tadrack install

[waynestiles]

Happy Sunday Moan'n.

I'm starting my TadRak install this AM. dropped the back half of the headline with no problems. Just took the rr corner part off the factory rack and a couple bolts out of one of the runners. gonna go make a run to the hardware for plugs.

2 problems/questions so far:


a:
How do you get the rubber plug wellnuts out mine are tight as heck--so far. pound them in?? or out ?? if all'of 'em are solid as the first couple I could just mount to them but I want the added strength of the braces in case I need to put any real weight up there/

b:
Looks like I'll be leaving the chrome runners in place after all, even though I don't like them. when I pulled a couplle screws and lifted up the back end of it I can see a bunch of crap and probably rust under them. anybody else run into this?
I suspect I'll have to take them off, clean everything good and carefully paint with rust converter. then remount them. I'll probably caulk them good full length so they are filled and nothing can get under them in the future. I'll need to leave a little gap for the lateral roof runoff grooves. and I may pick up a can of spray on black bedliner to un-chrome them.
Does this sound like a sensible approach?

[Tad]

a:
Push them in or out (congratulations on have some that are actually still secure). Odds are if you push in the rear ones you will loose a few down into the body back there, no big deal (just do not drop the brace down inside there).
b:
I never had them on mine but have pulled enough and usually always have seen rust there, sheetmetal screw into the roof is not exactly a great mounting method.
I'd probably just ignore them, but paint to your hearts content. I would think a little silicone would be fine around the screws and holes.

[waynestiles]

thanks Tad, I found that the wellnuts responded to a little downward pressure. What size selftapping metal screws do you recommend for attaching the rak braces on the interior

When I took the runners off I found an intersting mess. they have a little plastic base that contains the moulded in"washer" for the screw. In about half of them the "washer" has split away allowing rain in. in addition the flexing and working allowed fine grit to get between the runner and the painted surface and had ground an outline into the paint.

I'm spray bedlining them black and then putting them back on using ss bolts and nylock washers. I'm also going to use a film of black RTV on the plastic to paint surface. I'll hit the boltholes and underside of the bolts with RTV as well I'll lightly wire brush the rusted spots with a dremel/brush and then hit it with a rust converter. then cover the converted rust spots under the runners with RTV before putting the runners back on.

there are a couple other small chips that have rusted that need cleaning and converting then hopefully I can find some touchup paint that'll come close to matching.

[waynestiles]

Welllllll its done, 'cept for tighteining some interior nuts and screws and putting the new insulation up and the headliner back in. I had a real wrestle getting a couple of the main mounting bolts to line up. turned out I'd gotten in advance of myself and should have left everything loose until everything was in place be fore tightening stuff up---in other words--- RFI.

I LIKE the way it looks, the blackened run ners turned out nice and I used up the resto of the sprayon bedliner on the ouitside of the rack. If I gret finished up before dark I 'll try to get a pic. to update my avatar thingy.

anyone need a decent OEM roof rack for the cost of shipping?

[JeepBountyHunter]

[quote=anyone need a decent OEM roof rack for the cost of shipping?[/quote]

No but then I was think'in...I sure could use a Tad Rack! :D Never thought I'd have another Waggy again, well got one a few weeks after you picked up that Rack...:rolleyes:
:thumbsup:
Hurry up with the pic's!

[Tad]

What size selftapping metal screws do you recommend for attaching the rak braces on the interior
Been so long since I bought a box I don't recall the exact numbers.
5/16" head about 1" long will do the trick.

[waynestiles]

here are three pics from my weekend project.
1st is a before of the gw,
2nd is a pic showing the roof with the worn in grooves in the paint as well as the rusted spots. This was after I washed and scrubbed away all the caked up crud that was under the runners. Also the runners lying there have been "bedlinered". I remounted them with short ss machine screws 10x24 size with nylok nuts on the inside, making sure the screwheads were well bedded with RTV so no more water can get in around them. I also made sure the rubber/plastic bases of the runners were well sealed. I also reused and sealed the plastic pads form the original rack since they were in pretty good shape.
3rd pic is of the completed project. I still need to do some masking and additional spraying of the rack as well as all the exterior bolts with another can of bedliner

[will e]

Those racks rule!

I didn't have the surface rust issues, i guess its good to be in AZ.

I find my rack to be really handy. From haul'n manure to hunting birds...



I remember one time when I bought some compost (bagged) and just tossed it all on the roof (500 pounds worth) The Nursery guys were looking at time like I was crazy. I smiled and said 'You can't do that with an Xterra'....

[KaiserMan]

Looks good. I always liked the way they (Tadracks) look on newer Wagoneers.

[Tad]

Rack looks great!

...From haul'n manure to hunting birds...
ROFLMAO
I'm never going to forget the "bird" post, too funny :thumbsup:

[waynestiles]

I'm getting ready to load up for spending the rest of the week and weekend at one of the single shot rifle matches I go to regularly (shameless promotion: at Etna Green IN check out ASSRA.Com) I imagine I'll have the rack full as well as puling the old camper. I'll find out how the suspension is in this old rig--may need some overload springs or pump-em up air shocks in the rear. I'll try to get another pick with it loaded.

many thanks to Tad and JeepBountyHunter:thumbsup:

I'll be off-line in a few more hours and totally unplugged for the rest of the week
enjoy my absence
Wayne

[yoslvr442]

THAT LOOKS GREAT! clean install, good job

[waynestiles]

just got back for a very long weekend of playing with guns. the Waggy did GREAT, even pulling the camper--an even boxier brick on wheels. got almost 11 mpg down and back.
I put one of my shooting boxes on the rack for the trip down. wind flags bench rest sandbags etc ---pretty heavy, plus a cooler, tool box, hi-lift jack, archery target (in case I got bored shooting the guns------actually a couple of us are also into traditional archery and the 200 yard rifle range with the big backstop berms makes a cool place to play with REAL long range bows in the evening when the rifle matches are over) and a few other things. I had to climb up and get onto--into? the rack to position stuff and tie it down right. With the baggage, and me, up there there was a good 500 pounds or more and it was as solid as if I was standing on the sidewalk.

what a bow-dacious rack.
BTW way the rig got LOTS of real nice commments. the guys who collect, restore, and shoot the classic old singleshot rifles really appreciate a classic Jeep too.
thank you Tad, and jeepBountyhunter

[JeepBountyHunter]

Hey glad that worked out...your living my dream...
So that motor got you 11mpg..towing a trailer...:D

lol...
Aaron