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      04-22-2014, 11:12 PM   #23
///M3PIMP
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Nice work Ryansoundlab!!!!!
Do the rails have some sort of waterproof gasket to seal the holes or did you add any sealant to them?
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      04-23-2014, 06:16 AM   #24
nyalpine90
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2016 BMW X4  [9.33]
i ordered gloss black roof rails from getbmwparts.com and had them install at local shop for 1/3 of price dealer was charging me.
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      04-23-2014, 07:10 AM   #25
RyanSoundLab
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The rails come with a full length rubber gasket, so they fit snugly into the slots. But the real sealing seems to be done by a rubber washer around each of the hold-down bolts where they go through the body. They squeeze up against the hole area as you tighten the nuts from the inside and (hopefully) will keep out the rain. We'll see over time - haven't been out in the rain or a car wash yet!
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Nice work Ryansoundlab!!!!!
Do the rails have some sort of waterproof gasket to seal the holes or did you add any sealant to them?
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      04-23-2014, 07:58 AM   #26
LeeAC
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It's funny you should ask this. I realized the other day that I didn't even think to ask for roof rails and no dealer mentioned it to me.

For me, an SUV needs roof rails to make it sporty and functional...but now thinking about it, I doubt I would use them, compared to a back hitch.

The only time I would really use them is tow a Christmas tree and tether it to the roof but realistically, we'd use my husbands Jeep. A friend of ours really ruined their Mercedes SUV from the pin-needles scratching the roof.

But maybe I'm just prissy about it lol

I am thinking about getting a back hitch for a bike rack though.
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      04-23-2014, 11:23 PM   #27
///M3PIMP
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Ryansoundlab -
I noticed that you mentioned the bolts were of the locking type... ( or something of the sort ) would you mind elaborating on that?
Did you use a torque wrench?
how can you tell when you've tightened enough?
i can see myself cranking down until a bolt strips...
sorry to ask so many Qs, but after watching your DIY video, I almost feel confident enough to try the install myself!
thanks for your help.
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      04-24-2014, 05:48 AM   #28
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I didn't express that quite right. It's the nuts which are the type that bind when you put them on so they don't come off easily. Sometimes you seem them with nylon inserts, but these look like they were slightly crushed in a vise instead so the inside threaded part is no longer round - slightly oval. It works fine. You can feel a steady resistance as you tighten the nut until the end, when it fully tightens as it seats. I didn't use a torque wrench - used a 3/8" standard Craftsman socket wrench. When I can't turn it any more, I know it's tight! Likely somewhere around 60 in-lbs? The bolts are metric, maybe 8mm (didn't measure them) so they can easily take this kind of torque. You won't strip these nuts/bolts - they are definitely hardened and very strong.

Do try it. I suggest experimenting first before you fully commit to it by taking off one overhead handle and a sun visor. The center overhead control panel would be next. If you can do those, the rest is less difficult.

Good luck,

Kit

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Originally Posted by ///M3PIMP View Post
Ryansoundlab -
I noticed that you mentioned the bolts were of the locking type... ( or something of the sort ) would you mind elaborating on that?
Did you use a torque wrench?
how can you tell when you've tightened enough?
i can see myself cranking down until a bolt strips...
sorry to ask so many Qs, but after watching your DIY video, I almost feel confident enough to try the install myself!
thanks for your help.
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      04-27-2014, 06:01 PM   #29
335xs2dinan
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Thanks again Kit. I installed the roof rails today on my wife's F25. Your DIY video was outstanding and made the process much quicker and easy. I had a friend helping also to make it enjoyable and efficient. Everything went well and came together nicely. Amazing how much easier the headliner was to reassemble vs disassemble.

Couple points to stress from the video: Will need a 13 mm deep socket and an extension for the socket wrench to fasten the roof rail from below. I found it also helpful to use an attachment for the socket that allows a little bit of a bend for working around that front airbag. A regular depth socket will not be long enough to allow for threading of the nut on the bolt. You did say this in the video but I missed it and had to make a run to the hardware store.

Also, I didnt have the "dental pick" that you had so I took a small Allen wrench and bent the tip down even past 90 degrees and it was helpful to grip this with a pliers to get enough force to remove the overhead handle grips.

Patience was key, not a lot of skill needed to do this now that the DIY video is there, just more tedious than anything else.

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Originally Posted by RyanSoundLab View Post
That agrees with some other quotes I've seen on the web - more than $1000 labor plus the parts. You can do it yourself - just be patient! Something like the metal dental pick I showed is vital for the job - could be a small screwdriver that you bent in the vise to 90 degrees. You'll also need torx 25 and 15 (15 is a small one and sometimes not in the sets) and two rather small (but not jewelers) screwdrivers (to get into the overhead handle snap-in mechanism). The rest is regular tools. Don't forget to disconnect the battery when working around those air bags. Good luck!
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      04-28-2014, 07:09 AM   #30
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Excellent news, 335xs2dinan! I'm glad the video helped. What I wanted to do with the video was give people a sense of confidence that it could be done. When I started on my roof, I hadn't seen anyone else who had done it and I was thinking that "this could ruin my X3!" My wife was a bit concerned, too. However, it all came out well and now others are enabled. Glad you could do it so quickly.

Best regards,

Kit
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