Roof Rail Delete/Swap Directions

Discussion in 'Modifications & DIY how-to' started by GTscoob, Aug 7, 2006.

  1. GTscoob

    GTscoob Black is Beautiful

    Finally got this done while everybody was out scavenging around Atlanta.

    It was a pretty easy swap, took me by myself a little over 2 hours. I dont have any pics of the install because I was running late and forgot my camera.

    The tools I had:
    Philips head screwdriver
    Flathead screwdriver
    10mm and 14mm sockets
    Plastic puddy knife
    Silicone sealant
    Extra roof clips (PN 909130022)

    http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321
    This is a more in depth set of instructions.

    1. Remove the 3 sunvisors up front
    2. Remove the grab handles all around the car. I found it easiest to wedge the puddy knife underneath the plastic end caps to get them to pop up. Wiggling the handle around while prying got them to pop off pretty easily.
    3. Remove all of the seatbelts. I used a flathead screwdriver to pop the covers off of the seatbelts. They take a 14mm wrench. Dont forget the one in the hatch area (and be careful with its cover, I accidently broke mine)
    4. Remove all of the trims for each pillar. The A pillars unsnap towards the top of the pillar. The pillars behind the front seats are kinda tricky; you have to remove the lower trim which involves unsnapping the lower door trim a little bit (pull the part of trim on the inside of the car up and they'll unspap enough to pull out the trim piece). There is also a little snap that holds this trim snapped into the doorjam on the front side of the back doors. The trim around the hatch area is held in by the normal snaps as well as 2 screws on either side; one underneath the rear windows and the other near the struts that hold the hatch up.
    5. Remove the center light and map light. You have to remove the clear plastic cover to get to the screws.
    6. Remove the plastic tabs holding the headliner to the roof, then it should come free, pull it out of the back of the car. Gawk at how much extra sound deadening the 9-2xs have over WRXs and then realize that we've got the weight reduction :naughty::naughty:
    7. You'll see a bunch of 10mm nuts lining the roof underneath where the rails are. You only need to remove the forwardmost 2 and rearmost 2 (one of the rears is hidden in the hatch area, you'll need a socket extension to get to it. There are a couple of extra bolts that dont need to be removed for the swap, I guess they are for some other type of roof attachment that we dont have. You have to remove a metal cover up front that sits underneath the front grab handles to get to the 2 bolts up there.
    8. Take the rails off the WRX and set them aside.
    9. Trim removal on WRX. The larger piece slides forward on one side and rearward on the other to come off. The smaller piece pops out if you pry up and forward on it.
    10. Trim removal on 9-2X. Used the puddy knife and a flathead screwdriver to pop the trim off, work slowly, we popped them off from the back and moved forward.
    11. The Saab has some coverplates where the roofrails would bolt in, take them off, cover the bottom of them around the bolts with some silicone and bolt them into the WRX roof (At this point you could spray some water on the car to make sure they wont leak). Remove all of the black clips from the roof trim and snap them onto the roof of the WRX, the smooth trim piece will then just pop onto the clips.
    12. For the Saab, pop the plastic clips off of the trim and attach them to the roof, snap on the trim piece. Silicone the bottom of the rails around the bolts and bolt the rails into place.

    Be sure to have a handful of extra roof clips, we broke 3 taking the trim off of the Saab and one removing my trim. If you've got any miles on your WRX you'll have some dirty rings from where your rails used to sit, I'm going to pull out the claybar and polish again when I get back from vacation and get it brand new looking.

    Its easy and FREE. The car has a pretty substantial new look to it.

    Websites I whored up looking for rails:
    WRXatlanta
    Saab92x.com
    Saabcentral.com
    [SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2006
  2. wrxguy

    wrxguy Member

    nice job man. makes me want to buy a wagon to do the mod!:bowdown:
     
  3. WRX-WRC

    WRX-WRC Active Member

    lookin good bobby
     
  4. jt money

    jt money 350hp mmm mmm Good! Supporting Member

    looks so much better with out the racks!
     
  5. crash#2

    crash#2 Member

    way to go bobby. the spoiler looks much sharper now that the slight rise is more apparent

    still need to lower it!!! common i wanna strip your eccentric bolts too!
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2006
  6. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    looking clean bobby
     
  7. Weapon

    Weapon 90lbs of dynamite Supporting Member

    very nice man! hopefully I will doing this saturday! :banana:
     
  8. MarkM2016GTI

    MarkM2016GTI Supporting Member

    I can't wait to get this done on Sunday...Thanks Bobby...



    Mark
     
  9. Tom's WRX

    Tom's WRX Member

    yeah i think thats going to happen soon after i get mine.
     
  10. GTscoob

    GTscoob Black is Beautiful

    It completely changes the way the wagons look from a sporty SUVish wagon to a little speed wagon.
     
  11. 7wolf

    7wolf Member

    it was one of the first things i did on my wagon. i love it! now you're as sexy as the rest of us rackless wags.
     
  12. XanRules

    XanRules Active Member

    This pretty much apply to earlier models, too?
     
  13. GTscoob

    GTscoob Black is Beautiful

    I'd imagine so. Not sure what trim pieces to use. It doesnt take much time to pop the headliner off and check it out.
     

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