Found a roof rack off an 88 for my 85

[tidmarshsmiths5]

A guy nearby is parting out a Bronco II (88 model)...many good parts, wish I had money to spare for the whole thing - said he'd sell it to me for $500. 2.9 is blown in it, but the tranny is good...

Picked up a new hatch cover today (same color as mine even though the Bronco II is blue - go figure); also, he is selling me the latches off the hatch and the pin I need for the top of mine.

Just because I'm a moron, he's going to give me the factory radio out of it for $5 and the dash cover for $10 (one that covers the gauges and goes around the radio/heater as my plastic is crap and this will keep me from having to cut mine) - I would love to take the whole gauge cluster as mine does not have a tachometer - wonder how hard that would be to switch out!

Anyway, he's going to sell me the roof rack for $30 - it's in good shape, I'll repaint the plastic, armorall the rubber and zip her on my Bronco II so when I build a carrier it'll fit right on! What's the best WATERPROOFING technique out there? I will buy the bolts with rubber on them, bolt them through the roof pillars tightly as well as silicone them with 50year NP1 - but I do not want anymore leaks than I have already.

The sad part is this little Bronco II he's parting out is solid! Look at that bumper - it's in great shape as is the front one and so is the hitch, etc.

 

[ab_slack]

well darn, I hate to see any intake ones get broken apart.

For $500 I would take...as long as manual trans and manual transfer case. Dealing with auto on either is beyond me.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

What's sad is that this thing is straight, no dents, no body issues (needs paint)...interior has had a red seat added and this tan tailgate cover but it's a shame - I told the guy that yesterday but its what he does for money.

If I were smart, I'd buy it and park it until I could afford to have it rebuilt for my son...

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Learned some new things today:

Most Bronco II's don't have a luggage rack; I thought it was the other way around.

When they install these at the factory, what they do is build a nipple on the roof that has threads that 4 screws each side screw into; this nipple is raised up over the roof line so when the luggage rack goes on it goes on flush and the nipples are hidden in the luggage rack channel but this is why they don't leak - because they are not drilled through the roof.

I'm thinking out loud here...I would rather not drill through the roof but not sure if there is any other way...

I could tack weld 4 nuts each side on there with the same dimensions to hide in the luggage rack channels, spray paint them, throw some caulk on for extra good measure, etc. but I'm not so sure this is strong enough or a good idea?

THOUGHTS????

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

What about a "liquid nail" application? Would that cause rust or damage over time?

I know I can drill, use a rubber washer and caulk the bolt holes but I want it right the 1st time...and if I do it this way, it can be removed for painting later on (the truck not the luggage rack).

 

[Jim Oaks]

Drop the headliner, drill the holes, and bolt it down.

Maybe put butyl tape down between the mounts and the roof with the bolt going through it to seal it. That's what they would do with a sunroof.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Thanks Jim...I think that's what I've decided to do...where can I get butyl tape?

When I broke the windshield, the guy that put the new one in cursed and cursed the old butyl that held it in...but it must be good stuff!

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Drop the headliner, drill the holes, and bolt it down.

Maybe put butyl tape down between the mounts and the roof with the bolt going through it to seal it. That's what they would do with a sunroof.

Any wires run through the roof line other than the back cargo light?

I've got the luggage rack painted and ready; marked my holes tonight...going to wait until daylight tomorrow to drill but I had a "great idea"...what if I drill through, clean out just enough of my headliner to get my metal shim and nuts onto the bolts? This way when I get to the headliner replacement I don't have such a mess or extra expense for the headliner shop?

Part of me is afraid there are unseen wires up there or its going to be like my radio idea...falls short...(that factory radio does not illuminate so off to get a new radio)...sigh!

 

[Jim Oaks]

Dome light should be the only thing.

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Couple of things I found out today (this evening):

> Missed the dome wire by an inch - it runs down the driver side just inside the molding
> There is a steel channel (lack of thoughts but a box beam for lack of a better term) that the molding screws into and to get a bolt through it I need 1 7/8 to get through to get a nut on the bolt (it looks like a channel and hangs an inch or so down from the roof line (it is welded to the roof line))
> Drilled it with a 1/4 bit but the 1/4 bit bolts get messed up bolting them through - so will have to "hollow" the hole a tad more tomorrow to get the bolts through so I can put nuts to it
> Knowing what I know now...might have just used a 2 inch metal tapping screw to tap into that channel but not so sure that would be "ideal" or last over time with all the vibrations
> Now, the question - how do the "oh sh$t" handles come off - looks like a self tapping nail is drove in there - it's not a screw and until I figure that out I can't get the molding off to put the bolts through the next 3 holes on each side past the hatch
> Going to crawl in there in the morning when I can see and take all the molding out to pull the headliner down to bolt the rest of them

It will be finished tomorrow come heck or high water; bought some butyl tape and a tube of "lifetime" guarantee roofing caulk to lather that bolt up top and where it runs through the sheet metal of the roof and around the hole...hopefully that keeps the water out.

And my window/hatch latch finally quit working...so now I have another fix - the bolt that comes through won't allow the hatch to turn the hardware - it is stripped for lack of a better term or turns with the handle and doesn't stop turning...

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

Oh nevermind, just took a flashlight out there - it's a bolt that holds the grab handles - looks like 5/16 nut driver...get that in the am and should be good to go...

Gonna paint the holes in the am with a touch of rustoleum and let dry while I run to the hardware store to get more bolts - had to make sure the ones I bought would work...

 

[tidmarshsmiths5]

And it's done...few days to dry and should be good to go...now off to repair that latch...

Finished!

Learned a lesson - should have had my son hold the nut inside and I could have hand tightened - had to let off a little because of pulling the top down...the bolt goes through that metal channel and we should have been a little less "hercules" on them. It was 95* today and it was hot inside the box...hopefully no leaks...will wait about a good 3 days of hard curing and then I'll put the garden hose to it to see...I lathered it up pretty good up there around the holes with the sealants...crossing my fingers!