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Stutheitguy ****
Age: 42 Zodiac: Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Posts: 430 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 18:50 Post subject: Fitting roof rails to my Pajero Shortie |
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So I decided it was about time to get the roof rails I managed to score from a bloke on the forum bolted up onto the Pajero.
They'd been sitting in my inventing garage for a couple of weeks or so waiting to be installed. I had been put off due to naff weather, but this past saturday was as glorious as a summers day of legend and I had no excuses.
I had done some previous prep work on the bars as when I got them they needed sanding and painting and extensive looking at, so I wasn't entirely un-prepared for this job.
So I had a length of cardboard, a drill, two drills (that looked about 'right'), a round file to work off the swarf, some transparent silicone sealant, some pliers, a pen, a brush and my mitts.
The hardest part of this job was getting the headlining out. I had to struggle with the damn thing for ages at some awkward angle to get it low enough so I could work under the roof and actually dog some bolts up, so first thing was to remove the rear seatbelt hangers, a butt load of plastic that was attached with those god awful plastic plug things that snap as soon as you apply any force to them. In the end I gave up trying to be gentle and just rived on till they came out.
Here's the back end of as I'm about to get the headlining down, the sharp eyed amongst us will notice that I've started this job before and never got it finished.
So now I'm ready to start making some holes! At first I thought I would use a cardboard template and mark the holes on the bar then mark them on the roof, seems sensible right? Measure twice cut once? Well of course that tactic didn't work, what I didn't realise until I got up there (fully observing health and safety regs and standing on a little bedside table propped beside the truck) that my template was useless, I hadn't taken into account that the roof sloped and the rails didn't slope (not at least until they were bolted down).
Grrr.
My template was bloody useless on two accounts. Firstly the holes were wrong and secondly I couldn't get my pen to fit through the hole due to the gutter I'd had to expose.
Oh Pajero from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at three, Ye damned whale!
So fearing a revolt by the workers I decided the best thing to do was to get a cup of tea and start drilling!
I drilled my first hole and the rest came pretty easy after that as I could just screw the bolts into the bars and then place the bars in the gutter and draw a circle around the end of the bolt. Using this method I got all the holes drilled for one side and using the flat palm of my hand I hammered the rail down snugly onto the roof level.
It was around about this time that I realised I'd manged to luck the alignment of the indentations in the roof that will allow you to do up the bolts from the inside, that was lucky, if the bolts were off too much then you couldn't get a socket onto the nut to dog it up, and you'd have to use a nasty slack adjustable spanner to do them up (not that I had that problem... *cough*).
It is important to keep a tidy work area, somewhere where tools can be safely stored when not in use.
Once I'd done one side of the truck I counted myself as a complete 'pro' at doing this and the second rail flew into place, although this one didn't quite mate up with the recesses on the inside of the truck so I had to use an adjustable spanner to make then fit right. Here you can see the quality job I did of sealing up around the holes with sealant, also, no I couldn't get the damn rear view mirror off as someone has chewed the heads on the screws and the *beep* wouldn't shift no matter how much I swore and tried different headed screwdrivers.
Thankfully the headlining would flop down far enough to allow me to work on things.
So here we see the final product, I have to say these things are solid as a rock, I'm very pleased how well they fitted considering how they were attached, now I have a base for mounting all sorts of pointless accessories to weigh me down even more!
I'm still really sore from using muscles I don't normally use laying on my back in the truck trying to get bolts onto nuts upside down and from a funny angle... But at least those damn rails are on now! yay !
Thanks for looking!
Stu |
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 18:50 Post subject: Google Ads keep the POCUK free to join! |
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venn105 LifeTime Member
Age: 49 Zodiac: Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 13103 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 19:12 Post subject: |
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Well done Stu glad i am not the only one things go wrong for(all the ruddy time) Nice one now whats next and what pointless accessories are you going to use them for |
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Stutheitguy ****
Age: 42 Zodiac: Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Posts: 430 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 19:21 Post subject: |
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Well mate I'm hoping those snorkels hold out till payday, I really want one!!
As for the rails I need one of those little short stubby trays, more as a point to mount lights / cb antenna etc onto than for extra carrying capacity.
Damn MOT is looming though so next jobs will have to be fixing the handbrake cable(s) and replacing the windscreen.
Thanks for looking mate, and yes any job undertaken is usually a catalogue of comical errors |
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venn105 LifeTime Member
Age: 49 Zodiac: Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 13103 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 19:50 Post subject: |
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I always enjoy looking stu keep up the good work mate as for cb etc thats on my list too ,the list never ends have you not got windscreen cover on ins as wont effect no claims and will save a fair bit too. |
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Stutheitguy ****
Age: 42 Zodiac: Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Posts: 430 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 20:22 Post subject: |
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venn105 wrote: |
I always enjoy looking stu keep up the good work mate as for cb etc thats on my list too ,the list never ends have you not got windscreen cover on ins as wont effect no claims and will save a fair bit too. |
Aye I need to mount the CB antenna on something less nickable than a mag mount...
I cheaped out on the paj insurance policy and only went 3rd party so that option isn't open unless I bump it up to fully comp, claim then let it lapse and go 3rd party again. Probably by the time I get through all of that hastle and bother I might as well have just bought a new screen.
I'll keep you posted, I have some other jobs to do coming up such as curing my rusty chassis, should be good for a giggle... |
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venn105 LifeTime Member
Age: 49 Zodiac: Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 13103 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 20:45 Post subject: |
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Stutheitguy wrote: |
venn105 wrote: |
I always enjoy looking stu keep up the good work mate as for cb etc thats on my list too ,the list never ends have you not got windscreen cover on ins as wont effect no claims and will save a fair bit too. |
Aye I need to mount the CB antenna on something less nickable than a mag mount...
I cheaped out on the paj insurance policy and only went 3rd party so that option isn't open unless I bump it up to fully comp, claim then let it lapse and go 3rd party again. Probably by the time I get through all of that hastle and bother I might as well have just bought a new screen.
I'll keep you posted, I have some other jobs to do coming up such as curing my rusty chassis, should be good for a giggle... |
Mag mount Stu you can mount when required so not left on.I at time foung 3rd part/fully comp not much in it but all changed now so dont really know,well till June but always gone FC.Might get one from breakers or on here,then just pay to fit as sure you will not get much change from 3-400 quid As for chassis,good rub down in areas and use that recommended rust retardant stuff with inhibitors in then coat in hammerite Have a look at rust post for ideas. |
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charlieannear LifeTime Member
Age: 50 Zodiac: Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 537 Location: Poole, Dorset
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 20:48 Post subject: |
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Good work fella.
I need to get out and fit mine too.
I missed this weekend's weather window as I was building a fort in the garden for my boys... Sacifices eh?! |
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venn105 LifeTime Member
Age: 49 Zodiac: Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 13103 Location: Lancashire
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 20:53 Post subject: |
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charlieannear wrote: |
Good work fella.
I need to get out and fit mine too.
I missed this weekend's weather window as I was building a fort in the garden for my boys... Sacifices eh?! |
Fort surpose its different than a dungeon |
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Stutheitguy ****
Age: 42 Zodiac: Joined: 29 Oct 2010 Posts: 430 Location: Northumberland
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:57 Post subject: |
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Venn mate I'll be looking into these rust threads and getting the knowledge then attacking that chassis.. snarl etc
(people keep on telling me to just coat it in diesel - in the past I've used waxoil from a spraycan / tin)
Charlie - admit it fella that fort is for yourself |
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G_MC LifeTime Member
Age: 48 Zodiac: Joined: 07 Apr 2011 Posts: 31 Location: London
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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 13:39 Post subject: |
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Stutheitguy wrote: |
venn105 wrote: |
I always enjoy looking stu keep up the good work mate as for cb etc thats on my list too ,the list never ends have you not got windscreen cover on ins as wont effect no claims and will save a fair bit too. |
Aye I need to mount the CB antenna on something less nickable than a mag mount...
I cheaped out on the paj insurance policy and only went 3rd party so that option isn't open unless I bump it up to fully comp, claim then let it lapse and go 3rd party again. Probably by the time I get through all of that hastle and bother I might as well have just bought a new screen.
I'll keep you posted, I have some other jobs to do coming up such as curing my rusty chassis, should be good for a giggle... |
Check the bay of e for a tidy little mount that attaches to the spare wheel mount for your cb. |
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redneck ******
Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1054 Location: Dorset
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Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 17:10 Post subject: |
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My second hand roof rails finally arrived (bank holiday post ) so I fitted them today this post helped a lot, cheers |
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sova71 *
Age: 39 Zodiac: Joined: 16 Feb 2017 Posts: 15 Location: New York
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 20:06 Post subject: |
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With these hands, all done? You're doing fine!! |
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sova71 *
Age: 39 Zodiac: Joined: 16 Feb 2017 Posts: 15 Location: New York
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Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 13:30 Post subject: |
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With these hands, all done? You're doing fine!! |
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