Stripped bolt on roof rack
 

Just got my P5 last week. Black mica, 5 speed, side bags, ABS, moonroof, 6 disc, sub woofer (pretty muddy), painted wheels and roof rack.

I was taking off the roof rack to see how things sounded and looked without it. But, the passenger side front bolt, was completely stripped when I took it out. There is no way I'll be able to get a bolt back in there without really f'n everything up.

I'm also wondering why they didn't use a clip in the crossbars (the clip that holds that first screw, the black one, into place) that is treated to not rust. After just one week the thing is corroding like crazy.

Any fixes? I'm reluctant to take it back to the dealership. There is always a service guy at the dealership that thinks it's okay to put his clipboard on your roof or hood. Dude, it's just a car. (Every dealership has one of those guys.)

:( :( :( :(

Is it the bolt threads that are stripped, or the threads on the car?

If it's just the bolt, buy a new one. If it's the car - you could try to take it to the dealer - but I undertsand your reluctance.

You could also try to re-tap the threads on the car, if that's what's stripped. Find out what size bolt you have, and see if you can use a tap to re-thread the roofrack mount to the original size. If that doesn't work, you may have to tap a size bigger, and get a corresponding bolt.

And one other - this may sound ghetto, but it should actually work:

You can get "steel putty" from any auto parts store. Looks like a "cow tail" candy bar - a stick of putty, and the center is black with the outside lighter gray. You cut a slice off, and mush it in your hands to mix the two parts together. If you get some of that, and work it around the threads on the car, then let it cure for a few days to be nice and solid, you should be able to re-tap the hole to the original size successfully. That stuff is really strong, and should work well.

Keep us posted!


~HH

helicoil works like magic... try that!

Did your wheels come factory painted? Pics please! :D

I think he just means the silver wheels - not the polished.

The silver wheels are painted!

~HH

I used to install the roof racks on the P5's during the Pre Delivery INspections, But the bolts/screws were just plastic. Very poorly designed. So they kept stripping. Now we dont put them on.

in mid 2003 which is around now..no roof racks are being sold or put on the protege5's. Becasue of the problems. Instead the P5 gets a 100watt Powerd subwoofer which is in the trunk on top of the spare tire. This makes up for the loss on the Roofrack.

Unless u want to store stuff on the roof, (even though the roof rack looks cool and sporty)...no need to have it on.

Note: You cant take the screws and bolts back to the dealer if they are stripped and get new ones FOR FREE. under warranty. :D

at least thats a plus!

Wha?!?! I dunno man - not that I doubt you because - well - you used to install them. But my bolts are most certainly steel.

~HH

Well, the bolt that I took out is trash. I tried putting the good bolt from the other side in but, it seemed to be crushing the threads on the good bolt.

Visually the threads look okay, maybe the re-threading tool is the way to go. I'll see if someone in my extensive family of gearheads has one.

The wheels are only painted silver. I didn't want the polished. Ultimately, if you want them polished it just takes a little elbow grease. Nuthin I'd pay $400 for. The roof rack is an option now that the sub is standard. I didn't want the roof rack but, they wouldn't take it off. Seeing as I HAD to pay for it, I want the damn thing to work.

The sub adds low end but, it's not very crisp. More of a muddy rumble. It needs some fine tuning.

I don't really care if the bolts are free, the threads on the car are screwed up and new bolts are only a patch not a fix. Eventually, they wont go in or stay in at all.

I've owned 4 Hondas and the only one that was as fun as my P5 was my my 91 CRX Si.

I reluctantly went to the dealer today to bitch. A mechanic was walking by as I ranted, he looked at it said "Gimme 10 minutes." and before I could sit in the shiny 6 on the showroom floor my car was washed, fixed and waiting for me at the front door.

Nice!

I really like what most of you guys have done to your cars. Love maxx's sills. I need tint and some of that film to prevent chipping on the front end. Paint the calipers, get the intermitten wiper control, remove the badges, add some Eibach springs and that's about it. Then just keep it clean, real, really clean.

This is a great car, glad I got one before the 3 comes out. Not a big fan of the 3 look. Plus, I'm a concerned Ford will take too much of the 3 look for the Focus and fucus.