Roof Bars - leave or remove?

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 12 May 2008, 18:15

I want to remove the roof bars but don't know what I'll find as they appear to have been there a while and held in place by wonky self-tappers.

Would I regret removing them? i.e Say I find or create unsightly marks and then be unable to refit the bars again due to bodged fasteners?

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 12 May 2008, 21:00

Are these factory fitted bars on an estate - running the length of the roof? - like I have on my BX estate?

Quite correctly we are being advised to remove roof racks and rails - which go straight across the roof - and impede the airflow quite considerably. However the rails will only cause a marginal increase in drag as their frontal area (which is the bit that really matters) is quite small.

I wouldn't dare take them off the BX - they may stiffen the structure!

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 13 May 2008, 00:29

The bars must have threaded brackets inside the roof to take the screws. Otherwise it is a fairly riscy task driving around with any load on such bars

Any blanks/covers that seems to hide such brackets ?

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 13 May 2008, 01:01

My old Mk1 95 saloon had rubber covered holes at the top of the doorway front and back.
Had to slice them open to fit the roof bars.
Looked like a nylon or other hard plastic threaded socket that they went into, so no chance of leaks etc without the bars.
They used to make an aweful racket if I left them on, and reduce my fuel economy.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 13 May 2008, 09:26

Yes, they are bars that go across the width of the roof and are fastened through the door seals which I assume is the standard method of fitting. It's the fact they're held in place with what looks like a variety of different sized (even different alloys) self-tapping screws that makes me hesitant about removing them initially, especially as some are obviously inserted off-angle. I'm going to leave them on until I've used the rest of the tank of diesel then I'll probably remove them. Ideally, they'll come off and the paintwork can be cleaned up with the bonus that I can refit if needed. What I don't want to find is permanent roof marks.

xac: Hello again, good to see you back on this forum, hope all's well in your world.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 13 May 2008, 23:46

Good to be back

Does it have rubber roof pads as well?
I'm going back 8 years or so (and I'm getting old so my grey cells aren't what they used to be).
Those pads may have left marks from any dirt that's accumulated around them.
Any marks around the actual fixture points should be covered by the doors so isn't too much of a biggie.

You should see the mess veg has made of Cassy around her fuel cap!

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 15 May 2008, 11:09

Xac wrote:Does it have rubber roof pads as well?

Yes, there's a small pad covering the lip of the roof and each bar has a protective soft rubber "boot" - I think I'll risk removal and take it from there.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 15 May 2008, 15:58

Hi Mike, from memory, 4 x M8 bolts should go through bar brackets into roof.. allen/hex bolts ideally

not self tapping.. into hardended threads as Xac mentioned...

On this subject, I want to fit my bars for the summer, quite often in the past I take the bars off but leave the four brackets bolted in, Is this likely to make much difference to economy? saves some hassle

John