'Lowdown' on Low Profile Crossbars (cross bars)

When considering the purchase of low profile crossbars (e.g., Victory, LFD) for use on factory rails, I recognized that because they were low profile that would create difficulty getting under the bottom of the bars to insert and secure bolts heads or nuts, especially at the apex or center line of the roof where there is minimal clearance. Getting a wrench or ratchet under the bars and not damaging the paint or losing some skin would be a challenge and just a matter of time before both would happen.

What I want to share in this post is a possible solution to that issue, and that solution is to tack weld several captive nuts underneath the crossbars. A few images will show what I did. Used SS 5/16" - 18 nuts. Used that size nut because it was the largest size that was just slightly smaller in diameter than the hole itself. Also, that size bolt (5/16”) is very common plus generally it uses a ½ inch wrench, which is also very common. It doesn’t take much since the pressure is pulling up against the bar, keeping the nut from turning.

FWIW: In my opinion one of the reasons to purchase a steel rack or crossbars over aluminium - you can weld on it, modify it, repair it. (I know you can weld aluminum, but that’s really not an option).

As you can see in one of the images I removed a bit of powder coating for grounding and welding contact points.

 

Looks pretty precise. Is that a Tig tack (no alliteration intended)?

 

Nice work.

 

Used a MIG welder

Used a MIG welder.