# Roof racks and rust? (Update)



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

This morning I noticed some visible rust around the base of my roof racks and took them off for a better look. My vehicle is only 8 months old and is my first vehicle with proper roof racks. My previous vehicle was about 10 years old before I built a rack over the tray so I'm not familiar with what I should expect in terms of side effects.

Considering I've been fussy enough to throw 20l of freshwater over my kayak before loading after a briney session, I was horrified to see this damage.

Is this normal or is there some secret to carrying a kayak and not needing rust repair/resprayed roof every year?? Admittedly the worst bit had some sand under the base of the mount which would have abraded through the paint allowing the corrosion to start, but I'm still a bit surprised.

Comments/advice welcome!


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

Wow that sucks mate, definitely not typical. I make a habit of at least hosing down the car after every trip in the salt, and i wash at least every two. I'm guessing the bucket of water may have actually been detrimental as the yak would then drip on the roof on the way home, leaving salt deposits along the way.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

scater said:


> Wow that sucks mate, definitely not typical. I make a habit of at least hosing down the car after every trip in the salt, and i wash at least every two. I'm guessing the bucket of water may have actually been detrimental as the yak would then drip on the roof on the way home, leaving salt deposits along the way.


I definitely get drips on the vehicle and there'd have to be some salt amongst it although much more diluted and I always rinse off when I get home. My saltwater trips have been very limited for this reason (plus I try to avoid beach driving)

It's a bit of a bummer but I guess I need to decide whether I'm prepared to wear this or find another alternative. Maybe tradie style bars on the tray rather than roof racks on top of the cab might shift the problem to a less important area....although I don't really want rust anywhere.

I read online recently where a Nissan owner was bitching about having holes in his roof within a year of new....must be similar situation as me.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Barrabundy said:


> Considering I've been fussy enough to throw 20l of freshwater over my kayak before loading after a briney session, I was horrified to see this damage.


Con after saltwater use I only ever wipe the yak with a damp towel and have no drips at all from the yak to the van roof after loading.....and that rust seems more than drips from the boat to my eye and in such a short time mate, I am at 4 years with no rust on the roof and rarely clean the van at any stage and just happy with any rainfall to give it a rinse down.


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

I am the opposite of you, I dont really take much notice of getting salt on the car and sometimes it takes me several days to get around to hosing the roof off after a trip. I have had no problems at all with rust. I suspect older cars have better paint jobs done on them however, mine is a 1995 model pajero. The clearcoat is just about gone, but that happened before I got my kayak.


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## yutryn (Sep 6, 2008)

i have an old hj47 landcruiser troopcarrier and my roof is fibreglass so no probs for me

another option might be to see a sign wrter in your area and get them to make up a exact sticker of your roof out of vinyl and put that on there ..with the way they do it to variety bash cars you cant tell the difference between paint and the sticker


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

I don't usually wash my yak and rarely remove the racks but no rust after 2 years or so.
I'd say the sand is your problem way more than the salt. The salt can't get into the metal unless the paint gets scratched.
Maybe Nissan have gone for a very thin coat of paint on the roof - saves them money - and it wears through particularly easily.
Don't know that there is a solution though.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Junglefisher said:


> I don't usually wash my yak and rarely remove the racks but no rust after 2 years or so.
> I'd say the sand is your problem way more than the salt. The salt can't get into the metal unless the paint gets scratched.
> Maybe Nissan have gone for a very thin coat of paint on the roof - saves them money - and it wears through particularly easily.
> Don't know that there is a solution though.


You might be right about the sand because almost all of the places I launch result in me having to load up with sand stuck to the hull. Unavoidable when you're in places that don't have a sealed surface. Might just be a case of me being aware of what's going on.

The panel beater is a friend and and he reckons he's got an idea of how to reduce the chances of this happen so quick next time. I think it might be as someone else has suggested by using a thick vinyl sticker as a "buffer"


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## mal.com (Feb 10, 2007)

Hi

On my Suzook Vitara where the roof is pretty flimsy anyway, and the racks have marked the woof alweady.

I intend to make up some rectangluar stainless steel, sheet metal plates (with noice rounded corners) as a doubler, (about 170x100mm) around the area where the racks rest. I'll silastic them on and they should stiffen the mount area a bit and protect the paint.

cheers

Mal de mer

PS. I usually use a trailer to move the kayaks, except when exploring, so its not a high priority.


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## Salty Dog (Sep 18, 2005)

Hi Barrabundy,

Have heard a tip to remove your roof racks immediately when you first buy a car & apply alot of grease underneath the racks if you have the style that are long strips on the roof or else you can have the types of problems you are describing. I can't say whether or not it works but if your roof is rusting out, could be wortha try when you get it repaired.

I have been lucky so far. I have a Subaru Outback now but used to have a Nissan Pulsar SSS & no issues with rust in the Nissan even though it copped a beating.


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## theclick (Jun 25, 2007)

I'd say its more an issue with the design of the rack than how you wash down your yak.

Maybe it's trapping water between the pad and the roof, or possibly there was some metal on metal contact, and the rack has already been rusted.

I'm about to check mine (Nissan pulsar)


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## Alotta50 (Apr 24, 2009)

Rust occurs when there is a chemical reaction with steel. Long story short you are loosing electrons via the salt water. Weather it be exposed metal from sand scratches or porosity in your paint. Most of the previous suggestions have been good like getting a better stronger paint job. Another solution might be to use an electronic rust prevention system. It essentially turns your vehicle in to a big capacitor by supplying extra electrons. So instead of your metal being eaten away, it takes the sacrificial electrons. I personally have not used these systems but they are used by big mining company's like BHP to prevent rust on under ground vehicles where the water can be quite salty.
Regards
Alotta


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Alotta50 said:


> Rust occurs when there is a chemical reaction with steel. Long story short you are loosing electrons via the salt water. Weather it be exposed metal from sand scratches or porosity in your paint. Most of the previous suggestions have been good like getting a better stronger paint job. Another solution might be to use an electronic rust prevention system. It essentially turns your vehicle in to a big capacitor by supplying extra electrons. So instead of your metal being eaten away, it takes the sacrificial electrons. I personally have not used these systems but they are used by big mining company's like BHP to prevent rust on under ground vehicles where the water can be quite salty.
> Regards
> Alotta


So when I turned the salesman down on that option I shot myself in the foot? I thought it was a bit of a wank but the way you've explanied it it makes sense.


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## nexy (Dec 25, 2009)

what sort of car have you got Barra? It made me go and check my Navara for
the same issues, thanks for bringing it to attention.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

nexy said:


> what sort of car have you got Barra? It made me go and check my Navara for
> the same issues, thanks for bringing it to attention.


my vehicle is a ford ranger. I think I mentioned Nissan in my initial post because I wa something I found while researching what brand to buy.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

nexy said:


> what sort of car have you got Barra? It made me go and check my Navara for
> the same issues, thanks for bringing it to attention.


my vehicle is a ford ranger. I think I mentioned Nissan in my initial post because I wa something I found while researching what brand to buy.


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## stessl85 (Mar 23, 2009)

I always wipe my kayaks down after use and before loading them onto my roof racks for the return trip home. However, I still get salt water dripping onto my roof which puzzled me for a while. Finally traced the salt water to the hollow paddles with leak out depending on the angle of the car. 
After use, I can hold a paddle to my ear and hear water moving when I slowly tip it up/down. One day I will have to do something about this, but till then, I will keep hosing down my car thoroughly after removing the kayaks and paddles for storage in my garage.

After a year, my Camry roof still looks fine.

Prevention is definitely better than the cure, especially as it is getting harder and harder to find someone to repair rust damage.

cheers


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## maddog (Jan 14, 2008)

mate that looks like a combination of issues.

from reading your trip reports it looks like you drive on some very rough, corrugated tracks. I reckon the vibration has caused your racks to rub through the paint, and then its only a matter of time before you get rust, kayak or not. I would be investigating if a different style of rack is available for your car that doesnt sit on your paintwork.

Like the other guys I dry my yak off completely with a towel before i load it on the roof if i have been out in the salt.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I noticed today that the bit that is the worst is onw on which the roof rack mounting pad was put on backwards. This created a gap for sand to get in. I'm going to give the dealer a look and show him the corresponding rack
parts which are clearly marked as to which direction they should face. I think they have it recorded as a "not happy Jan" when I took delivery. They may like to come to the party (partly) for the repair bill. Do I sound like a welfare cheat?


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Those of you with roof racks may be interested to know this. Apparently, despite the dealership head technician and two independant panel beaters saying this shouldn't happen in 9 months, roof racks are mean't to be taken off when not in use. That's the story from the guy who sold me the new vehicle.

I'll either be doing that or coming up with some more convenient arrangement. Anyone with a dual cab ute who has ladder racks or other type of tradie type set-up feel free to post some pics. Looking for cheap skate solution, $1000 less in the budget after I repair the damage.


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## matcoburn (Feb 6, 2009)

Hey Barra, 
We have all seen some nice vehicles rust prematurely because of salt and rust fragments falling into cracks and gutters around the car from the racks above. GET A TRAILER. This is the only way you can save your vehicle by keeping all of your wet stuff separate to your car. 
Mat


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