Hi folks

I'm off to get a pair of roof rails from a breaker, for my new (to me) '05 1.4TDi Mk1 estate.  So I turn up prepared, does anyone know what fasteners they use - I don't want to turn up without some wierd torx head driver if that's what I need.  Modern cars, harrumph.  If anyone has any tips on how not to bugger up the headlining and surrounding trim in peeling it back to get at the fasteners, that would be very welcome.  I found the locations of the holes in some on-line manual - I think when I come to try to attach them to my car, I'll try drilling up though plastic 'gutter' trim and sealing it all with black mastic. 

 

Very pleased with it so far, though competing with the mpg indicator has me driving like a loon, rather like I did 30 years ago staring at the speedo on my moped  

cheers

Mark, Manchester

 

 

From what I remember they are 8mm or 10mm nuts on the inside.

I don't see how you can drill up from inside the car so good luck with that.

You will need the gutter infill rails from the donor vehicle as the roof bar ones have plastic blocks inset to stop water leaking.

I ended up having to buy new ones and they were not cheap.

Just release the A B and C pillar trims , peel back the inner door seals and then you should be able to get behind the head lining.

Its a bit of a fiddly job

Edited 30 January, 20188 yr by garethw

Just remove the headlining from the one at the breakers then you'll know how to do it on yours without wrecking it.

Thanks folks.  I was in luck - the car at the breakers had a soaked, mouldy interior, so the guy was happy for me to mess about with the headlining and wreck it whilst working out how it goes together.  So in case anyone else comes this way - each rail is on 5 x M10 nuts, bolts are captive with the rail, and the plastic / rubber 'gutter' insert has steel spacers in it through which the bolts tighten which (as noted above - thanks) I needed to remove too.  I had planned to drill through the existing plastic / rubber trim, but I'll be able to replace it.  These prise out of the roof; they're very malleable and bend like aluminium trim strips off my old sidecar.  I'll have to straighten them carefully.  

thanks for your replies

Mark