**How can I remove the roof rails??**

[X5 Meister]

bump to coolbimmerguy.

Interesting. Can you give us some more details. How about starting a new thread with this info?

Originally Posted by coolbimmerguy

i'll talk to Marc....he's the engineer in that department and see if he can round up some part numbers and specific parts needed to remove the roof rails. I must say, the euro models get the best options. Not so much as cosmetic but the specs are more toward what we in the usa want. Thanks to the emission laws, we can't have the unleashed versions.

[RarebreedX5]

Dude its so easy to do, just get a ladder look at the rubber plugs that are sealing the hex bolts, pop the plugs out loosen the bolts take the rails off, then its a 10mm bolts that hold the mounts to the roof, loosen them and the mounts and the rubber underneath them come off, then go to lowes get some plugs that match the holes, it should be 2 - 5/8 plugs and then 8 -11/16size plugs I beleive very straight forward.

dave,

[X5 Meister]

Hey rarebreedx5, in the event that you were answering my bump, just to let you know it's directed to coolbimmerguy. We're all waiting to hear his stories from the production line...

[X5 Meister]

weekly bump to coolbimmerguy.....

[andrewwynn]

old thread but since i just removed my roof rails (temporarily to add cross-bars), I have some very helpful info:

The torx that hold it down are (6) T40 torque; on my 2001 they are RED threadlocked; (permanent) and you risk breaking/stripping if you attempt to just turn them out; technically red threadlock requires heat of 450°F to release; i've broken parts before trying to remove it; My smaller impact tool wouldn't do it I had to use my 1600 inch-# impact tool to remove and it busted them loose perfectly.

The rails are held to the 'feet' (brackets) with T25 that are also threadlocked; one of mine stripped in-spite of using impact; i think somebody tried to use a hex in the past on it and rounded the screw inside. It won't apply if you are just removing the whole thing.

The brackets holding to the roof I didn't need to remove so not sure on the size but 10mm head on 6mm bolt is my guess; i would also recommend impact for sure.

A quite simple fix for the holes could be a body-colored 6mm pan head machine screw and a dab of silicone caulk.

[4.8iSteve53]

Awesome thread, thanks for the info... Was gonna go this route my self.
Thanks all.

[andrewwynn]

Hey: my roof rails are 14 years old and considering powder coating them. Instead maybe I could buy a set somebody removed.


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[Ricky Bobby]

^A used set will likely have similar fading. Powdercoat your stock rails. I'll probably be doing mine in the next year

[mam4.6]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Hey: my roof rails are 14 years old and considering powder coating them. Instead maybe I could buy a set somebody removed.


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you can buy mine! But they've started to fade as well...

[four.8is]

unless you have a beefy wheel / spacer setup , you're better off keeping the roof rails in place to avoid the "bald eagle" effect.
at least that's how I see it...