Does anyone know where I can get the aluminium roof rails in the US?
07-14-2006, 06:34 AM
#3
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If you mean the built-in rails, they can only be built-in at the factory.
<center><img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/RoofRail.jpg"></center><p>
Here's a picture of how they're mounted--you can see that it would be difficult to do.
(picture courtesy of Waggin)
Here's a picture of how they're mounted--you can see that it would be difficult to do.
(picture courtesy of Waggin)
07-14-2006, 08:13 AM
#4
I'm sorry, but this is exactly why
awards ought to be given to the fellow-Audi-owners who post here. It may not have taken MikeSS very much time to post this, but the value is immense - I, for one, appreciate his efforts. The attachment clearly shows something that I wanted to do as well - until I saw for myself just how much of an expense it would be.
Thanks, MikeSS and everyone else who takes the time out of their day to help out people like me.
Thanks, MikeSS and everyone else who takes the time out of their day to help out people like me.
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07-14-2006, 06:12 PM
#9
Actually, they can be removed (and installed) in the field. The hard part is the holes..
<center><img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/RoofRail1.jpg"></center><p>
The picture is from the Bentley manual, You'd need to cut large holes through the outside, and then centered small holes through the inside rail.
Then, make the outside holes into keyhole-shapes where the larger part is to insert the spacers.
The spacers are adjustable, The manual says to expand them with .2 Nm preload after sliding under the smaller hole.
So, it looks possible to field install the rails (The parts are expensive), but it involves cutting four complex-shaped holes in expensive, curved surfaces.
The best way would be to remove the rails from a car that has them, and make templates of the stock hole locations, shapes, and angles.
Then:
1. Mark them on the target roof.
2. Drill a small hole all the way through, centered on the smaller half of the keyhole.
3. Cut/drill/grind the full keyhole shape to the template outline.
4. Assemble.
Now, there is the remote possibility that the inside holes may already be there, ready to serve as guides to position the outside ones.
Or, in your only concern is appearance, then attach the rails with trim tape :-)
The picture is from the Bentley manual, You'd need to cut large holes through the outside, and then centered small holes through the inside rail.
Then, make the outside holes into keyhole-shapes where the larger part is to insert the spacers.
The spacers are adjustable, The manual says to expand them with .2 Nm preload after sliding under the smaller hole.
So, it looks possible to field install the rails (The parts are expensive), but it involves cutting four complex-shaped holes in expensive, curved surfaces.
The best way would be to remove the rails from a car that has them, and make templates of the stock hole locations, shapes, and angles.
Then:
1. Mark them on the target roof.
2. Drill a small hole all the way through, centered on the smaller half of the keyhole.
3. Cut/drill/grind the full keyhole shape to the template outline.
4. Assemble.
Now, there is the remote possibility that the inside holes may already be there, ready to serve as guides to position the outside ones.
Or, in your only concern is appearance, then attach the rails with trim tape :-)