Check out my roof-rack delete set up!

[KMeloney]

Hey all,

FINALLY got around to [removing the roof rack AND] covering the factory threaded inserts. (InTruck had done this mod a while ago, and I knew I wanted to do the same thing, but I only just got around to doing it this weekend.) For anyone wanting to delete the roof rack AND hide the inserts (have to do something to keep water out), this is the way to go, IMO.

I got some 1" x 1/4" black door molding with tapered ends, marked where the inserts would fall on the molding, then used a dremel to remove material on the underside of the molding so that the molding could sit flat on the roof and cover the holes. There was some trial-and-error involved, as the day was hot, and the molding wanted to stretch some, making it so that some of my holes no longer lined up with the inserts once I went to set it in place. For this reason I only got the one side done, but I think the other side will go a LOT faster now.

InTruck's truck is gray, and so his black molding was a bit more noticeable than it is on mine. So, if mine's a bit tough to see, well... That's actually the point. I was trying for a look that's as similar to stock (something that would look like the stock roof ribs).

So, what do you think? Sure beats screws sticking out of the roof!

/< / /2 /<

 

[KMeloney]

Some more pics...

 

[Conor]

Looks pretty good. I personally think these trucks look better with the rack on, but it looks clean for sure. Your mirrors look good too.

 

[DwDrummer]

Much better Kirk!

 

[KMeloney]

Thanks for the replies/kind words.

 

[InTruckDesign]

Came out nice Kirk, glad it all worked out for you.

 

[KMeloney]

Thanks again for your help! Pretty funny that the molding I decided on online was the exact same molding that you used. GMTA!

 

[denalianyone]

clean..

 

[yatch07]

that looks nice

---------- Post added at 05:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------

hey kmeloney where did u purchase the molding that looks really nice

 

[Modded]

Looks good man.
I can't bring myself to do it as low as my car is, don't want it to look like a Dodge Magnum.

 

[KMeloney]

that looks nice

---------- Post added at 05:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------

hey kmeloney where did u purchase the molding that looks really nice

Thanks! Got it here:

http://www.autoamenity.com/Body-Molding/Body-Side-Molding2.htm

I purchased the first item on the page. It comes loosely rolled up in a flat box. The ends are tapered for a finished look, and so I made the cuts out of the middle of the molding to use the tapered ends (although you could cut the tapered ends off, set the molding to your liking, and apply the tapered ends to the cut piece, too).

---------- Post added at 08:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:14 AM ----------

Looks good man.
I can't bring myself to do it as low as my car is, don't want it to look like a Dodge Magnum.

LOL I hear you -- although it's not going to look like that. I think it would look awesome on a truck that's lowered more than mine. In fact, I KNOW it looks awesome, as there are some pics of trucks floating around here that look, well, awesome.

Have you taken your rack off just to see how it would look? It's literally a 5 minute job to take the rack off. Literally 5 minutes. It will take you exactly the time it takes to unscrew 10 screws...

 

[Modded]

Have you taken your rack off just to see how it would look? It's literally a 5 minute job to take the rack off. Literally 5 minutes. It will take you exactly the time it takes to unscrew 10 screws...

I'm too scared to take it off haha. I keep imagining water leaking through my roof. I would want something (like the spikes some guy on here has) that would literally screw down and plug it.
Then I would need molding like you have, where is your molding from?

 

[nytahoe]

looks good i like it

 

[KMeloney]

I'm too scared to take it off haha. I keep imagining water leaking through my roof. I would want something (like the spikes some guy on here has) that would literally screw down and plug it.
Then I would need molding like you have, where is your molding from?

Just take it off on a sunny day and SEE what you think of the look. I'm telling you, it take NO TIME and NO SKILL to just check the look without the rack. You can put it back on in 5 minutes.

The info where I got the molding is a few posts up...

 

[LSJRL07]

Considering doing this tomorrow. Did you run the strip all the way down the roof line or just the parts where the mounts were?

 

[KMeloney]

Considering doing this tomorrow. Did you run the strip all the way down the roof line or just the parts where the mounts were?

I initially ran the strips more forward than the last hole -- but, there's a dip in the roof ahead of the front-most hole, and the dip becomes more obvious if you run the strip further forward. So, I ended up cutting it back so that the front stopped just ahead of the hole.

 

[Tahoewhat]

looks good

 

[KMeloney]

Of course just as this thread gets revisited, I put the Escalade rack back on this weekend.... Go figure.

 

[Tahoewhat]

Didnt even realize it was from a couple months ago.. LOL.. still looks good, post pics up w/ it for comparison..

 

[KMeloney]

Sure thing!

Here's the truck in four different trims: stock rack, no rack (holes exposed), molding covering the holes, and with the Esky rack.

(You'll notice in the last pic that I added Esky running boards with the chrome strip on them. To me, the truck needed this chrome in order to compliment the roof rack chrome.)