Removing the FJ Rack...

[nicoli1]

I just bought a silver FJ over the weekend. As I suspected the vehicle doesn't fit in my garage with the rack on so I need to remove it for now. Has anyone removed the rack themselves. Is there anything special I need? Also does anyone know if only the top part of the rack can be taken off leaving the bottom part if that makes sense. Thanks.

[gslone]

positive it doesn't fit. i have bigger tires and the rack on and it still fits in mine...and my garage is by no means big. did you have somebody standing outside watching for you.....

if so...

I say CUT THE GARAGE!!!!

[vilnis]

Tell me what you decided, as I may be interested in your rack.
Vilnis

[Michael2000]

I think they just may be allen bolts. You may want to purchase the colored plugs that come with the factory cars without sunroofs.

Michael

[nhparrot]

The roof rack is an accessory installed item and can easily be removed.

[drulon]

I had a problem like that with my Ford Expedition - I was able to adjust the garage door opener to get about an extra 3-inches of clearance. Not sure how much room you need, but if you really want to keep your rack, there is a good chance that you can.

[mml4]

Hi Guys!
Unfortunately the factory rack will not fit under a 4 panel overhead door.The clearance for such a door is 77" depending on whether or not the garage is equipped with quick turn bracket rails on the door and how the builder framed the outside opening of the door.If you have a 5 panel door the door can be adjusted to allow the factory rack to work.

If you take off the factory rack you need to get the six plastic plates that go over the mounting ports in the roof and don't forget to take the water seal washers off the rack and reinstall them on the little posts molded into the roof.

I have the clearance issue with my garage and ordered a Gobi rack. They make a model called the "Stealth" with an advertised clearance of 76".I spoke to a fellow named Paul in their engineering dept. and he said the clearance is actually 75.5" with the factory 17" rims and stock tires.The Gobi has a weight capacity of 300lbs. and is 84" long.It comes standard with an aluminum wind fairing and front and rear light bars.The light bars are made to accept PIAA 1500XT lights which will fit between the rails of the rack and will not add height to the installation. The bottom of the rack is a perforated steel plate floor.The price is a hefty $1599 delivered .

I find it positively stupid of Toyota to design a roof rack that is too high for 90% of the garages in the US.In addition the stock rack has a minimum of space as the forward section is unusable.
Can't imagine what was on their mind.In addition the radio antenna is also too high for a 4 panel door.Pep Boys has a replacement 16" for $8.99 that works well in my experience.

Marc

[hannaman]

I had the same problem with my full size conversion van. I added a block of wood between the garage door header and the door opener rail. This pushed the garage door opener back a couple of inches and allowed the garage door more travel and the door moved higher up on the track. I was then able ti fit the van in the garage. If you are lacking an inch or two, a free piece of scrap wood from Home Depot may be a easy fix.

[motowfo]

I recently saw a mod done to the standard rack to take the top (high) bar off making the rack only as high as the lower bar (about 3" shorter than stock).

As soon as I find the part code for the covers to be be installed when I take the high part of the rack off, I'll post a pictur of the finished product and the process.

Rick

2 week old '07 Black Cherry AT5

[Mung]

The rack is all about appearance, not function. I had to buy a Yakima add-on to be able to use the factory rack to haul stuff. The addition of Yakima Rack and landshark saddles not does not fit under my garage, and the wind noise is intolerable. However, it does haul my kayak well. I'd rather have no rack and just have put on a Yakima, but that option wasn't offered.

[Patrix7]

As with many, I was not pleased with the roof rack on my silver fj. It was worse than no rack for transporting my canoe and the "adjustable" bar would only move forward a few inches as the rack gets wider at the front.
So...decided to take it off. Bought the pricey little caps to cover the holes.
Now the problem starts: After undoing the first two bolts, something falls into my roof liner and there is now nothing to screw the bolts back into. Check with the dealer and they check with Toyota Canada. It is going to cost about $1500.00 I'm told to remove the roof liner, and make the appropriate changes. It turns out that the bolts are bolted to a device that is held inside the roof with plastic or nylon. The bolts have locktite on them. Consequently the device the bolts are bolted to tears away from the plastic.
The dealer offers to split the cost of the repair with me. They have to install new "nuts" that are pressure fitted to the roof to be able to take the rack on and off.
Toyota Canada won't cover it, despite the fact that they provided the dealers with the caps to cover the holes left by the rack.
I am going through an appeals process now with Toyota Canada.
In my opinion this is a design issue. Taking of a roof rack should be as easy as changing licence plates.

[TUNDRA786]

Originally Posted by vilnis

Tell me what you decided, as I may be interested in your rack.
Vilnis

you should have included Roof with rack. If post was to me id feel violated