Water Leaks

[Summer]

I have a 1997 LX 450. I have heard the factory roof racks leak on these trucks, is this true? My rear sliding windows have rust on the metal around them and water/rust marks on the head liner above them. Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix it?

[Rookie]

I have a 1997 LX 450.  I have heard the factory roof racks leak on these trucks, is this true?  My rear sliding windows have rust on the metal around them and water/rust marks on the head liner above them.  Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix it?

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You might want to go over to the IH8MUD.COM site and run a search on "Factory Roof Rack" and see what some of those guys have done to remedy their factory roof rack woes. Between the cussing and complaining about the insufficient design (in regards to preventing water intrusion), you'll get some information on what is being done to try and elliminate it. A lot of them are taking the roof rack off and throwing it in the bushes, and plugging the holes with weather tight washers and stainless steel screws. Landtank has had some kind of neoprene bases fabed up to prevent water from getting under the base of the rack mounts. You might PM him and see if he's still having some fabed up. Basically water gets under the base of the rack mounts and rusts the nutserts that hold the rack screws, and also rusts the roof under the mounts. It sounds like a PITA job, especially if the nutserts are rusted and start to spin when removing the screws. In that case you have to remove the headliner (big pain) to get the nutserts out.

Not sure about the rust on the sliding windows, and if there's any relation.

Rookie

[dougjohn2]

rust on the sliding windows is something I've heard about...been a long time though. I don't know if there's info on the IH8MUD board or on the 80scool email list. Let me dig around and see if I can find something about it.

You might need to remove the sliding windows and fix the rust.

Another place to check is the around the glass on the rear cargo hatch. Check the lower left side for signs of rust -- for some reason it tends to hit there first.

[Summer]

rust on the sliding windows is something I've heard about...been a long time though.  I don't know if there's info on the IH8MUD board or on the 80scool email list.  Let me dig around and see if I can find something about it.

You might need to remove the sliding windows and fix the rust.

Another place to check is the around the glass on the rear cargo hatch.  Check the lower left side for signs of rust -- for some reason it tends to hit there first.

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THANKS I WILL DO THAT. LET ME KNOW IF YOU GET ANY MORE INFO.