Roof rack cross bars loose

[dstewart3ss]

Both cross bars are completely loose and slide back and forth. New to me T4r. How can I secure them?

 

[pluton]

The cross bars are supposed to have a tightening bolt featuring a plastic knob
at each end...two per bar. Yours appear to be missing. Those square metal/plastic pieces in the track are the nuts for those bolts.

 

[Sparky 97Runner]

The missing bolt is an M6-1.0 if you want to try the hardware store route. Not only should they slide back and fourth with the missing bolt but they should also pull right off if I'm not mistaken. Just FYI so they don't fly off when your driving down the road.

 

[Pyral]

There is suppose to be a threaded bolt to lock it in place that looks to have fallen out. Luckily the cross bar can't slide out unless you remove the end caps that are screwed down.

 

[ToyotaBrah]

I sell those knobs. PM me and I can work out a deal. You're also missing the 3 smaller load bearing bars.

 

[pluton]

I sell those knobs. PM me and I can work out a deal. You're also missing the 3 smaller load bearing bars.

Question about the load bearing bars: Is their purpose to protect the roof if luggage is placed directly in the roof surface? Are they necessary for side-to-side dimensional stability of the rack? If I run a roof rack (Yakima) perched on top of the stock crossbars, can I eliminate the smaller load bearing bars? Your thoughts?

 

[calimobber]

Im pretty sure they are just to prevent anything sitting directly on the roof. Helps spread out the weight. They are pretty light weight.

 

[ToyotaBrah]

Question about the load bearing bars: Is their purpose to protect the roof if luggage is placed directly in the roof surface? Are they necessary for side-to-side dimensional stability of the rack? If I run a roof rack (Yakima) perched on top of the stock crossbars, can I eliminate the smaller load bearing bars? Your thoughts?

Hey, I apologize for the late response. The 3 bars have the ability to disperse the weight more evenly across with their adjustability and rubber strips that are on the bottom of each of them. You would be fine removing them. I doubt they offer any added structural rigidity to the roof rack.

Tangent: I'm always weirded out whenever I see a 3rd gen that has a completely loaded roof with an aftermarket rack, roof top tent and several other accessories mounted. The factory rails are only held on by 10 very short T-25 screws that bolt to the skin of the roof. It's clear that Toyota designed it for light cargo (kayaks, cargo carrier box) Just does not seem wise.

If I were you, I would mount the Yakima bars directly to the stock rails and bypass using the 2 larger bars. Those bars have an inferior design and crack easily where the feet and the middle of the bar join.

 

[pluton]

If I were you, I would mount the Yakima bars directly to the stock rails and bypass using the 2 larger bars. Those bars have an inferior design and crack easily where the feet and the middle of the bar join.

The stock crossbars are feeble, I know.
In Yakima world, the way to mount the Load Warrior to the stock rails is to use Yakima's own grotesquely overpriced crossbars, which appear to make the Load Warrior sit at least as high, and maybe even higher, off the roof than it does on the stock Toyota crossbars. I may explore a custom solution that utilizes aftermarket rail anchors, like the old Defender Rack mounts did.
One of my current requirements is that the roof rack be easily and quickly removable.

 

[Endlessblockades]

The Sherpa Rack installation video says to leave the roof crossbars to provide stability to the track rails.

 

[phattyduck]

Tangent: I'm always weirded out whenever I see a 3rd gen that has a completely loaded roof with an aftermarket rack, roof top tent and several other accessories mounted. The factory rails are only held on by 10 very short T-25 screws that bolt to the skin of the roof. It's clear that Toyota designed it for light cargo (kayaks, cargo carrier box) Just does not seem wise.

If I were you, I would mount the Yakima bars directly to the stock rails and bypass using the 2 larger bars. Those bars have an inferior design and crack easily where the feet and the middle of the bar join.

I definitely agree on the weakness of the OEM cross bars.

As for the OEM tracks, they do go to a stiffening plate below the roof, so it is not just to the outer sheet metal. Also note that those T25 screws are M6x1.0 which can take at least 1000 lbf each... (tension, shear is a somewhat less). The challenge is not overloading a single fastener and avoiding long term fatigue.

-Charlie

 

[vegask]

There are some good pictures in this post that show what it looks like underneath.

The guy that made the blog post reinforced his roof with some flat bar and longer bolts. I did this mod back when I had a roof top tent and it made a pretty big difference.

Reinforcing the Roof