Cleaning/Restoring process for OEM roof racks

[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!

[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

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.

[JoFotoz]

Exactly.....

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

Smooch

Jo

[VX KAT]

Exactly.....





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.

[Maddawg]

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