Tech How does the roof rain gutter come off?

[flaatr@yahoo.com (Euroroc II)]

Not easily...

They have a small notch in them on each end, inside that little piece that 
looks like an add on. That groove inside it is designed to fit onto a pin 
on the body, that is if you were installing them you would place the strip 
offset about an inch towards the back of the car, press down on the front 
and back and slide  the whole thing forward to engage, it's really not so 
hard to do...

Removal is a pain for many reasons. Fist the sliding part can be avoided 
during removal by just pooping the back one off with a flat blade 
screwdriver. I have never damaged one doing this so it will still slide 
back in place. The big problem is that he length of the strip is clipped 
over metal runner that runs the length of the channel and in most cars I 
have seen there is some goop, adhesive, to hold it in place. Now this trim 
piece has a metal reinforcement in it so simply grabbing one end and 
pealing it off won't work, although an option, isn't the best way to go 
since the metal will bend and warp and you will never (almost never) get it 
to lay flat in the channel without obvious waves.

No lets say you were able to remove them without damage the last thing I 
want to mention is to handle them with the utmost care since if you were 
able to get the off straight and didn't warp them the last thing you want 
is to bend it while you care them. Grab from one end and let them hang down 
or place them on something flat and carny that way I've removed about 5 
sets and damaged 2 in the process so it's not fool proof. The set on my car 
right now are straight and I have a spare set in perfect condition that I 
keep strapped to a 2x4 and put in storage... both were successful removed 
from other cars and I challenge anyone to find a bump in them.

-Hope that helps.
-Raffi


At 08:13 PM 8/1/02 -0400, you wrote:
>My car is missing the plastic rain gutter piece.  You know, that black
>plastic channel that runs from the front to the back of the car on top of
>the roof.  There is one each side of the roof about two or three inches away
>for the door edge.
>
>How do you get that thing off with out ruining it?
>
>Mine is missing and a fellow lister will give me one providing he can get it
>off intact.
>
>Thanks, Rick Kellner.
>
>
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