roof rack caps

[Daly]

Anyone have any tricks to get the 4 roof rack rail caps off without breaking them.
I was thinking of heating them with a blow dryer to make them more flexible.

[Gussie2000]

Anyone have any tricks to get the 4 roof rack rail caps off without breaking them.
I was thinking of heating them with a blow dryer to make them more flexible.

Hi scott !

Use a small and flat screw driver

[VX KAT]

Anyone have any tricks to get the 4 roof rack rail caps off without breaking them.
I was thinking of heating them with a blow dryer to make them more flexible.

Fingernail should work. The plastic "tabs" holding them on couldn't be more than 2mm wide. Have you seen the tabs?

Or use an edge of a credit card, or one of the plastic pry tools they use for electronic equipment like cell phones and such. They have a very thin edge so they can pry open the battery doors etc without scratching.
I got a bag of 10 of them on ebay for like $2. They break easy for the stuff I've ALSO used them for….:rollo:…but that must be why they come in a 10 pack.

I didn't want to use any type of metal screwdriver because too much risk of scratching for me.

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



http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Plastic-Pry-Open-Tool-4-Phone-PDA-MP3s-Screen-Shell-/320710889696?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aabdbd0e0

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/5-Plastic-Pry-Open-Tool-4-Phone-PDA-MP3s-Screen-Shell-/00/$(KGrHqYOKiYE2qmM30IjBN)sOYtHtw~~_12.JPG



http://www.ebay.com/itm/12x-Plastic-Pry-Open-Tools-for-Mobile-Phone-PDA-MP3-Small-Gadgets-Screen-Shell-/221071666341?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3378e5eca5

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/12x-Plastic-Pry-Open-Tools-for-Mobile-Phone-PDA-MP3-Small-Gadgets-Screen-Shell-/00/s/NDMzWDUwMA==/$T2eC16hHJGkE9no8jD!WBQ!(dnlIUw~~60_12.JPG

[vt_maverick]

Hi scott !

Use a small and flat screw driver

+1 especially if you're a man with no fingernails lol. Best method I've found (and I just did this earlier today) is to orient the blade vertically and slip it between the cap and the rail (not the cap and the roof). Gently pop out one corner, then turn the screwdriver horizontally (between the cap and roof) and pry the other corner up. Once you have the front corners up put both hands on the cap, thumbs under the front and fingers along the back edge of the cap, and gently pull up.

Main thing is to go slow and take your time, those tabs are super fragile and break under any significant force.

[nocturnalVX]

I have always used a butter knife to pop my roof rail caps off. :thumbup:

[Daly]

I wasn't to worried about scratching anything. worried about breaking those little tabs that hold them in place. Will try and do it softly.

[TheGanzman]

Yes, do it softly, and whisper sweet nothings into the air while you're doing so; that'll coax 'em off!:smilewink

They're really more durable than you think. I just stand perpendicular to each one, slip my fingernails under the "roof edge", and pull up & towards me gently but with conviction. IIRC, I also brace the bottom corner of each one (I use two hands) with my thumbs...

[WormGod]

Whatever you do, DO NOT remove them when the weather is cold. They are a hard plastic and this causes them to get more "brittle" when cold. Warm weather, direct sun, you will have no issues. I have one with a missing tab cause I wasnt thinking.... :(