TRD Pro roof rack removal from 4Runner didn't quite go as planned

[@briangilley634]

Small propane torch about 1-2 inches away and directly pointed down on to the top of the bolt head for about 4 to 5 seconds (for each bolt) will heat the bolt and loosen up the red locktite very quickly. Doing this one bolt at a time and immediately ratcheting out the bolt after removing the torch works nearly flawlessly. From start to finish takes about 5-7 minutes for all bolts. Most of the time spent is moving the step ladder and tools from one point to the next. 👍

[@bryanzh9451]

Hey that’s brilliant! Just wondering can I use hair blower instead?

[@kerplunk38880]

No. Use a soldering iron.

[@RubiconSS26]

For those wondering How to do this more effectively.... Using a soldering iron - Heat the bolt head thus transferring the heat (conduction) down the shaft and that will loosen the LokTite. Ez-Pz.

[@theoverlanded]

Good suggestion!

[@mikewright2858]

No risk to paint damage, either. Like it.

[@mikewright2858]

I just did this today, and the soldering iron worked perfectly. no damage to the paint or the plastic foot of the TRD roof rack. I used a full-size, pistol-grip 100w soldering iron - not sure if the little $15 wands would do it.

[@fixedit8689]

As a journeyman industrial mechanic, I approve of your method

[@Americafirst-i8q]

​@@theoverlandedPB Blaster creaps down to the threads

[@WFO.]

Thank you for this video. I ordered a TRD Pro and want to remove the rack. Thinking twice about it now!

[@theoverlanded]

Don’t give up on it. It wasn’t that bad. Hopefully you’ll have better luck than I did. Even with the challenge, I’d do it all over again.

[@enduro_jojo969]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rovVaIZ4d5mHp68 I watched & followed this video from wescott and got no problem removing my roof rack… easy and no drilling or removing the headliner… 😅

[@donrussell7951]

I removed mine when I had my 2020 AG Pro. I used a heat gun. No issues with removing it. Plan on doing the same when my Solar Octane comes in.

[@andysanchez3030]

Great video and excellent comments! Big thank you for posting this.

[@BGaud]

I went the opposite route. I removed a Frontrunner slimline 2 - 3/4 rack to put on a TRD Pro roof rack on my 2020 ORP. I wasn't happy with the amount of silicone needed to feel like the mounts were watertight when the Frontrunner rack was on.

[@carlosk4299]

I want to thank you for your mess up and most importantly your fix. 😏 Good job

[@awade4232]

Red = heat, Blue = cold. Don't try to remove a bolt that was secured with red Locktite without first applying heat. That's purpose of the color-coded thread lock.

[@stephencarbajal5657]

Red doesn't indicate heat🤦‍♂️ the color red indicates the amount of strength. Now that doesn't mean heat won't help loosing the bolt from the use of loctite which I agree to apply as well.

[@stephencarbajal5657]

*blue also doesn't mean cold lmfao. Blue=medium strength. Apparently you haven't seen the green loctite? Green=minimum strength

[@ChiacchieraconMichele]

Had a good time with mine this weekend. 7 came out perfectly without too many issues from the red Locktite. I used some of the suggestions here in the comments by using a propane torch as well as a soldering iron on the last one... That last one will not budge. I also tried using some penetrating oil and some brake cleaner as it can help break down red Locktite. It's still on there and will not budge and of course at this point it stripped. I'm going to cut off the head, drop the head liner and heat up with the soldering iron and then use some vice grips on top to see if I can get it to come out. I've already ordered a new bracket but won't be there until the weekend. Hopefully I can get it all taken care of without needing to take into a shop.

[@theoverlanded]

Sounds like you did about all you could.

[@ChiacchieraconMichele]

@theoverlanded agreed. Very frustrating that Toyota does this with the racks on the Pros

[@jordotech_tube]

Thanks for the vid, I'm in your exact same situation!!! Today I'll be drilling off the top of the stripped bolt... wish me luck :)

[@anthonycolbourne4206]

I bought a used 4Runner with an aftermarket rack installed, and it looks like they had some trouble keeping the roof water-tight after they put the new rack on. Various layers of silicone and spray sealant around the anchor points, so now I'm trying to reseal the anchor points to be water tight. It's such a bad design of anchoring the rack to the roof, it is just such a "magnet" for causing leaks or to be difficult to seal so it's water tight. You can't see what it looks like under the leg of the rack and there are two bolts at each leg that could be potential leaking points so you can't easily tell which of the two are leaking or if both points are leaking...

[@jonhusby9029]

I swapped my 2021 TRD Pro rack out for a Sherpa Crestone, went REALLY slow on evenly unscrewing the sets of bolts and the anchors held.. would recommend the Sherpa rack because it has a rubber boots that fully seal the holes so you don’t need to silicone or worry about water getting down into your headliner.

[@theoverlanded]

Glad you had better luck. I went with the Southern Style OffRoad rack. They updated their mounts in such a way to no longer require silicone. I will be posting a video on that soon. I’ll have to search the web for a picture of the Sherpa mounts.

[@johneaton7782]

Westcott design KZbin video was very informative for removal of the Pro rack. If I was you I'd watch a few successful videos before I attempt to create a major malfunction. I didn't order mine with a rack as I knew I'd be modifying my Runner for my overland build.

[@Shirkatron]

Need heat on those bolts to zap them out. I get a lot of these repairs in my garage. A lot of DIY’ers are worried that the torch will hurt the plastic. Truth is it does. I use a butane torch from a cigar shop.

[@theoverlanded]

Great tip!

[@sduquett]

What’s the socket size and type you’re using?

[@tonycroft4974]

So, I was removing my Pro Roof rack and switching it out with a FrontRunner.. The very last clip the anchor dropped and now it is somewhere in the rear headliner. I'm just wondering if you could walk me through how you removed the head liner...it would the be the passenger side rear.. thanks

[@theoverlanded]

It should be the same process I documented in the video. First, pull off the rubber souring the top of the hatch. Second, pop out the three buttons on the top of the headliner right at the hatch. Then, remove the coat hanger. Finally, using a trim removal tool, start popping out the plastic trim pieces at the back of the window, the top of the window, and then in front of the window (at the seatbelt). You should be able to then pull the headliner down a bit to each your arm in there.

[@jbhuts]

It'd be sweet if these fit old 3rd gen 4runners...!

[@greatcrossings]

Heating up those bolt heads by a propane torch will do the trick. I have a video on how to do it, please check it out.

[@erod6468]

Heat is your best friend. A bit goes a long way. Good work though.

[@Fox250R]

Did you sell the pro rack?

[@theoverlanded]

Nope. Sitting in the attic of my garage.

[@Fox250R]

@@theoverlanded Well if you ever want to sell it :)

[@user-vk9ox1mq2q]

@@Fox250R I’m selling mine if you’re interested lol

[@Fox250R]

@@user-vk9ox1mq2qwe sold our 18 and got a 23 lol but thank you :)

[@4047530025]

Takes some pictures please and show your truck without the rack on. I own a 2021 (black like yours) and I've always been curious to see the clean look of it without a rack on.

[@theoverlanded]

KZbin does not allow for posting pictures in comments, so I cannot share a picture with you. However, here is a link to a blog with some good pictures of a 5thGen 4Runner with the roof rack removed: trail4runner.com/2019/05/07/5th-gen-4runner-roof-rack-delete-mod/

[@4047530025]

@@theoverlanded Thank you I looked at it. Awesome right up and information.

[@SuperMustang512]

This same thing happened to me!...by chance do u know the part number of that bracket you got from the dealer?

[@theoverlanded]

63187A, if I remember correctly.

[@bobbyross7162]

That part number is correct and it’s only about $12. Glad someone asked this question! I ran into the same exact issue and am currently ordering one for my 4Runner as well.

[@kzookid545]

How hard was it to remove the head liner? I need to replace all 4 of my roof rack brackets because the white pieces are smashed down.

[@theoverlanded]

Oh boy. I just had to get to the back passenger corner one. I show that in the video, if I remember correctly. Good luck.

[@johncool8653]

Hi ThwOverlandEd, Thanks for the video, were you able to park your 4runner TRD Pro with the original roof rack in your garage, is your garage opening tall enough? If so what is the height of your garage opening? Thinking to get either the Pro or the Off-road.

[@theoverlanded]

I have a 7 foot door for my garage. I took the stock Pro rack off before I installed the lift. However, even with the list it looks like the rack would have cleared.

[@kmzlwd]

At the bare minimum use a breaker bar for less strenuous and still use the same technique and a little heat goes a long way. Great video though

[@CMS069]

For anybody watching this video, stick an extension with the proper torques fitting on, heat it with a torch for a bit. That way you don’t get near your car or rack, then back it out…… This video made me cringe

[@bonifaciomagdiwang1697]

Easy to install but hard to remove

[@brandtall9639]

Did you sell your old rack yet? I need one.

[@theoverlanded]

I have not sold it. I think I am going to keep it for now. Who knows what the future might bring.

[@Boom-oq5yj]

I have all bolts removed but one, stripped. Toyota quoting $1400 to remove it. Tried to extract it and the extractor but broke. Can someone tell me why I can just destroy the last bit with a drill??

[@theoverlanded]

Is it the same scenario I ran into in my video? I ended up drilling the head off and removing the bracket through the headliner.

[@Boom-oq5yj]

@@theoverlanded yes. I really don’t want to remove the headliner, but I guess I don’t have a choice?

[@theoverlanded]

@@Boom-oq5yj At this point, that is your only option. I had to drop the right rear corner, as I showed in the video. It is not that big of a deal if it is one of the back brackets. I didn’t have trouble with the front brackets, so I didn’t know how hard it would be to deal with those.

[@Boom-oq5yj]

@@theoverlanded it’s the same bolt as yours. Hoping vice grips will move the screw

[@theoverlanded]

@@Boom-oq5yj Good luck. I couldn’t get the bolt out with vice grips. Hope you have better luck.

[@southbayproducts5371]

Need heat to melt the lock tight

[@itzMendoza]

Do you know the part number?? I broke mine lol

[@theoverlanded]

63187A, if I remember correctly.

[@itzMendoza]

@@theoverlanded thanks! Just ordered today

[@Boom-oq5yj]

@@theoverlanded What was the panel removal tool that you used to get the headliner down?

[@theoverlanded]

@@Boom-oq5yj sorry, I really don’t know. Just something I picked up at the auto store.

[@Johno530]

@@theoverlanded I broke my last clip on the passenger rear. Used torch and everything. Oh well, Purchased new clip. What guide did u use to remove the headliner and sideliner?

[@david300m]

Thanks for sharing.

[@jdl.1234]

Torch it!!!!

[@Americafirst-i8q]

PB Blaster let it soak overnight

[@frankwhite4157]

Will probably work. Then your headliner will have a greasy spot.

[@JasioClass77]

After 5 years of awning 2016 4runner trail I'm sick of these "knew"features Looking for off road cars from '90 ties.