Roof Rail Leak Free Fixing.

[david173]

Hi there, picked up my Omtec rails from VW yesterday and have the same question as your previous one. The plates for these rails on the underside of the hole have that plastic frame/funnel which is meant to seal the included foam pads to the roof around the bolt. Did you cut them all out or what to make place for the washers. It’s not just a matter of drilling the hole wide enough for the nyloc nut on these plates. Thanks

View attachment 142536

View attachment 142537

I cut quite a lot of that out to allow the 6mm nut to fit and the piece to align correctly. Chucked the foam bit in the bin.

 

[WinFreak]

Another tip for putting the top nuts into the holes of the rails, I saw people struggled keeping the nut into the socket and use a bit of paper etc.

I used a bit of 10mm tube, holds the nut nicely and once it’s hand tight you can then use the normal socket to do it up properly

 

[david173]

Another tip for putting the top nuts into the holes of the rails, I saw people struggled keeping the nut into the socket and use a bit of paper etc.

I used a bit of 10mm tube, holds the nut nicely and once it’s hand tight you can then use the normal socket to do it up properly

View attachment 143437

Great solution well done

 

[WinFreak]

Got one rail on, installed the threaded bolts in the other side and then it was too dark to see what I was doing

Job for tomorrow morning!

 

[milner993]

Is the top of the threads/nut visible above the rail?

 

[Jamil]

Hi, no the threaded bars should only be long enough to pass through the holes (inside) the roof rails, which then can be secured with washers and lock nuts. The length of the threaded bars will depend on the roof rails you’re using. I purchased them directly from VW .. they use (OMTEC) roof rails. The perfect length of threaded bars needed for these (OMTEC) rails are .. (7.5cm for the front and back and 10cm for the middle). I screwed 18mm into the roof. You then seal the holes at the top of the rails with the included rubber seals.

 

[.50]

I thought I'd update this thread a little, as I have removed my roof bars for a colour change.

As you can see, the threaded rod has some surface rust, and, as others have suggested on this thread, stainless steel may be a better option, but apart from that, you can see that NO water has past the rubber washer and and penny washer, so it's proved a very successful way of mounting roof bars

 

[eetmw]

Just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone on this thread for the clever and elegant solutions. Fitted my roof bars today and they are solid and having the peace of mind that it won’t leak is great!
Cheers
Toby

 

[DaniH]

Not quite.

Remove factory bolts from roof.
Remove factory rubber washer from above bolts.
Cut threaded bar to desired lengths.
Thread nyloc nuts onto the threaded rod to the same measurement as the heads on the factory blanking bolts.
Slide washer up to the underside of nyloc nut.
Slide rubber washer up to underside of washer.
Thread this rubber washer/washer/nut and threaded bar into the captive nut in the roof.
Thighten the nut down snug.
Place assembled roof bars over all 3 protruding threaded bars.
Put final flanged nut or nut and washer in the end of a socket,(using grease or thin card to hold it).
Thighten down.

Hey, thanks so much for this! I'm about to do mine with the lightning leisure awning rail underneath the roof bars....did the rubber washer/washer/nut combo not make the awning rail sit too high?

 

[jamiemcl]

Hey, thanks so much for this! I'm about to do mine with the lightning leisure awning rail underneath the roof bars....did the rubber washer/washer/nut combo not make the awning rail sit too high?

Just wondered what everyone who fitted the lightning leisure awning rail done about sealing under the unused hole. Is the original bolt and rubber washer long enough for another rubber washer underneath or have people just been sealing the underside with silicone?

Thanks in advance

 

[MrHugo]

Hi All,

I want to remove my roof bars that appear to be factory fitted on my komi. I bought these little screws that fill the screw holes.
It looks like there is a nylon washer on them to prevent water from entering the van.



Do I need to use any sealant when I insert these? or will they be water-tight?

 

[Skyliner33]

Hi All,

I want to remove my roof bars that appear to be factory fitted on my komi. I bought these little screws that fill the screw holes.
It looks like there is a nylon washer on them to prevent water from entering the van.

View attachment 163603

Do I need to use any sealant when I insert these? or will they be water-tight?

Should be water tight.

 

[DaniH]

Just wondered what everyone who fitted the lightning leisure awning rail done about sealing under the unused hole. Is the original bolt and rubber washer long enough for another rubber washer underneath or have people just been sealing the underside with silicone?

Thanks in advance

Hey so I actually have the funky leisure one: VW T5/T6 Pre-Drilled C-Channel Awning Rail for Roof Bars not the lightning leisure one. I've just fitted mine and i would say yes it is long enough to take an extra washer over the original hole but i just used the original bolt and rubber washer....so the rubber washer was against the roof of the van, followed by the awning rail and then the original bolt. Obviously had no rain to test it yet but it felt snug

I also thought about the silicone/sealant but was put off by some of the comments on here about some of them being corrosive on the paintwork so did the threaded bars as described above

 

[Blackchin]

Got some ebay roof rails and did not want to gorm silicone into and around the fixing holes.

Instead I got some M6 threaded bar cut a little longer than the bolts supplied with the rails. I then used the rubber washers that came off the blanking bolts together with a washer and M6 nyloc nut.
This then fixes into the holes on the roof and seals it the same as the original blanking bolt.
I then simply used a washer and nyloc nut to fix the roof rails to the threaded studs.
View attachment 18747 View attachment 18746 View attachment 18745 View attachment 18744 View attachment 18743

I wish I’d seen this before bending my roof bars in half

 

[Skyliner33]

Well, this is another pita job, but got there in the end! Leave lots of time for this one, not when rushing to prep for a weekend camping with the forum

View attachment 123608

View attachment 123609

View attachment 123610

Hi @Andysmee - was just rading this thread as I've just bought some roof bars. I notice that you have an awning rail that works with the bars.
Can you remember where you got it from? Mine doesn't work.
I will have to replace it with one like yours or the Reimo one that fixes to the side of the van.

Cheers

 

[alt]

I have this rail and it fits no problem.

 

[Skyliner33]

I have this rail and it fits no problem.

Thanks, seems the same as the one @Andysmee has. Looks like I need to spend another £80 (thats more than the bars cost me :/

 

[Skyliner33]

I have this rail and it fits no problem.

Hi, how did you manage ti do the leak free method of this thread with the awning rail as well?

Thanks

 

[alt]

Just had a look through my photos and annoyingly I didn't take any of the rail but from memory, I think I reused the factory bolt washers and put them under the rail, with the rest being otherwise the same as this guide.

 

[Vera The Transporter]

I did this. Brilliant fix!! M6 rod cut slightly longer than Allan Key bolts provided and some lock nuts etc etc... found I needed a box spanner 10mm as mention as the holes in the bars don't take a 10mm socket to tighten. Got these from Screwfix for under £6.