[JasonSelmes]

Hi all,

I have a SWB 1991 Vitara. Looking for Roof racks and not sure where to look or what t look for? There is currently nothing on the roof or any tracks etc.

Fresh slate!

Any Tips?

Cheers
Jase

[Scrawny]

Bit hard to see I know but this is what mine has. Not sure where to start looking to buy them tho

[JasonSelmes]

Scrawn wrote:

Bit hard to see I know but this is what mine has. Not sure where to start looking to buy them tho

I dont mean to be a newby but how do they stay on? Stuck down? Bolted?

cheers

[Scrawny]

Held down by hopes and dreams.....

I assume they're bolted

[atari4x4]

the rola track mounts are pop riveted to the roof skin. most installs only get a few rivets, mine had 3 at each end & 4 spread along the remaining lenght, same for both sides.

got any self serve wreckers around your way? most magna's, camry's, mazda's have factory fitted rola equipment, take a cordless drill, torx bits, point nose plyers & help yourself to whats on offer.

heaps of threads on rola racks, this is one of many viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29823&hilit=roof & another viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21820&hilit=roof+rack

[JasonSelmes]

atari4x4 wrote:

the rola track mounts are pop riveted to the roof skin. most installs only get a few rivets, mine had 3 at each end & 4 spread along the remaining lenght, same for both sides.

got any self serve wreckers around your way? most magna's, camry's, mazda's have factory fitted rola equipment, take a cordless drill, torx bits, point nose plyers & help yourself to whats on offer.

heaps of threads on rola racks, this is one of many viewtopic.php?f=5&t=29823&hilit=roof & another viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21820&hilit=roof+rack

Cheers mate will take a look at thanks for the advice. up up and away.

[JasonSelmes]

Hi guys.

Ok went to my local wrecker and found a few different types. Only 1 had the rail mount system. Here a a few pics. The first ones here are off a VS or VP commodore. They had long tracks and by the looks of them can you tell if these are Rola Racks or Rhino etc?

Also there seems to be a theft screw on them to prevent removal how do I get them out when trying to get them off when i go on Saturday? Is there a special tool? Am i guessing its the Torx drill bit? I have plenty of those so shouldnt be a worry.

I might have the cut the tracks down but they should work. Also there seems to be a rubber type seal under the tracks. If this is broken and cant be taken off properly do they still require the rubber seal on the bottom of the tracks?

[JasonSelmes]

Here is another set of Rhino Racks i found? I dont think these are the right ones though?

[JasonSelmes]

And the third and final set look like the clip over type. I dont think these would suit either?

[atari4x4]

it's a allen key security fitting, you can make one or buy them from a tool shop or go to a roof rack place & buy the tool.

grab the ones of the commodore & cut down to suit.

[JasonSelmes]

ok, good news and bad news.

When i was pulling off one of the tracks i shredded a track screw second in from the end screw. I had to cut it off with a hacksaw. Originally the tracks were 1600mm long. I had the cut the other down to 1200mm at the point of the shredded screw to get it off the wrecker car otherwise it was going to be a complete waste of time. I am going to cut down the 1600mm track down to 1200mm to match the other.

Question is will 1200mm track lengths going to be ok. Is it still going to be as strong etc or are they to short?

Here is a few pictures.

[atari4x4]

plenty long enough, set the track so the end of them is about where the roof ribs start. you wont need the racks that far forward.

[JasonSelmes]

atari4x4 wrote:

plenty long enough, set the track so the end of them is about where the roof ribs start. you wont need the racks that far forward.

Phew.. thats good news. Yeah I was going to put them towards the rear anyway. It was just for illustration purposes.

Another question I have is the roof racks are far to wide and will need to be cut down. Whats the best way to get a flush straight cut? I was going to use a hack saw but Its hard to get a good nice flush neat cut. Any tips?

[atari4x4]

drop saw?

mark it up with some masking tape to get a nice straight line around it & take it easy with the hack-saw.

my rails were set right out near the edge of the roof, think it was a rail thickness in from where the "gutter" is

[Ausuki]

good old fashioned mitre box and take it slow......or a drop saw

[JasonSelmes]

also guys do I need to get the backing rubbing? I noticed when I took the tracks off there was a rubber type foam seal underneath? I just removed most of it with a razor becuase it was all hanging off after I removed the track from the wrecker car.

[JasonSelmes]

Well I finally got the roof racks on. I ended up grinding the end off a cheap rivet gun so it would slide into the channel of the rack mounts. Worked great. 4x 4.8mm rivets into each side and she is done.

I didnt bother putting the end caps on the racks just left them off. as it didnt make it look any better in my opinion.

Gave them a spray in the booth with a matt black paint job.

All I need now is vortex basket or similar and some tie downs. Brilliant.

[Bruce]

Grave dig. I just fitted the same type of roof racks to my Vitara. Would like to at some stage fit a Awning to it. Can't seem to find any acc fittings to suit. What have others done?

[royce]

sport racks? you can chop a bit of the center strip out and slide a channel nut in and hang a bracket off

ive got the nuts here somewhere

[Bruce]

JasonSelmes wrote:

Same as these ones. Well chop chop, find ya nuts and I'll take them

[royce]

just put the pair of rhino bars you've got sitting over by the far wall on

[buzbox]

I drilled straight through the bar and bolted the bracket for the awning directly to it, Slide the awning on and done.

[Bruce]

Only got 1 rhino bar on the wall now. Used the other one for the Rodeo for the light bar.
I did think of that buzbox but thought there would be some type of fitting thingo for them

[buzbox]

Ahh for Rhino bars, yes they are available, Mine are Rola and I couldn't find anything anywhere, the rhino adapters are about 1mm too tall and about 3mm too wide for the track of the Rola, I got the shits and just drilled through the bar. Off the top of my head I got 4 blocks, 2 screws and 2 tie down eyelets for about $25 or so.

[Bruce]

aah righto. Was looking at these but they might not fit and looks like they are wrong anyway

http://www.rhinorack.com.au/AccSubCateg ... 14_40.aspx