Retrofit roof rails
#16
if Frontrunner has an option / instructions to bolt on their racks , a couple might listen. To do this right really involves digging into your interior headliner to bolt on your roof.
what is crazy is how much was the OEM roof rails option? $600 or $1200 ? Looking into the OEM parts, you hit $1k+ just in parts! I am sure someone has does this but your drill holes better be perfect the 1st try!
a Thule system might be ”consumer grade” but are you really putting more then 165 lbs up there? w/o permanent roof holes.
& how often really is your Cayenne getting lifted by a crane on a cargo deck by its roof rail system? It’s cool I get it for when you need to load & unload your Cayenne onto your cargo ship coming home from your African safaris.
what is crazy is how much was the OEM roof rails option? $600 or $1200 ? Looking into the OEM parts, you hit $1k+ just in parts! I am sure someone has does this but your drill holes better be perfect the 1st try!
a Thule system might be ”consumer grade” but are you really putting more then 165 lbs up there? w/o permanent roof holes.
& how often really is your Cayenne getting lifted by a crane on a cargo deck by its roof rail system? It’s cool I get it for when you need to load & unload your Cayenne onto your cargo ship coming home from your African safaris.
Issue for us is on extended off-road trips of 2 weeks plus we drive on very uneven surfaces. The left to right motion causes our roof rack cross bars to shift and the basket to move as well. For occasional use on paved roads the Thule system might work fine. We need a bit more robust system.
Wish we could go to Africa, intended to explore Central and South America for a couple of years but fuel for our Cayenne is not available. We will be going to Tuktoyaktuk and Coldfoot as part of a 5,000 mile one way competitive off-road rally this winter. Last time we did this the rally was 5,500 miles one way with temps of -36F
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https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-...meet-otis.html
#17
aftermarket Cayenne roof rails
Just these guys will drill into your Cayenne roof and install permanent roof rails, even if you have a panoramic sunroof.
https://www.rackattack.com/info/stores/denver/
I found this info & pictures from a Facebook Porsche Cayenne group post,
hopefully the owners sunroof still works, based on his comments it requires “adjustments”?
I still like the idea but not sure I would do it still...our cowl drains are so finicky in all Cayenne models, just introducing new potential leaks points “on purpose” into your Cayenne‘s interior seems like a bad idea even if it’s guaranteed not to happen.
I could only add 2 photos but there couple more
https://www.rackattack.com/info/stores/denver/
I found this info & pictures from a Facebook Porsche Cayenne group post,
hopefully the owners sunroof still works, based on his comments it requires “adjustments”?
I still like the idea but not sure I would do it still...our cowl drains are so finicky in all Cayenne models, just introducing new potential leaks points “on purpose” into your Cayenne‘s interior seems like a bad idea even if it’s guaranteed not to happen.
I could only add 2 photos but there couple more
#18
Just these guys will drill into your Cayenne roof and install permanent roof rails, even if you have a panoramic sunroof.
https://www.rackattack.com/info/stores/denver/
I found this info & pictures from a Facebook Porsche Cayenne group post,
hopefully the owners sunroof still works, based on his comments it requires “adjustments”?
I still like the idea but not sure I would do it still...our cowl drains are so finicky in all Cayenne models, just introducing new potential leaks points “on purpose” into your Cayenne‘s interior seems like a bad idea even if it’s guaranteed not to happen.
I could only add 2 photos but there couple more
https://www.rackattack.com/info/stores/denver/
I found this info & pictures from a Facebook Porsche Cayenne group post,
hopefully the owners sunroof still works, based on his comments it requires “adjustments”?
I still like the idea but not sure I would do it still...our cowl drains are so finicky in all Cayenne models, just introducing new potential leaks points “on purpose” into your Cayenne‘s interior seems like a bad idea even if it’s guaranteed not to happen.
I could only add 2 photos but there couple more
#19
So i figured i'll start a new thread since previous discussions i found was quite old.
I have a 958 without rails and was looking at how to retrofit, and it seems like a easy job as long as all cars comes fitted with the mounting for the bracket pictured below
Im thinking about the grey part where the yellow nuts are fitted.
Has anyone removed the headliner from a non rail car and can confirm wether or not these fitting points are present?
Looking at the PET i find only one part number for this A-pillar piece ( 958 502 287 00)
I have a 958 without rails and was looking at how to retrofit, and it seems like a easy job as long as all cars comes fitted with the mounting for the bracket pictured below
Im thinking about the grey part where the yellow nuts are fitted.
Has anyone removed the headliner from a non rail car and can confirm wether or not these fitting points are present?
Looking at the PET i find only one part number for this A-pillar piece ( 958 502 287 00)
It's only a matter of buying the rail brackets (and rails of course) , mount, drill upward through those bracket holes, mount the rails. Voila! You don't have to get all stressed out and lose sleep over where to drill holes in your roof either
The headliner does have to come out for sure, but I'm re-doing the headliner fabric now and going to install used rails at the same time. There's another great write up here on 6speedonline.com about rail retrofits and thanks to GNAT for his great research.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...roofrails.html
First pic is from driver seat and as you can see that body frame section is where the grab handle bracket mounts. bottom studs for grab handle, top studs for roof rail bracket. Second pic is driver side rear.
Here's my write up further down in this thread
Last edited by Bob958S; 04-02-2021 at 12:48 PM.
#21
I will definitely add more pics when complete and before the headliner goes in. I'm working today with a guy on eBay for silver OEM rails and hope that deal goes through. He's also been great on lots of pix knowing I'm trying a retrofit, and I'll compile all that together on a final DIY
Bob
Bob
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#22
No way I'd drill (or let anyone else) into the roof of my Cayenne. I'd use the seasucker or something similar. Also, if resale is important to you, I'm sure there are others out there that would not touch a car which had an aftermarket roof rack attached. I'd be too worried about leaks and rust issues.
https://www.seasucker.com/collections/bike
https://www.seasucker.com/collections/bike
Last edited by z3mcoupe; 03-13-2021 at 05:22 PM.
#23
No way I'd drill (or let anyone else) into the roof of my Cayenne. I'd use the seasucker or something similar. Also, if resale is important to you, I'm sure there are others out there that would not touch a car which had an aftermarket roof rack attached. I'd be too worried about leaks and rust issues.
https://www.seasucker.com/collections/bike
https://www.seasucker.com/collections/bike
Last edited by Bob958S; 03-13-2021 at 08:27 PM.
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cbracerx (03-22-2021)
#25
Using the OEM brackets, mark and drill from inside out. The final hole size is 3/8". That's larger than the M6 bolts on the rail, but needed to accommodate the shoulder washer. I started small and then worked the final hole with a Dremel tool'
The washer shoulder should be just high enough to compensate for the roof sheet metal, which is about 20 or 22 GA sheet metal.
I fabed landing pads for the rails out of Mylar washers and 3M double-side foam tape. During my test runs I determined some thickness is needed here and the reason for the pads. If not, it becomes to tight and you risk crushing or deforming the foam gaskets on the rails
Here you can see the final pads waiting for rails. Notice the shoulder of the steel washer just peeking through. The diameter of the Mylar washer just accommodates fitting the roof rail (see rail pic below).
Here is the rail pic where the landing pad will fit -- a very small amount of 3M 5200 is at the base of the M6 bolt. This will make the final seal inside the landing pads and with the shoulder washer. If you've ever worked around boats you know this stuff as the best exterior sealant in the world
Again, view from the inside. Also, some 3M 5200 on the shoulder washers
And the final pix
Footnote: I came across some TOUAREG rails on eBay and I can't say for certain, but they look like the exact same rails as the OEM Porsche for 958. I'm posting these pix for comparison and with dimensions if anybody wants to pursue. If true, this provides another option for finding used rails. Today, there are 7 offers on eBay for used Touareg rails and on average less than $400. Note: the dimensions are not exact. Expect about +/- 1/8"
Last edited by Bob958S; 04-02-2021 at 01:16 PM. Reason: Adding Touareg pix
The following 5 users liked this post by Bob958S:
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#29
I already had my headliner out to replace the fabric, so since I was following that discussion over on 6speedonline.com, I decided to pursue it. The main question being asked over there was did anybody know if the frame studs where already in place, and the answer is a 'Yes' for sure. Check my earlier earlier post on part of that discussion
Last edited by Bob958S; 03-29-2021 at 04:26 PM.
#30
So pretty much all of it?
Thanks for the write up, by the way. Much appreciated!
How big a job was removing/reinstalling the headliner on the Cayenne?
I did that job on my allroad and while it was not difficult, it was rather fiddly, probably slightly more complex as I was installing a 2002 alcantara S6 headliner on my '04 allroad. Some of the trim fitting pieces were slightly different. And there were three separate pieces on the B pillar all wanting to go back on first, and don't get me started about the A pillar trim...
I'm hunting for a CS and need roof rails. This might be an option...but I'd guess a good (trustworthy) body shop would want $2500 to do the work...plus parts...I don't think I'd take it on myself (again).
The drilling of the holes and mounting the brackets look very straightforward...
[Edit]: Found a CS with air, roof rails, pano, 14 way seats. Yay!
Thanks for the write up, by the way. Much appreciated!
How big a job was removing/reinstalling the headliner on the Cayenne?
I did that job on my allroad and while it was not difficult, it was rather fiddly, probably slightly more complex as I was installing a 2002 alcantara S6 headliner on my '04 allroad. Some of the trim fitting pieces were slightly different. And there were three separate pieces on the B pillar all wanting to go back on first, and don't get me started about the A pillar trim...
I'm hunting for a CS and need roof rails. This might be an option...but I'd guess a good (trustworthy) body shop would want $2500 to do the work...plus parts...I don't think I'd take it on myself (again).
The drilling of the holes and mounting the brackets look very straightforward...
[Edit]: Found a CS with air, roof rails, pano, 14 way seats. Yay!
Last edited by lml999; 02-25-2023 at 10:55 AM.