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Removable Roof Rack?

midlifecrisis

midlifecrisis

Charter Member
SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2002
Messages
3,580
Location
New Jersey - Exit 5
Are the dealer installed standard roof rack lateral bars removable in any way? I've adjusted the lateral bars that span across the Av, but never tried to actually remove them. I need to access a parking garage this weekend, but I am afraid of clearance problems. Has anybody temporarily removed the lateral roof rack bars? Does that gain any clearance, given that the longitudinal roof rack bars are still mounted to the roof?
 
If you're Av is stock in ride height (no lift and only stock tires), you should be OK for most city garage's. The shortest garage I have been in was 6'10" (stock Z71). Best advice: look at what else is in the garage already. If you see Tahoe's and Expedition's, I wouldn't worry with a Stock Av. I don't have the roof rack but most Expedition/Tahoes do so if they are in, you should be in as well.

Jamie
 
I have removed the bars from my roof rack but unfortunately it's a little more involved. There are several Torx screws holding your roof rack to your roof. You only need to remove 1 on each side. I recommend the back ones since it's easier to deal with by standing in the bed. Anyway, you remove the last screw in the back and slide off the plastic end cap. You can then slide your bars completely off the back to remove. You'll see exactly how they are put there to begin with once you remove them. Put some silicon back on the hole and the screws, replace the end cap and screws. It only takes about 10 minutes or so. I have replaced my stock bars with these from Thule.

Link to Thule bars for AV

I love them. They are much sturdier than the stock bars, and I can now mount any standard Thule product to them. They are quickly removeable without any tools and have built in locks.
 
A few things I forgot to mention. With the Thule 754 rail, they only stick out about 1" to 1.5" off each side from the outer top edge of the mounting foot. And they do not stick out the side of the profile of the truck so you do not have to worry about them knocking you in the head when you get in your truck. Also, if you have a sunroof, they do not interfere with it's operation at all. You can crack your sunroof open in the up/forward position without hitting the front bar.
 
I mention the sunroof thing because it is an aftermarket roof bar. Sometimes people ask me about the sunroof since I use the rack for loading mountain bikes or for a luggage basket. When I have these on, I usually try to keep my load bars as far forward and as far back as I can. The forward bar is usually over the sunroof by about 1" - 2".
 
Check out my pics of the roof rack prior toi install it may help you...

Roof Rack Pics
 
Thanks... >:D

I have posted more yesterday and all is finished.
 
Here's another twist to the 'removable' roof rack line of thinking. . . .

My Av lives in the garage - no problem except that a roof rack with mounted accessories for bikes, skiis, etc won't fit. Thule has two options - both nice. I chose their Tracker series, because it can be completely removed from the roof (bars and accessories) without tools. . . each mounting foot has a lockable quick release pushbutton.

P.S. I too removed the stock cross rails - looked dumb with the Thule bars on as well.
 
$200 for the feet?! ?Oh MAN! ?Why are they so expensive?? ?They should be maybe $15 a piece!

I'm looking into getting a rack in general. ?Not sure if I should go with factory, and build up from there, or go aftermarket right from the start.
 
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