FS 5th Gen. Full Length Roof Racks by drabbits
- Thread starter drabbits
- Start date
drabbits
New member
Speaking of 2014's, here's my TE:
Pardon the self-horn-tooting here, but it. looks. amazing.
If anyone is on the fence on the powder coating, do yourself a favor and just do it. IMHO, it's such a nice finish compared to what you'd get out of a rattle can, unless you're maybe trying the textured bed-liner spray approach.
It took me the greater part of the morning to get it on there, but man is it worth it. I only had my non-muscular girlfriend around to help me get it on to the roof, and with a folded towel on my head and the rack resting atop it, it wasn't too much for me to balance mostly on my own, with her just there to help balance it (not that I'm endorsing this type of behavior).
If it's not obvious, I'm thrilled with the product -- thanks Alex!
P.S. the holes you marked on the ABS fairing were perfect, I can get it anywhere between no clearance to about 1/2" away.
[MENTION=100598]MikeDeuce[/MENTION], your rig looks sweeet!
And YES, the powder coating is awesome!
Man, glad to hear the "suggested marks" I made on the fairing worked!
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Shogun
New member
Fairing Help
So I have the rack mounted up to the roof and started working on the Fairing today. A question for those of you who have installed. maybe one of you guys who have completed install can advise me on this. see photo.
In this photo the fairing is level centered and the center of the fairing is resting on the center of the roof. There are some large gaps between the roof and the ends of the fairing. Just wondering if I should leave the gaps there or maybe trim down the middle a little more to allow the ends to sink closer to the roof? Maybe it is the photo's but you guys don't seem to have this large of a gap from your install.
So I have the rack mounted up to the roof and started working on the Fairing today. A question for those of you who have installed. maybe one of you guys who have completed install can advise me on this. see photo.
In this photo the fairing is level centered and the center of the fairing is resting on the center of the roof. There are some large gaps between the roof and the ends of the fairing. Just wondering if I should leave the gaps there or maybe trim down the middle a little more to allow the ends to sink closer to the roof? Maybe it is the photo's but you guys don't seem to have this large of a gap from your install.
DaPersianRug
New member
Do you have the ability to pull the ends of the fairing towards the rear of the car before securing the fairing screws? Or do are your fairing brackets and lip fixed so that you can't adjust them?
I have a Gobi stealth, when I installed mine I centered the fairing and secured the middle of the 3 mounting brackets, then pulled the left and right end of the fairing back so that there was no gap between the roof and the fairing.
I have a Gobi stealth, when I installed mine I centered the fairing and secured the middle of the 3 mounting brackets, then pulled the left and right end of the fairing back so that there was no gap between the roof and the fairing.
Shogun
New member
Yes, the brackets are slotted for adjustment and I did the same as you after I put the fairing up there and saw the gap. I have the center bracket out as far as it will go and the sides back as far as they will go to try to reduce the gap but it is still fairly large. Concerned that if I mount it like that I will get wind noise from the gap. I think I can get it as close as 1/4" gap on each side but still thinking that might cause some wind noise.
** Edit ** I was looking at the photo's that [MENTION=100598]MikeDeuce[/MENTION] posted and it looks like he has a gap on the end as well. Maybe he can also reply for some help.
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DaPersianRug
New member
you mentioned that "the center bracket is out as far as it will go"... Wouldn't pulling the center bracket back help eliminate the gap on the ends better than pushing it out? Sorry if I've mis-interpreted your setup.
KVA
Member
You may want to increase the slot in the bracket for more flexibility in movement. I actually created new brackets from aluminum flat bar you can buy at any hardware store. My fairing is flush now all around.
Shogun
New member
[MENTION=92189]DaPersianRug[/MENTION]... I thought so too. tried adjusting it several way but center out seems to be best. As KVA mentioned the slotted brackets allow for about 1/4" adjustment max. as far as back and forth on the rack.
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION].. I may end up doing that. I am going to give it a go with adjusting the brackets that came with it. I think I can close the gap almost completely. Hard to simulate with only 1 person. I held down the center then was able to push down one end without the other coming up like a teeter totter so I think I will be able to just bend it into place with minimal gap.
TheRainMan
New member
[MENTION=89313]Shogun[/MENTION] is you figure this out - would love if you post your solution. I've ordered one (and would love to learn from your pain) :boink:
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION].. I may end up doing that. I am going to give it a go with adjusting the brackets that came with it. I think I can close the gap almost completely. Hard to simulate with only 1 person. I held down the center then was able to push down one end without the other coming up like a teeter totter so I think I will be able to just bend it into place with minimal gap.[/QUOTE]
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION].. I may end up doing that. I am going to give it a go with adjusting the brackets that came with it. I think I can close the gap almost completely. Hard to simulate with only 1 person. I held down the center then was able to push down one end without the other coming up like a teeter totter so I think I will be able to just bend it into place with minimal gap.[/QUOTE]
MikeDeuce
Member
[MENTION=89313]Shogun[/MENTION] , I do indeed have the enlarged gap on the ends, and I actually hadn't even thought about curving the fairing on the sides, makes a lot of sense now though. Also, I adjusted mine to have a fairly large gap because I didn't want it to contact the paint on the roof at all, even if it has an effect on aerodynamics/wind noise, just out of paranoia.
I have a slight gap on mine as well, on both ends. I pushed mine down pretty far as the top of the fairing is almost flush with the lower bar. But since I have about 1/8 gap on one side and about a 1/16 gap on the other I get a slight rattle from the fairing when on the highway with cross-wind.
This weekend I am going to slide the outer brackets back, hopefully this will eliminate the gap.
This weekend I am going to slide the outer brackets back, hopefully this will eliminate the gap.
superwhite
New member
Speaking of 2014's, here's my TE:
Pardon the self-horn-tooting here, but it. looks. amazing.
If anyone is on the fence on the powder coating, do yourself a favor and just do it. IMHO, it's such a nice finish compared to what you'd get out of a rattle can, unless you're maybe trying the textured bed-liner spray approach.
It took me the greater part of the morning to get it on there, but man is it worth it. I only had my non-muscular girlfriend around to help me get it on to the roof, and with a folded towel on my head and the rack resting atop it, it wasn't too much for me to balance mostly on my own, with her just there to help balance it (not that I'm endorsing this type of behavior
If it's not obvious, I'm thrilled with the product -- thanks Alex!
P.S. the holes you marked on the ABS fairing were perfect, I can get it anywhere between no clearance to about 1/2" away.
Dude, this looks incredible!!! Separately, apparently I'm terrible at forum searching but did click on your signature wheels/tires setup to try and find out what you're running (in addition to lift) from the thread you linked. Care to share?
UPDATE: SORRY FOR NOT READING YOUR FIRST POST ON THE THREAD YOU LINKED TO. NEVER MIND THE SETUP QUESTION!
Shogun
New member
[MENTION=101932]TheRainMan[/MENTION]
[MENTION=100598]MikeDeuce[/MENTION]
[MENTION=98089]c2one[/MENTION]
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION]
I have the rubber strip from customcargrills.com on the bottom edge of the fairing (thanks to c20ne for the idea on that) so I can rest it on the roof.
I couldn't get it the way I wanted by adjusting the brackets. there just wasn't enough play. I decided to dremmel the bottom edge of the fairing and this closed the gap down quite a bit. It is now flush across most of the roof and about a 1/8" on both ends. I decided this was good and mounted it. Went out for a test drive and it seems to have worked. 30mph west wind today and just went out for a drive on a 40mph road into the wind. No wind noise, opened sunroof and I think the wind noise is actually less than prior to the rack.
At slow speeds I do get an occasional rattle from the fairing catching the wind at an odd angle. no big deal. I may go back and shave it down some more or change the brackets at some point but so far I am happy with it.
Also, for you guys installing. Not sure if this is needed or not but I decided to put some clear silicon around the plastic bolt sleeves in the roof. Then I placed the spacers over the sleeves as per the directions.
Here are a few photo's...please excuse the cell phone quality:
[MENTION=100598]MikeDeuce[/MENTION]
[MENTION=98089]c2one[/MENTION]
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION]
I have the rubber strip from customcargrills.com on the bottom edge of the fairing (thanks to c20ne for the idea on that) so I can rest it on the roof.
I couldn't get it the way I wanted by adjusting the brackets. there just wasn't enough play. I decided to dremmel the bottom edge of the fairing and this closed the gap down quite a bit. It is now flush across most of the roof and about a 1/8" on both ends. I decided this was good and mounted it. Went out for a test drive and it seems to have worked. 30mph west wind today and just went out for a drive on a 40mph road into the wind. No wind noise, opened sunroof and I think the wind noise is actually less than prior to the rack.
At slow speeds I do get an occasional rattle from the fairing catching the wind at an odd angle. no big deal. I may go back and shave it down some more or change the brackets at some point but so far I am happy with it.
Also, for you guys installing. Not sure if this is needed or not but I decided to put some clear silicon around the plastic bolt sleeves in the roof. Then I placed the spacers over the sleeves as per the directions.
Here are a few photo's...please excuse the cell phone quality:
TheRainMan
New member
[MENTION=89313]Shogun[/MENTION] - thanks for this - great idea
[MENTION=101932]TheRainMan[/MENTION]
[MENTION=100598]MikeDeuce[/MENTION]
[MENTION=98089]c2one[/MENTION]
[MENTION=50210]KVA[/MENTION]
I have the rubber strip from customcargrills.com on the bottom edge of the fairing (thanks to c20ne for the idea on that) so I can rest it on the roof.
I couldn't get it the way I wanted by adjusting the brackets. there just wasn't enough play. I decided to dremmel the bottom edge of the fairing and this closed the gap down quite a bit. It is now flush across most of the roof and about a 1/8" on both ends. I decided this was good and mounted it. Went out for a test drive and it seems to have worked. 30mph west wind today and just went out for a drive on a 40mph road into the wind. No wind noise, opened sunroof and I think the wind noise is actually less than prior to the rack.
At slow speeds I do get an occasional rattle from the fairing catching the wind at an odd angle. no big deal. I may go back and shave it down some more or change the brackets at some point but so far I am happy with it.
Also, for you guys installing. Not sure if this is needed or not but I decided to put some clear silicon around the plastic bolt sleeves in the roof. Then I placed the spacers over the sleeves as per the directions.
Here are a few photo's...please excuse the cell phone quality:
Kraze
New member
Probably not as ideal for you 5th gen guys that have brand new paint since it uses tape, but I bought some of the following stuff and laid a strip of it down where the fairing would contact the roof, and I have 0 rattles from it now. No rattles going 80 mph down the freeway with a cross wind, or 50 mph down a bumpy dirt road, or 1 mph over large boulders. I like it.
MikeDeuce
Member
Thanks! Actually that first post was just an example, but my setup ended up being really close, just different tires. The last post in that thread has the real setup.
Ah! I had a little rattle as well, generally with a cross-wind on a local bridge and ~65mph travel speeds. I figured that since I had it so far off the roof it had less to support it against the wind (looks like Kraze's post confirms this). I went in tonight and added some sticky-backed foam insulation between the fairing and steel tubing, thinking it'll dampen the noise, will report back after a couple commutes. Actually speaking of Kraze's post -- I picked up a roll of 'helicopter tape' on amazon, apparently it's used to protect the edges of helicopter rotors (could be marketing hype), but I used that stuff under my Gobi ladder to add a little extra protection there, and it could probably also serve to protect the roof's paint from the fairing.
And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one using silicone... Initially I just siliconed the threads on the bolts, similar to the red stuff that was on the factory bolts, but looking at the factory hardware again (in particular those rubber washers), I was motivated to go a little nuts. I used a ton of RTV around the white plastic sleeves, dropped on the black spacers that come with the rack, and then added more RTV inside the black spacers, THEN added some more back to the M8 bolts that came with the rack. I went overboard, really, but it's all invisible under the mounts and I'm sleeping a little better
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And for the opposite side of the above spectrum. I did not put any silicone. I reached out to a couple of other guys (with this rack) the day I was installing mine and both did not have any added silicone. I was expecting heavy, heavy rain a couple of days later.
A couple of days later it poured and kept raining for a few days. While it was raining I checked for leaks, none there. A few days later I pulled the bolts out to see if water had penetrated past the white sleeves, it hadn't.
In my complete unprofessional opinion, for those that will be installing racks, silicone is not needed. With that being said, in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry.
A couple of days later it poured and kept raining for a few days. While it was raining I checked for leaks, none there. A few days later I pulled the bolts out to see if water had penetrated past the white sleeves, it hadn't.
In my complete unprofessional opinion, for those that will be installing racks, silicone is not needed. With that being said, in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry.
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