thought.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1545.JPG

Close up of BOTTOM of cross member: Note the streaking marks are almost entirely gone.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1553.JPG

Close up of TOP of cross member:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1552.JPG



With rubber strips reinserted.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1557.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1563.JPG



All parts disassembled, cleaned & restored:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1550.JPG




And now, all reassembled (except for the flaps & brackets):

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF15661.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1567.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSCF1569.JPG

[circmand]

You got way too much time on your hands

[Hiredgoon]

That looks brilliant Kat, thanks for sharing! I'm going to pick sone of that stuff up and see if it dresses up my mirrors.

[vt_maverick]

Looks great Sue! Hope you were getting some sort of pass through fee for all that hard work!

[RallyDude]

So now that you found all who are in need of a rack, will you start a reconditioning service for the rest of us? Looks awesome Sue.

[VX KAT]

So now that you found all who are in need of a rack, will you start a reconditioning service for the rest of us? Looks awesome Sue.
Hey, that's a GREAT IDEA! Bring 'em on!
Ship 'em to me, I'll do my magic, takes about 4-5 hrs, ship 'em back! Shipping is $17 each way....whatcha think $100 total? :thumbup:

p.s....I'm serious!

[nfpgasmask]

Those are good results, Sue. And I take it these results are lasting? I mean, obviously, when you wash you reapply, but it looks like it did a stellar job!

Bart

[VX KAT]

Those are good results, Sue. And I take it these results are lasting? I mean, obviously, when you wash you reapply, but it looks like it did a stellar job!

Bart

It's pretty long lasting, but not permanent.... bottle says reapply "every 6 weeks for best UV protection". I really wasn't after the UV protection as much as the rejuvenation of the metal, rubber and plastic.
For example,
~my roof rack plastic end caps are only slightly lighter than when I treated them over 3 months ago...been through numerous monsoon downpours...no streaking or blotching...just slightly lighter.
~Metal cross members are still very dark.
~Yakima LoadWarrior cargo basket still nice dark black
~VX interior panels are almost like just applied...been over 3 months
~Dash still looks almost freshly treated, just getting dusty from my environment, but it's not sticky.

I sure wish I could've tried it on the cladding before I did the R/R....:rollo:
Somebody was goin' try that....who was it? Anybody??? Results?

[tom4bren]

Hey, that's a GREAT IDEA! Bring 'em on!
Ship 'em to me, I'll do my magic, takes about 4-5 hrs, ship 'em back! Shipping is $17 each way....whatcha think $100 total? :thumbup:

p.s....I'm serious!

I'll ship you my whole VX. Just call me when it's fully detailed:)

[circmand]

just to buy the roof rack (and basket) from VXKat, she does all the work and delivers it to you all nice and pretty.

[nfpgasmask]

I sure wish I could've tried it on the cladding before I did the R/R....:rollo: Somebody was goin' try that....who was it? Anybody??? Results?

I wonder how it would work on the hood insert? I'll give it a try on both the hood insert and my cladding and let you know. I picked up the small bottle today from Cabellas for $10. I'll let you know how it works.

:) Bart

[VX KAT]

just to buy the roof rack (and basket) from VXKat, she does all the work and delivers it to you all nice and pretty.

:mbrasd: Thanks Dave :mbrasd:
I did your entire Coleman roof basket in the 303, but even that SPF40 probably isn't a match for that hot oven called Lake Havasu City where you are...better getcha some 303 to redo it once in a while!

[VXR]

I'll give it a try on both the hood insert and my cladding and let you know. I picked up the small bottle today from Cabellas for $10. I'll let you know how it works

How did it work...

[VX KAT]

While cleaning and prepping a roof rack today, snaped a few pics showing how 303 works on the black aluminum factory cross bars. The black finish on the cross bars was very dried out and parched looking.
We know it works great on rubber and plastic, but it also works great on this painted aluminum finish.

I applied it uniformly to the last 3-4" of the rail on the left in pic, then I wrote "303" with a Q-tip soaked in 303. There's also some misc stray places I touched the bars with my glove that had 303 on it.
Really shows the way it penetrates and "moisturizes" the paint. I do really wipe the metal surfaces down with a dry cloth to reduce any residual from causing fingerprints.

This stuff is just amazing!

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSC_9017.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSC_9024.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSC_9035.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSC_9037.jpg

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/DSC_9039.jpg

[blacksambo]

Nice job! I'm sold. I'm gonna do my cladding and will let you all know.

[grrodz]

im looking for "one" of these roof rack towers
do you still have any left or could you sell me one or a set?
you can contact me at gregrrodz@hotmail.com

[VX KAT]

im looking for "one" of these roof rack towers
do you still have any left or could you sell me one or a set?
you can contact me at gregrrodz@hotmail.com

Jason621 is going to attempt to make them. I know he's very busy making the knobs and flaps, so not sure when he can get to the towers.
I don't have any extras, in fact I have a rack with only 3, so I need one, and JoFotoz may want one...

[JoFotoz]

Umm not really Sue...


and I know JoFotoz also needs one...

...In my stash of spares...I have a spare cross bar and a spare tower.

Emphasis on stash of SPARES!

As I explained to you before...I'm keeping 'em for when/if I need 'em !

I dont need any now :)

Jo

[VX KAT]

Umm not really Sue...



...I have a spare cross bar and a spare tower.

Emphasis on SPARE!

As I explained to you before...I'm keeping 'em for when/if I need 'em !

Jo

:confused: I'm sorry Jo, I thought you said you had one bar, and only 1 tower, and that's when we dicussed possibly putting it together with my one spare bar and tower....but we couldn't come up with an extra tower, and then you mentioned you decided you wanted to just keep it as a spare. Sorry if I got that wrong. :confused:

[JoFotoz]

Exactly.....


and then you mentioned you decided you wanted to just keep it as a spare.

:cool:

Smooch

Jo

[VX KAT]

Exactly.....



:cool:

Smooch

Jo

oh...I thought you'd still want a spare tower if we ever could come up with one....

[Maddawg]

I took my roof rack off a while back because I got tired of the whooooo sound above 30 MPH but have been thinking about re-installing it. Just can't figure out how to get the little trim pieces off that fill the vacant spots where the rack was. I've been squeezing this way and that with no luck. Don't want to pry on them with a screwdriver.

[VX KAT]

I took my roof rack off a while back because I got tired of the whooooo sound above 30 MPH but have been thinking about re-installing it. Just can't figure out how to get the little trim pieces off that fill the vacant spots where the rack was. I've been squeezing this way and that with no luck. Don't want to pry on them with a screwdriver.

Be very careful with them, they're very old brittle plastic.
Each cap has 4 little horizontal bars that grab onto the plastic rail. Zoom this pic you'll see them.
Maybe use a credit card or something else that won't scratch and pull toward yourself and it should pop.

One of my custom ones popped off and was bobbling around up there for a few months before I realized it, (it can't fall off because the tower goes right through the custom hole). The plastic edge got really chewed up just from banging on the rail over and over.

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/OEM%20ROOF%20RACK%20-ALL%20TOPICS/DSC_0104.jpg


http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g386/photokat4/OEM%20ROOF%20RACK%20-ALL%20TOPICS/DSC_0106JPG.jpg

[Maddawg]

Thanks Sue!! So, its spread 'em, not squeeze 'em. (I just know there's gonna be some comments about that sentence.)