I think I'm #154

 

Schatzy
- If tou still have your Mini insider - Please ask what the odrer code 386 'Roof Rails' is. Announced in the JCW car literature for September availability, clubman only. Thanks ajm

 

+1

I'd sure like to know what these rails are, before I go and do something stupid (like normal)

 

I have made up an installation instruction sheet for the OEM racks. I believe that it over comes many of the missing information in the OEM instruction manual. Anyone who would like to add to it may do so and repost or send me the details to add and i will repost.

To do this, I first had to take the racks off the roof and then take pictures during the install. I started this project a 7:20pm and removed the racks took pictures, started installing the racks, taking pictures as i went and completed the whole process by 7:43. So it took me 23 minutes to do all of this. Without taking the pictures i believe that the racks could come off in about 10 minutes and be reinstalled in about the same amount of time.

I have Yakima Racks on our BMW and they are much more difficult to install and remove than this rack, and they do not feel as safe. The Yakima Racks tend to slide a little bit on the roof rails.

I have attached a PDF copy of the instruction to this post.

EDIT: PDF did not upload properly in this post added to next post.

 

I nominate this post (with the PDF) as the first stickie in the Clubman Forum!

Great stuff!

 

Second that.

Excellent work. To all those who follow these instructions, please post your results, thoughts, etc. If I buy the OEM rack, I certainly will.

Thanks, Schatzy.

 

A big thank you from me too. That's awesome and will prove to be very helpful for the future installers

 

Wow, you sure are ambitious! Thanks!

 

Oops - double post.

 

Very nicely done! Perhaps MINI should get a copy?

It would be interesting to hear from those who have installed their own, if they notice any differences between their method of installation and schatzy's very well documented version.

 

Thanks to all of you for all the good words.

As it has been made a sticky and yanked out of this thread i would like to add a link here to it so that anyone reading this can find it easily.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=145279

If any one see a mistake or has suggestions on how to make it better please let me know and i will incorporate those suggestions.

 

I nominate schatzy62 for free lifetime Alliance membership for service to the Clubman forum!

 

Nicely done! Now the question is: will the dealers still sell them to you, or are they "on hold" forever?

 

Actually i have not been able to find a copy of the "Advisory" that tells the dealers to "Not Install them on a Clubman" but from others who have seen it say there is no restriction on selling them.

Otra has posted the details of the "Advisory" a few times and here is a link to it. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&postcount=271
The line in there about selling is "We will not block the part from selling as it is still possible to install this part on a R56."

I called my dealers parts department and asked if they had one. They did so i drove down an picked one up. And, I installed it in their parking lot.

If you are worried about the cost factor and it not working i would jsut speak to the Parts guy and only buy it if they are willing to take it back if you have a leak situation.

The one thing i have noticed though is that all the pictures posted by people that say it leaks show that it is not installed properly. They all show the mounting fixture rotating clamps not sitting flush with each other (i.e. one is not engaged into the roof properly) so my feeling is that it is more of an installation issue than a actual car or rack problem.

Now i will say that if the slot in thd car is not aligned properly with the exterior of the car or if the opening is not actually wide enough then that could cause the problems i have seen in the photos.

I think the only way to really know if it is going to be a problem is to try it.

 

Just wondering if you've been through a serious rain and/or car wash yet with your rack?

It's great that you took the installation process to the ultimate degree with such details and excellent photos.

As far as I can tell your installation looks to be the same as Jim Ray's http://www.mini2.com/forum/3414002-post115.html and I believe his diagnosis of the problems some have had was similar to yours.

I have to believe that at least for some owners that there must have been more going on than their installation process not being done just right - as you mention...there could be an issue with the "slots", etc. And perhaps some of the installation "kits" weren't completely as they should have been, too? In reading through the posts on MINI2, and on here, it's clear that it can't all have been human error - as in the error of the installers - because these guys are not neophytes when it comes to this kind of thing. That said, your installation guide sticky should be extremely helpful.

So - did you show this pdf guide to installation to your dealer yet? I'd be very interested to hear their reaction.

 

Yes, Rain storms that have produced as much as 2 inches an hour, and i was driving thru it. I must say though that my speed was down to about 30 mph during the heaviest rain but no leaking. I have also personally washed the car and sprayed the gasket area directly with a hard stream from the hose. From about ten feet no leak, but from 2 feet it did leak but then again all the windows and doors leaked with the spray form two feet. Even my 99 Dodge pickup door gaskets leaked with the spray from two feet. So that i would say is not a real world scenario.

Jim Ray's does look like it is mounted properly and he has stated that it does not leak. Good thing.

And as i stated in post #258 of this thread

There may be some that just have mounting brackets in the vehicle that will not allow the "Mounting Fixture Rotating Plates" to interlock properly on some cars.

I will not say that it is completely human error but i have known many a mechanic that could strip an engine down, rebuild it, and have it work perfectly, but try to get them to install brakes on a car and you would take life into you own hands. So I am sure not all mechanics can or would be able to install the roof rack properly. And if they were going from the instructions that come with the kit anything could happen.

I have not been to the dealer since (73 miles away) to show them the instructions i put together but from knowing my SA and one of the mechanics that has worked on my car they would probably thank me and ask for a copy. And the reason i say this is because when they put on my steering wheel, shift ****/boot, and e-brake handle/boot they showed me the install instructions that were all wrong. Install instructions for the Shift know stated to "Unscrew the shift ****" and the R56/R55 models they pull off not screw off.

 

Thanks for your post. I sent you a PM so as not to continually clog up this thread.

Let's hope that there will be an official response to the dealerships as well as to the owners of the models who have what may have turned out to have improperly sized mounting brackets.

As for the directions issue - I hear you on that. I'd send your SA that pdf!

 

HI ALL- I AM A NEW MINI OWNER. REALLY GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. I AM GOING TO ROLL THE DICE ON THE OEM RACK FOR MY CLUBMAN. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT SOME SURF BOARDS UP THERE! SUMMER IS HERE AND THE BEACH IS CALLING. WILL POST AN UPDATE ONCE I ATTEMP THE INSTALL.

 

Congrats and welcome to the site! FYI... all caps means you're yelling at us.

 

I did manage to put the rack on my Clubman but what a pain
The service manager of my dealer Inskip in RI later told me about the recall and said it was because of the angle of the roof which makes sense to me.

How do you add a picture to this ? anybody?.

 

Use the advanced reply (Go Advanced) and you will see a little paper clip - which allows you to upload photos, etc.

And thanks for your input Rvanvoris!

 

I'M NOT YELLING, JUST LAZY

 

My insider gave me this responce after three times asking the question.

"As this option will not be avaliable for order until September, I can not comment on it at this time."

What I can tell you is that the 3xx series numbers are for roof options such as full roof graphics, sunroof graphics etc. so it does have something to do with the roof. Exactly what i am not sure.

I also spoke with my MA about it and it does not show up on the order processing form for July so it has not been released to the dealers as an option yet either. My MA had the comment that "why would they want to put roof rails on a sports model such as the JCW". My responce is that every "SPORT" model wagon style car i have looked at had what it would call Roof Rails. I.E. rails that ran from the front to the back of the roof that things could be attached to. And the rails are not removable. The only exception to this that i have notice is the new BMW 5 series wagon which has a slot track built into the roof that you can add accessories to.

I suspect that as they are not commenting on it there is either a problem with it or they are not sure what the final item is going to be yet.

 

Thanks for the insider reply. I am holding a Clubman order pending revelation on the 386 option. In the mean time - If anyone wants a 'OEM style' roof rail solution - I found these guys. http://www.surcoinc.com . In their Roof section they have rail systems that include a track, matching towers and cross bars. Looks like you can select the rail lenght you want and bolt them down with self tapping / sealing screws. The rail system looks almot identical to the one on my 1995 Explorer. Surcoinc also has a Safari style basket similar to the Mini factory service cars. I've gotten off topic of the Mini mount system but thought some on this thread might be interested.

 

While we wait for Mini to do what they can on the roof, has anyone heard anything about a Clubman hitch? Did that test at MiniDoMore mentioned earlier in this thread ever happen?

I would like to sometimes carry 3 bikes. I am thinking the hitch is only real option...