Removing roof rack cross bars?

[Celco]

Ok, I searched before and found the link to the protege.ugly.com or whatever that site is... or should I say was. It no longer works.

I bought the car used and didn't get a owners manual either.

How do you take the cross bars off of the 2002 stock roof rack? I poked around a bit, but I don't want to break anything. Trying to make for better mpg for long trips (and driving in general).

Thanks.

 

[ForceFed]

DO you have the caps for when you remove them?
If not...don't bother..It will look bad.

 

[Celco]

DO you have the caps for when you remove them?
If not...don't bother..It will look bad.

I don't care too much about the look right now. I am going to be making a 720 mile drive from ATL to Detroit and want to see if this is going to help my mileage at all.

I have made the drive many times before with MPG hovering right around 28. I want to see if this helps. Can you take the cross bars off without dropping the headliner and to take the through screws out???

 

[wildo]

The cross bars are different than the attachment bars. The cross bars are orthogonal to the car, while the attachment bars are parallel to the car. To get the cross bars off, just remove the phillips head screw, and pop the plastic cover off the end. You will then find one (maybe two- going off of memory here...) bolts that hold the cross bar to the attachment bars...

That's pretty much it. Now if you are talking about removing the bars that the cross bars attach to (which I am referring to as "attachment bars") then yes, you have to remove the headliner, and there is a How-To in the how to section on this.

 

[wildo]

The cross bars are different than the attachment bars. The cross bars are orthogonal to the car, while the attachment bars are parallel to the car. To get the cross bars off, just remove the phillips head screw, and pop the plastic cover off the end. You will then find one (maybe two- going off of memory here...) bolts that hold the cross bar to the attachment bars...

That's pretty much it. Now if you are talking about removing the bars that the cross bars attach to (which I am referring to as "attachment bars") then yes, you have to remove the headliner, and there is a How-To in the how to section on this.

Actually, I hope that is accurate. I've never actually taken the cross bars off, only removed the plastic end covers to attach a bicycle roof rack to the cross bars. Sorry if this is not accurate...

I think it is...

 

[Celco]

more inste that i have at the moment, so thank you. ill do some more investigation.

 

[Nomad]

you can take the two raised bars off easily. A few bolts and some screws.
It will look like this when you are done.

The raised "parallel" rails will still be there. You'd need some flat plastic plates to make them look complete.

Taking the rails off requires dropping the headliner and getting the rubber rain rail strips.

It might make a little difference but also check tire pressure, fluids etc.

 

[Celco]

I usually always check pressures (keep them 35-36 for the drive) and all the fluids. Most of the time it will be oil change time right before the drive anyways.

I have even taped up some of the body gaps too. I cant remember if that time I actually got any gain from it or not. I also usually drive at night for less stop and go traffic and cooler temps. Plugs, wires and boots, and timing belt were changed ~10k miles ago. Don't know if It will change anything, but this will be the first long haul I do with my lighter weight Rota slipstreams (same tires).

Best things left I can think of are that are left without major aero work is taking off these cross bars and the whip.

I recently messed with my rear break, which has been dragging the pad on and off, but i dont know if that has really ever effected those drives.

I would use cruse control, but I get too comfortable and end up start falling asleep. I vowed not to use it again after I was driving on the 401 coming around a bend @ 80mph and almost rear-ending stopped traffic, but passed ~30 cars on the shoulder.

I think the best MPG on the drive was 31, worst was 26, average is about 27.5-28.

 

[Raceman71]

Ok i just installed my wifes roof rack and i'll talk you through it...

1. use a phillips head screwdriver to remove 1 screw per "end cap"
2. remove "end caps". top pops off and bottom slides out.
3. use 12mm wrench or socket to remove bolts on forward most cross bar.
4. remove plastic "track caps" (one on each end of slider) from rear slider secion
5. use 12mm wrench or socket to LOSEN bolts on rear cross bar and slide bar forward on track and lift off...
6. replace stock rail caps for smooth flush look

 

[Celco]

I took off the front and rear bar off... lets see how that works on gas mileage.

Id like to keep the availability of the roof rack, but cover up the front area left buy the missing caps. Are there any caps for those?

 

[Celco]

you can take the two raised bars off easily. A few bolts and some screws.
It will look like this when you are done.

The raised "parallel" rails will still be there. You'd need some flat plastic plates to make them look complete.

Taking the rails off requires dropping the headliner and getting the rubber rain rail strips.

It might make a little difference but also check tire pressure, fluids etc.

I think I found the part number for those covers... but can someone check for me?

2 Cover, Front Roof Rack R B25H-51-T12B
L B25H-51-T22B
3 Cover, Rear Roof Rack R B25H-51-T16B
L B25H-51-T26B

Also, anyone know where to get them cheap? I am guessing dealer, but you never know if someone else might sell them.