25 minutes, was a bit concerned about the risk of breaking the rear caps and had my doubts about the paint can opener. Cold in Ohio today so used a hair dryer to warm the plastic caps just a bit. Tried a putty knife and switched to the paint can opener after quickly figuring out that was going to be a problem. Paint can opener worked super. I used a framing square to make sure the cross racks were square to the sides. A bit of dish soap on the rubber plugs helped them pop right into place. Glad I read this tread before jumping in on my own. Sure as heck I'd have busted something.

Thanks for this! I was looking at another web write up that said to remove the torx screws on the underside of the rails. WTF were they smoking? Can't even see how they managed to remove the screws or what the would have done to get the rails on.

I can't see the pictures in this thread and few others for some reason. Was wondering if any of you have ran into this issue?
Right on the picture, it says "update your account ....."

Photobucket pics do not work anymore.

Thanks!

Great instructions from the members. I found that using these metal pry bars a easy solution to removing the end caps. I covered the pry bars with a few layers of duct tape so as not to damage the plastic or accidental scratch the vehicle. Also, I put a layer of duct tape on both sides of the end caps to protect that work area while I pried off the end caps.

Is it worth it to spend the extra money for Yakima or Thule cross rails (OEM roughly $100 or $300 for towers/rails for aftermarket)? Do all the aftermarket mounts for kayaks, bikes, racks, ect. work with the factory OEM cross rails? Aside from sitting higher and wider, are there any other cons from aftermarket rails or pros that make them worth it?

Stock / EOM cross-bars may be less expensive, they may be more aerodynamic.

However:
Good after-market cross-bars (aka load bars) rest on the raised factory rails. OEM cross bars rest on plastic parts.

OEM cross-bars only go as wide as the factory rails, so you are more limited. For example it would not accommodate a Thule Hullavator kayak loader that requires a cross-bar extending past the raised rail.

After-market ones extend beyond the width of the factory rails (as long as 60 inches), AND you can vary how far they stick out on either side as needed to fit your accessories (i.e., the side where my Thule Hullavator kayak loader is mounted sticks out beyond the factory raised-rail by about 6 inches. The other side sticks out about 20 inches, allowing me to load another kayak alongside the one already on the Hullavator.

You cannot load 2 wide kayaks side by side on OEM cross rails like this.

Does anyone know if the Factory roof rails with additional crossbars would be enough to support a large roof basket and gear?

my '11 SR5 has those standard factory roof rails, but I'm wondering if I would have to take them off and install different roof racks in order to attach a basket such as the Thule Canyon or ROLA rooftop carrier?
Thanks all!

Really quick low-quality video of the end cap removal using a paint can tool, which was suggested earlier in the thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15DLTUExb6s

i got minez on this weekend...partially from this write up, and partially from a youtube vidz...

my only thing...tightening those little wheels can be tough...and when you think its as tight as it can be, slip-slide, the bar slides when you put weight on it again...

Bar slides front to back? Just need to tighten them some more.
Or get after-market. They have better tightening mechanisms.

gotcha...

it is what it is i guess...

Good info here. Thanks for all the help, just picked up factory cross rails and going to try and put them on this weekend.

Does anyone know where I could buy a floor or metal screen that can insert into the TRD Pro rack? I currently have cross bars but those do not seem adequate for throwing smaller things up there and netting it all down. I cannot find anything online. Thanks for any help!