nebc100
Member Since: 20 Sep 2017
Location: Altlinster
Posts: 416
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What a day... I am leaving on holiday next Saturday, and will need to take a roof box as we will have 5 people and 2 dogs in the car!!
I bought a extended rood rail kit, and started to install it today.
What a nightmare!!
Firstly... What IDIOT designed the plastic plugs that they put in to the nuts on the roof??!!??
Only 2 of the 8 came out without breaking. I then spent ages trying to get the bits out of the threads.
I thought I had managed, and so I used a similar nut to test the tread (I didn't want to use the one from the kit as they have locktight on them). It went partially in, and suddenly SNAPPED!!
Nothing sticking out, so nothing to get a grip on.
I tried some easy-outs and had no luck.
A friend has another extractor kit that he said he will drop by later, but.....
I then started on the other side. Same problems...
I was test fitting it, and one of the bolts would go tight enough so it must still have some "crumbs" from the plastic plugs in it. When I was taking the raul off again, out of the bolts took the while nut off the roof with it!!!!!!
This is when I discovered that they ate not captive nuts, but are actually bolts that go through the roof, and can accept another bolt in the head.
So... I didn't think this was so serious as I could put the bolt back in... Until that one snapped inside the roof!!!!!!
So... Out come the easy-outs again, and after a lot of fuss, and a fair few choice words (not said out loud because I didn't want my daughter to hear), I have actually managed to get that one out.
So... Next plan... I am going to order 6 new bolts, and remove the old ones and put new ones on.
So on to next task... Front valve for ais suspension... That went remarkably easily!!
Then the air tank... Very rusty!! All the bolts came off like a charm (impact gun is brilliant for this). Managed to lower the old rusty tank off, and fit the new shiny clean tank in place. Damn... Bolts don't line up!!
Off it comes again... I finally noticed that the front bracket is slightly bent (probably during transit). Whacked it with a hammer a few times to bend it back into shape, and now fits like a charm.
Will now have to wait until tomorrow morning to see if she has squatted down again.
What a day!!!! I just hope LR can get the parts for me quickly!!!!!
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 11th Aug 2018 7:49 pm |
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StephenO
Member Since: 15 Feb 2010
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1651
  
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PowerfulUK supplied me with a set of fixings for the roof bars if you’re struggling with a supplier, different circumstances for me though  2016 RR Sport Autobiography
 2005 D3 Zambezi Silver
1995 Defender 90 300Tdi Coniston Green
1968 Series 2a SWB Bronze Green
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| 11th Aug 2018 9:22 pm |
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IndusD4
Member Since: 01 Dec 2011
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 308
  
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I sympathise with your roof rail woes. I put short rails on my D4 after a few years but the thread in the nuts on the roof had rusted. I didn't know that until the first M6 bolts went in and snapped off as they wouldn't go down far enough. Easyout didn't work, drilled them out instead, then re-tapped each hole to get the rust out before putting the rails with new bolts.
Ron 2016 D4 TDV6 Corris Grey
IIDTool BT
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| 11th Aug 2018 9:58 pm |
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