more on roof racks

bam-bam

I'm convinced that the "OE" racks are generic dealer installed items. The Isuzu and Kia ones I bought lately were near identical, and while installing i found that the attaching screws from both were 1/4-20.

With that in mind, I noted a shipload of Ford Aerostars '92-'95 in the junkyard with racks VERY similar to the OE wago rack. Didn't have a camera with me, but if you want a roof rack on a budget, look at the Aerostars. (junkyards are slap fuul of the POSs )

wagodizzle

good heads up

eldonciv777

I thought something was non-original when I learned the mounting bolts on the rack I stole (for $5) were 1/4 - 20 but I thought maybe that was just one dealerships hillbilly way of doing it. Apparently it was a more widespread epidemic.

On a side note, have any of you guys sprayed your racks or had them powdercoated? I think I'm going to get mine powdercoated, because spray paint never looks good for more than a year on all automotive things I've tried.

bam-bam

Thought about that, but there's a lot of plastic that would never match. At least if you spray it all it'll match...for awhile anyway.

lalunette

bam-bam wrote:

but if you want a roof rack on a budget, look at the Aerostars. (junkyards are slap fuul of the POSs )

Ya, I know, my previous vehicle was a '91 Aerostar with "electronic 4X4", i.e., the four wheels would provide traction but the front ones would pull more if the back ones started to slide.

I bought it used from my Dad and the tranny blew almost right away. My Dad felt bad about that and helped me pay for the repairs.... and then it blew again a few months later.

That's when I found out Ford "cheaped out" and installed a Mustang tranny on the Aerostars, rather than a more robust pick-up tranny.

And don't get me started on the rust :evil: !!!

My Aerostar gave me nothing but trouble. Parts broke even when I didn't drive it. Owning and driving a Honda is like night and day !!

bam-bam

Ford...at least they circled the problem.

Do Canadian Fords come standard with tailgate heaters?

wagodizzle

anywmy dad bought a Civic wagon new in 1990. then sometime around '95 or so he bought a used Aerostar to be a more comfortable cruiser. POS was on problem after another, he sold it a few months after :x good thing we kept the wagon had that till 2003 when we moved south a just sold it to a college kid for $350. lucky bastard.

i keep trying to contact the dude about it to buy it back but he isnt responding anywho, thread jack on my part....

roof racks at my local junkyard are $12 i'll check into the Aerostars next time i visit.

lalunette

bam-bam wrote:

Do Canadian Fords come standard with tailgate heaters?

Do you mean an independent heater for the passengers in the back? If so, yes, but mine was a 7-passenger model so it might not be standard on the regular size models.

The heat was about the only thing that always worked well on that van... and that's a good thing in Canada.

BTW, it's going to -34 C in my area tonite. That's about -30 F.

ThinkFab

good thing you got a block heater 8)

bam-bam

lalunette wrote:

bam-bam wrote:

Do Canadian Fords come standard with tailgate heaters?

Do you mean an independent heater for the passengers in the back?


No, I mean a heated tailgate... so your hands don't get too cold while pushing it back into the shop

lalunette

bam-bam wrote:

lalunette wrote:

bam-bam wrote:

Do Canadian Fords come standard with tailgate heaters?

Do you mean an independent heater for the passengers in the back?


No, I mean a heated tailgate... so your hands don't get too cold while pushing it back into the shop

[/quote:ovfhyarr]

I never pushed, I kicked!! :twisted:

ragenasian

bam-bam wrote:

lalunette wrote:

bam-bam wrote:

Do Canadian Fords come standard with tailgate heaters?

Do you mean an independent heater for the passengers in the back?


No, I mean a heated tailgate... so your hands don't get too cold while pushing it back into the shop

[/quote:bditq979]