Roof rack placement

[Aboubek]

Hi,
I've bought an original roof rack for our 78 Cherokee here at the forum, and now am just before installing it.

However, there is something I feel need to make clear - should there be any reinforcements for the roof rack from the inside of the roof? Because while looking to the pretty simple design of the roof, I think that attaching the rack there without additional support would lead to almost impossibility of carrying something up there....

What do you think? Do you have any supporting elements there? How heavy items do you carry on the roof rack?

[stonehengeheels]

I went to a P&P and bought a second headliner support and installed it with some padding to support the roof. There is a second set of mounts to use inside. No more sag. I guess you could upgrade the rubber grommets to stainless with rubber washers.

[8man]

I bought some structural mounts from this forum, go to the wanted section and post up there too.

[mdill]

In the original form there was no additional support for a roof rack.
The rack just bolted on using POP brand 1/4S well nuts in 1/2" holes in the
roof.
They were not made to carry heavy loads, the load went on the roof, (not real well supported either) the rack gave you tie down spots.

[Aboubek]

Thanks for suggestions!
Could anyone, please, post pictures of the additional support/mounts, so I can better imagine the look of the thing?

[Tatsadasayago]

Support-wise, there are three roof bows that cross from side to side. The roof rack well plugs can be seen at the ends of and just above the front bow in the photo above. Other than the roof mounted metal slats, that's it on a stock FSJ.
In the past, I've added three roof slats in between the existing ones to help carry loads better.
When you realize the rack is held to the body by expanded rubber plugs...you might avoid tightening straps or ropes too much.

[letank]

honestly, do yourself a favor and do not install the roof rack, unless you want to create more pathways for water to create rust spots



This is the cargo section of the headliner.

and the view of the roof



Edit: the major damage was due to the metal slider screw holes, the slider / protector has a thin rubber padding that has dried up.

Those OEM racks are good for light load.

[jamesdart]

I agree, just get some thule or Yakima gutter mounts and cross bars.

[Aboubek]

Hmm, well the leitmotif, coming through the whole reconstruction is restoring the car into the factory shape (with a little exceptions, e.g. the supports ) and building a vintage car out of it; so the other than factory rack is not really an option at the moment.
Despite the whole process of getting the rack to Europe doesn't sounds so reasonable as before, it's here, so I want to do maybe something extra for putting it on, rather than leaving it in the garage forever.

So, how do you think the isolation of the thing should look like in order to avoid the water leaks?

[WHSII]

Hmm, well the leitmotif, coming through the whole reconstruction is restoring the car into the factory shape (with a little exceptions, e.g. the supports ) and building a vintage car out of it; so the other than factory rack is not really an option at the moment.
Despite the whole process of getting the rack to Europe doesn't sounds so reasonable as before, it's here, so I want to do maybe something extra for putting it on, rather than leaving it in the garage forever.

So, how do you think the isolation of the thing should look like in order to avoid the water leaks?

Hello Aboubek,

Yes most of our Wagoneers leak at the roof rack attachments. Most are 25 years old or older and the rubber attachments are cracked. With new rubber expansion nuts, the system can be water tight. I replaced mine last year, will probably do it again in ten years... five or six were cracked.

Do not over tighten the rubber expansion nuts! Most newer vehichles with roof racks use the same attachment method.

The metal strips on the roof are held down with #6 or 7 sheet metal screws. There is a soft plastic grommet that seals them when compressed. I could not find any off the shelf replacement. I was getting water stains from these screws, as well as from the rubber expansion nuts.

I fly RC airplanes, and had some silicone fuel tubing laying around. I cut 1/2" sections of the medium size that slid tightly onto the screws, and installed them. The silicone mushrooms out and makes a great seal when the screw is tightened. Try to cut the ends at 90 degrees.

Any Hobby Shop that deals with RC should have three or four sizes of the tubing in stock. should be a dollar or so per foot. Plenty for sealing up all the screws.