No OEM Roof Rack Rails - any direct mounting options?

[Blanco]

My SR5 came with no OEM roof rack, just the plastic strip thingies where the rails would normally bolt onto. I have searched high and low to find an OEM rack setup or just the roof rails but these things are like gold dust. Wreckers don't have them, Toyota discontinued them, and when ever they're on eBay they seem to get snapped up mighty quick.

The deal is, I want to mount a basket and could have swore I saw a guy on here once work it so that he could use the existing 'holes' where the rails bolt into the roof to mount a basket directly. Anybody know about this or was I dreaming it? Could this actually be possible or not? Anybody tried?

Thoughts?

 

[Nelsonmd]

My SR5 came with no OEM roof rack, just the plastic strip thingies where the rails would normally bolt onto. I have searched high and low to find an OEM rack setup or just the roof rails but these things are like gold dust. Wreckers don't have them, Toyota discontinued them, and when ever they're on eBay they seem to get snapped up mighty quick.

The deal is, I want to mount a basket and could have swore I saw a guy on here once work it so that he could use the existing 'holes' where the rails bolt into the roof to mount a basket directly. Anybody know about this or was I dreaming it? Could this actually be possible or not? Anybody tried?

Thoughts?

Don't remember seeing that myself, but you should just troll the part outs here, on yotatech, and some of the other places. I am sure you could find a stock on eventually.

 

[Blanco]

Yeah, you're probably right. I'm on Kijiji and Craigslist everyday as well. Hopefully something will show up sooner or later!

 

[chainring]

It hasn't been but a couple months that the local Toyota dealer told me that he could still get the factory roof rack as an "Accessory." My cost was going to be $199 or so, if I remember correctly. Lurk the wrecking yards.

 

[Blanco]

Thanks for the tip. I rarely do business with dealers except for the small stuff but since this has been a real task, I would be willing to part with $200.00 for a minty OEM rack setup. I'll call around my local guys. I called to ask them about OEM front mudflaps a month or so ago...$50.00...EACH! WTF? Haha!

 

[Blanco]

Well I did some hardcore hunting and discovered a guy about an 1 hr 20 mins away from me who has a boatload of 2nd Gen trucks and Runners plus parts as well as a couple of 3rd Gens plus parts in his yard. He dug me up a full mint OEM rack setup from an '02 Limited and I got it for what would equate to about $85.00 US today. Score! Just installed it with the help of my 11 year old daughter. She rocks and will also be assisting me with my spark plug change, MAF/throttle body clean on Monday.

Here we go...

 

[MTDewX8]

your lucky you have the plastic strips that cover the holes for the OEM stuff.
I dont even had that so I get to Drill and add my own strips and lots of sealant to prevent any leaks.

I got some Proline tracks that are longer than stock so I can move around my thule cross bars or even add a third down the road.

happy shopping.

 

[dhg]

Where did you drill the holes for installing the strips? How did it go? I would like to do a similar install on my 4th Gen 4runner but want to enusre I do not drill into a roof support....

Thanks

 

[nissanh]

Well I did some hardcore hunting and discovered a guy about an 1 hr 20 mins away from me who has a boatload of 2nd Gen trucks and Runners plus parts as well as a couple of 3rd Gens plus parts in his yard. He dug me up a full mint OEM rack setup from an '02 Limited and I got it for what would equate to about $85.00 US today. Score! Just installed it with the help of my 11 year old daughter. She rocks and will also be assisting me with my spark plug change, MAF/throttle body clean on Monday.

Here we go...

I am going to get a set of roof rack for a fellow 4runner member. Once I find the price, I'll let you know. PM me your contact number if you are interested. There are 5 4runners in the junk yard.

 

[MtnT4R]

Have to revive this thread...are there any updated options to get roof tracks for my SR5? Just got my Rocky Mtn Rack in the mail and havent had much luck finding info about whether any aftermarket tracks might work. Cant find stock tracks anywhere.

I could never get that stupid 'mention' tag to work on my posts. Flemster do you know about any aftermarket racks that would work?

 

[Dezerts10]

Have to revive this thread...are there any updated options to get roof tracks for my SR5? Just got my Rocky Mtn Rack in the mail and havent had much luck finding info about whether any aftermarket tracks might work. Cant find stock tracks anywhere.

I could never get that stupid 'mention' tag to work on my posts. Flemster do you know about any aftermarket racks that would work?

i pulled the stock roof rack off of my 1996 and plan to use the stock mounting locations that the stock roof rack rails bolted through the sheet metal to when I fab up a roof rack one of these days. The stock front to back rails have a cap on each end front and back and then there are 4 bolts mounting the rails to the sheet metal roof supports behind the headliner on each side. pretty easy to remove if you don't strip the heads of the bolts.

 

[Hockeyjock]

For anyone reading this thread here is a link to a thread where a curt rack was mounted directly to the rails using aluminum square tube.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/224557-inexpensive-full-length-roof-rack-curt-rack.html


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[JRZEE2000TR4LTD]

For anyone reading this thread here is a link to a thread where a curt rack was mounted directly to the rails using aluminum square tube.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/224557-inexpensive-full-length-roof-rack-curt-rack.html


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The original OP didn't even have the tracks just the plastic covers that come on our rigs from the factory that didn't have roof racks, so one would still need the tracks to use that rack in the thread you posted.

 

[Dezerts10]

This is what the roof looks like if the rails are taken off. Duct tape on front an back cover clip holes and the 4 shiny dots are stainless steel button head cap screws to fill the bolt holes so water doesn’t come in


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[Tiktiki]

I don't know why people keep saying the roof rack is rare...

Found 3x 4Rs in junkyards locally, all of them had the racks on (2 limited, 1 SR5)

Only of them had a damaged cross bar, the other where all in good condition (faded paint/finish but otherwise OK).

 

[MtnT4R]

This is what the roof looks like if the rails are taken off. Duct tape on front an back cover clip holes and the 4 shiny dots are stainless steel button head cap screws to fill the bolt holes so water doesn’t come in


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Thanks Dezerts, this is what my roof looks like. I had those plastic runners covering the mounting points, not rails that will accept a roof rack.

 

[Dezerts10]

Thanks Dezerts, this is what my roof looks like. I had those plastic runners covering the mounting points, not rails that will accept a roof rack.

If you are taking off the plastic runners be careful the screws on my truck were a pain in the butt to get out. I stripped and had to drill a few of them out.


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[Mark_BC]

They are so common here the wreckers just throw other cars on top of the 4runners and mangle them up.

 

[2017Limited]

find a rack substitute?

My SR5 came with no OEM roof rack, just the plastic strip thingies where the rails would normally bolt onto. I have searched high and low to find an OEM rack setup or just the roof rails but these things are like gold dust. Wreckers don't have them, Toyota discontinued them, and when ever they're on eBay they seem to get snapped up mighty quick.

The deal is, I want to mount a basket and could have swore I saw a guy on here once work it so that he could use the existing 'holes' where the rails bolt into the roof to mount a basket directly. Anybody know about this or was I dreaming it? Could this actually be possible or not? Anybody tried?

Thoughts?

I just bought a 1999 4Runner and I have the same issue. Did you find something. I went to Rack Attack and they wanted 350.00 to install a track. Seemed high.

 

[spartacus]

I just bought a 1999 4Runner and I have the same issue. Did you find something. I went to Rack Attack and they wanted 350.00 to install a track. Seemed high.

Craigslist parting out wrecked 4runner or Jims yota yard in denver.