07 Tighten Roof Rails

[italian.4runner]

I am a novice at 4runner maintenance. This being said I was wondering how I could tighten/move the roof rail or crossbars because it has become noisy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again,
Italian.4Runner

 

[NuclearN8]

I am a novice at 4runner maintenance. This being said I was wondering how I could tighten/move the roof rail or crossbars because it has become noisy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again,
Italian.4Runner

if you're not joking and you have a stock roof rack the cross bars have two dials on each end... turn those counterclockwise to loosen and the bar slides in the side rail, tighten back up when you get them where you want them.

If you want to remove the cross bars you need to take off the two rear side rail cover pieces.... a paint can opener is the best tool for this, there are two clips on each side that need pull/lifted out and up.

with the covers off you can slide the cross bars out the rear of the side rails. then just pop the rear covers back on.

these threads should help ya to get the rear covers off...

https://www.google.ca/search?q=how+...t4rs%2F71918-removing-cross-bars.html;710;919

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/79563-diy-roof-rack-delete-w-pics.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/99994-roof-rack-delete.html

 

[cloh09]

You've tightened the knobs...

I am a novice at 4runner maintenance. This being said I was wondering how I could tighten/move the roof rail or crossbars because it has become noisy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again,
Italian.4Runner

The cross bars rattle at speed when the knobs are tight, right? You may be able to notice that there is some play in the cross bar from the connections to the rails. For me, I have to put my bars at a slight angle to tighten that play. In the long run, this may create more play where the cross bars come into the bracket. Try it out. This happened to me during the drive home from the dealer when I bought mine 4 years ago. I quickly figured out that the bars rattled, so maybe they have become loose over time.

 

[Snesley Wipes]

I am a novice at 4runner maintenance. This being said I was wondering how I could tighten/move the roof rail or crossbars because it has become noisy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again,
Italian.4Runner

To add to Nuclear's reply: if the racks are rattling and the turn handles do not solve your problem, you may need to tighten the screws that hold the racks to the slide brackets. There are two "hex/t" screws on the bottom part of the brackets where the actual cross rails are attached to. It is a very shallow space between top of the car and the bottom of the rack so you will need a bendable or flat ratchet type tool with a small bit attached to tighten the screws. Tighten those bad-boys up and that should keep the racks from rattling.

Hope this helps,

Snes