Roof bars removal

[fernandoh]

I want to know if the torx screws that are at the extremes of the longitudinal roof bars can be easily put back again after being removed. My 2003 model has 2 main big crossed bars (side to side) and 3 other little and useless (to me) small bars that I want to remove. This operation looks as very easy removing the ends of the front to rear support channels but I don`t want to loose the torx nut inside something.

[Pwnin Obrien]

Do you have an SE or LE? From what you've said it sounds like you have an SE with the fat oval bars (the rest of this post pertains to the SE roof rack). Removing the sliding bars from the SE roof rack can be somewhat difficult and requires two people. You need to pull off the black covers for the rear two posts (that hold up the long "floating" bars that run the length of the vehicle). Under there you will see two large torx bolts for each side, back those out. Once those are gone you want to remove the small torx screws that are inside the long rails (it's between the black post and the bar, it's kinda inside the bar where the crossbars slide). Once you have removed the small torx screws from each side you can pull the black posts from the long rails, now you can loosen the crossbars and slide them right off the long rails. Assembly is simply the reversal of the removal. Those torx bolts you're talking about in your post actually bolt down to a small rubber pad, the rubber pad is bolted through the roof, so no, you won't lose the bolt on the other side since there isn't one.

Just reading this probably makes very little sense but it may help if you look at the roof rack while reading this. If you need anymore help let me know.

If you don't have the SE roof rack then this entire post is useless to you.

[fernandoh]

Thanks. As you may have noticed, the English is not my language as well as the mechanical expression neither, specially when talking about things that may have local names. I have a Pathfinder 2003 sold in Chile in 2004, which it may represent some differences with yours. Mine is with auto climate, cruiser, LSD, Automatic, rims and is SE here . I don't want to remove the fat oval bars (2) but the three other small bars that serve to protect the roof (the size of these bars is 1"x1" aprox.). All the bars can be pushed away if you remove each end of the plastic ends of long supporting rails (same side of course). The problem was that I did several turns and the torx bolt didn't move upwards. What is this meaning?. I tought in a loosen nut going somewhere and stoped the operation. But the extreme (or end) seemed to get loose at that time and I don't know if any other bolt is present there.