Roof Rail Leak Free Fixing.

[SunseekerTom]

Oh god...

We picked up our new caravelle yesterday, well new to us (2018 T6) and was super excited this morning to fit some roof bars that I had brought on eBay. Used the sealant that was sent with the bars but now worrying it won’t have created a good enough seal...

The idea of water stains on the roof lining worries me slightly!

I note a couple of people here have said they have surplus stud/washers happy to pay whoever can help... no rain forecast tonight but think I’ll have to remove in the morning and re install the blanking bolts just in case?!

on another note we are new T6 owners and so far loving it!

 

[Kclemoo]

Oh god...

We picked up our new caravelle yesterday, well new to us (2018 T6) and was super excited this morning to fit some roof bars that I had brought on eBay. Used the sealant that was sent with the bars but now worrying it won’t have created a good enough seal...

The idea of water stains on the roof lining worries me slightly!

I note a couple of people here have said they have surplus stud/washers happy to pay whoever can help... no rain forecast tonight but think I’ll have to remove in the morning and re install the blanking bolts just in case?!

on another note we are new T6 owners and so far loving it!

Hi heres the item numbers from ebay for the bits needed. m6 stainless studed bar with nuts/washers 282031566716 and m6 roof stainless/rubber wahers.

 

[Kclemoo]

201492234522

 

[Si Longworth]

Hi heres the item numbers from ebay for the bits needed. m6 stainless studed bar with nuts/washers 282031566716 and m6 roof stainless/rubber wahers.

Thank you. Just ordered.

 

[SunseekerTom]

So managed to do this today... our local handy man had everything I needed and feel much happier now that it’s done properly! Well I think I did a good job...( I couldn’t get any nylock nuts so after this photo I used another nut to lock it off)

only issue is I knackered the grommets on the actual rails removing them. Anyone managed to ever buy spares of these?

 

[mrpadders]

Hi there,

I fitted my VW factory rails using what are in the box but now I'm scared I'm gonna have a leak - is it a fore gone conclusion?

In any case, could I get some of those bits from you just in case?

Thank you.

Hello Si,
sorry, I just saw your request but I see you have now got the bits you need.

 

[Shane R]

sorry I know this a long thread but I've just ordered some awning rails (lightening leisure) for under my SWB roof rails and was looking to fit them using this technique.
Could I ask that someone just breaks it down for me? I'm not all that sharp, its a new van to me and I don't want to f it up.
is it
1, screw threaded bar into captive bolt.
2, slide on original rubber washer
3, position the awning rail.
4, slide on a roofers washer
5, tighten down with nyloc bolt
6, refit roof bars
7, slide on washer
8, tighten down with second nyloc bolt

thanks in advance
rgds newbie

 

[Kclemoo]

sorry I know this a long thread but I've just ordered some awning rails (lightening leisure) for under my SWB roof rails and was looking to fit them using this technique.
Could I ask that someone just breaks it down for me? I'm not all that sharp, its a new van to me and I don't want to f it up.
is it
1, screw threaded bar into captive bolt.
2, slide on original rubber washer
3, position the awning rail.
4, slide on a roofers washer
5, tighten down with nyloc bolt
6, refit roof bars
7, slide on washer
8, tighten down with second nyloc bolt

thanks in advance
rgds newbie

That s correct

 

[.50]

sorry I know this a long thread but I've just ordered some awning rails (lightening leisure) for under my SWB roof rails and was looking to fit them using this technique.
Could I ask that someone just breaks it down for me? I'm not all that sharp, its a new van to me and I don't want to f it up.
is it
1, screw threaded bar into captive bolt.
2, slide on original rubber washer
3, position the awning rail.
4, slide on a roofers washer
5, tighten down with nyloc bolt
6, refit roof bars
7, slide on washer
8, tighten down with second nyloc bolt

thanks in advance
rgds newbie

Not quite.

Remove factory bolts from roof.
Remove factory rubber washer from above bolts.
Cut threaded bar to desired lengths.
Thread nyloc nuts onto the threaded rod to the same measurement as the heads on the factory blanking bolts.
Slide washer up to the underside of nyloc nut.
Slide rubber washer up to underside of washer.
Thread this rubber washer/washer/nut and threaded bar into the captive nut in the roof.
Thighten the nut down snug.
Place assembled roof bars over all 3 protruding threaded bars.
Put final flanged nut or nut and washer in the end of a socket,(using grease or thin card to hold it).
Thighten down.

 

[jimc91]

sorry I know this a long thread but I've just ordered some awning rails (lightening leisure) for under my SWB roof rails and was looking to fit them using this technique.
Could I ask that someone just breaks it down for me? I'm not all that sharp, its a new van to me and I don't want to f it up.
is it
1, screw threaded bar into captive bolt.
2, slide on original rubber washer
3, position the awning rail.
4, slide on a roofers washer
5, tighten down with nyloc bolt
6, refit roof bars
7, slide on washer
8, tighten down with second nyloc bolt

thanks in advance
rgds newbie

I used the roofers washers referred to earlier in this thread bought from tool station and therefore didn’t need to reuse the original rubber washers

 

[eimear_t]

I've had racks on my T5 for about a year now, very intermittently noticed a couple drops of water coming through but always wrote it off as the door not having been closed properly. I've recently discovered that it in infact due to the roof racks. I'm going to do a job on them to seal them but i'm concerned water may already be lodged within the van somewhere having run down the frame and potentially into the footwell, is there any way of checking/releasing this?

 

[Pinnelli]

This thread is perfect, I always kept eye on my bars after fitting 1 year ago and I sprang a leak this weekend. Removed them for now but thinking of how to resolve. I fully understand how this nails it, the VW engineers designed useless system, it’s obvious to anyone installing that their design flawed. On my old T5 I had Bragans ones and design was slightly better creating seal. Stupidly I bought VW ones this time for T6! Live and learn for being snob!

questions I can’t see covered previously, apologies if I missed them:

- I take it you all discarded the stick on rubber washer VW provide, I had to remove anyway to put factory bolts back in for now , so sticky pad knackered anyway! And VW drew a blank on spares, so in fact you can’t removed bars anyhow if they are required!
- when you screw in M6 bolt how do you torque it up enough , or is adding and securing the nut / washer on top enough to secure? Important as we put heavy kayaks up top

thanks folks for any help , just got to get bolts and knuts etc now

 

[.50]

This thread is perfect, I always kept eye on my bars after fitting 1 year ago and I sprang a leak this weekend. Removed them for now but thinking of how to resolve. I fully understand how this nails it, the VW engineers designed useless system, it’s obvious to anyone installing that their design flawed. On my old T5 I had Bragans ones and design was slightly better creating seal. Stupidly I bought VW ones this time for T6! Live and learn for being snob!

questions I can’t see covered previously, apologies if I missed them:

- I take it you all discarded the stick on rubber washer VW provide, I had to remove anyway to put factory bolts back in for now , so sticky pad knackered anyway! And VW drew a blank on spares, so in fact you can’t removed bars anyhow if they are required!
- when you screw in M6 bolt how do you torque it up enough , or is adding and securing the nut / washer on top enough to secure? Important as we put heavy kayaks up top

thanks folks for any help , just got to get bolts and knuts etc now

I found that with the nyloc nut part way down the thread, when screwed into the roof, tightening on the nut gives plenty of torque.

 

[kmoll]

201492234522

What diameter rubber washers did you get?@kclemoo

 

[JOG]

Finally found the time to get the roof bars fitted. Used this technique which both seals the holes in the roof very well and makes it a whole lot easier to fit the rails. I used flange nuts rather than nut and washer thinking it will give a better seal as water can’t get between nut and washer.

It rained in the middle of me doing it, you can see in the pictures how the water pools round the bolt, with nothing to seal the hole this would cause a whole lot of mess....crap design from VW. Great solution from the forum
View attachment 62168View attachment 62169View attachment 62170

“Crap design from VW. Great solution from the forum”.....That has got to be the quote of the week - love it!

 

[Pinnelli]

Hi I haven’t got any washers. The stick on ones that come with the roof bars are un useable again. But for the solution in this thread you just use the washers that come with the original roof blanking bolts

 

[J3AAY]

I used these under the studs - works a treat

TechFast Bonded EPDM16 Washer

Metal EPDM rubber washer for a water tight seal.

www.toolstation.com

under my awning rail I used the original ones from under the blanking bolts and then the roof washer and nyloc nut arrangement.

 

[Pinnelli]

I used these under the studs - works a treat

TechFast Bonded EPDM16 Washer

Metal EPDM rubber washer for a water tight seal.

www.toolstation.com

under my awning rail I used the original ones from under the blanking bolts and then the roof washer and nyloc nut arrangement.

Cheers they look fab.
I haven’t refitted mine yet. The bolts arrived the other day. Weekend job when dry me thinks but now I think I’ll order those washers you recommended . Cheers

 

[kmoll]

Hi all, just fitting my Omtec bars using the threaded bar method and have come unstuck as the bars come with these plastic plates which slot into the channels and the the bars sit on top. Doesn’t seem to me that the threaded bar method works with these so do you guys not bother with the mounting plates?

View attachment 79776

Can I ask a question, I fitted my Omtec Roof Bars yesterday using the method in this thread (which is great by they way) can I just check in the picture above of the plastic feet I have placed the smooth side up (as per the smooth side in the photograph) and widened the holes and cut down the underside of the feet (which was moulded not smooth) to accommodate washer and nut. My question is have I placed the plastic feet the right way up? as it has occurred to me today that if I swapped the feet over to the other side of the van then they could go on flat side down. The omtec instructions didn't give any guidance on this.

 

[Pinnelli]

Can I ask a question, I fitted my Omtec Roof Bars yesterday using the method in this thread (which is great by they way) can I just check in the picture above of the plastic feet I have placed the smooth side up (as per the smooth side in the photograph) and widened the holes and cut down the underside of the feet (which was moulded not smooth) to accommodate washer and nut. My question is have I placed the plastic feet the right way up? as it has occurred to me today that if I swapped the feet over to the other side of the van then they could go on flat side down. The omtec instructions didn't give any guidance on this.

View attachment 92822

Hi, I’m no expert but previously I’ve owned Bragans ones and now have VW ones. On both the instructions said to place the spacer plate smooth side up & in fact certainly in my experience if I didn’t then the roof bar feet wouldn’t have had much of a stable surface to rest on. As the underside is mainly hollowed out. If that makes sense. ? I’m yet to refit my VW ones but now have the parts / bolts and nuts as set out in this thread.