Removing Headliner For Roof Rack Install

[the.phd]

I recently purchased the Spider Roof Rack for my R1T from another member. This rack comes with mount points that replace the factory accessory ports on the roof. When I go to remove the headliner its giving me a really hard time and I didn't want to go farther until I figured out the correct way to do it without breaking anything.

Anyone remove the headliner before and can give me tips? Can't the grab handles off, nor the sides of the liner against the glass roof. The liner against the front of the window comes off easily as its just magnets, but the rest is making me pause.

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[captainjp]

I recently purchased the Spider Roof Rack for my R1T from another member. This rack comes with mount points that replace the factory accessory ports on the roof. When I go to remove the headliner its giving me a really hard time and I didn't want to go farther until I figured out the correct way to do it without breaking anything.

Anyone remove the headliner before and can give me tips? Can't the grab handles off, nor the sides of the liner against the glass roof. The liner against the front of the window comes off easily as its just magnets, but the rest is making me pause.

Ask previous owner of rack system?

 

[the.phd]

Ask previous owner of rack system?

Obviously did this, but we've found several small differences between our two R1Ts already as far as trim, clips, etc, so hoping others may have more up to date information.

 

[Polar]

Dang that seems like a great way to introduce new water intrusion points.

 

[the.phd]

Dang that seems like a great way to introduce new water intrusion points.

Good thing I live in the desert. But I'm also trying to find a mount for the accessory port that will fit. The DCE mount and Megawatt mounts are both 1/2" too narrow for the screw location. Need 3"

 

[FooF]

can you elongate the mounting holes on the rack to make it work with the DCE or Megawatt mounts? Picture please

 

[the.phd]

can you elongate the mounting holes on the rack to make it work with the DCE or Megawatt mounts? Picture please

Attached the mount that the rack comes with which replaces the accessory ports. My only concern about drilling holes in the rack footings would be that they’d have to be really close, so one side of the hole wouldn’t have a lot of metal support since it would be near the other hole.

 

[Rivianero]

Personally, if I were doing this, I would look for a roof mounting solution that uses the original mounting points and does not require so.much disassembly and potential for harm to the vehicle. Some simple U bolts would be plenty secure, not require interior disassembly, and not risk creating leaks.

Unlike the mounting points at the truck bed, Rivian decided to hide any exposed bolts on the mounting points that might be visible from the outside of the vehicle. Personally, I don't spend a lot of time looking down at the roof, but hey.

I have not done this, personally. This is my understanding of how to access to the nuts holding the R1T mounting points. Treat this as general guidelines not gospel.

You don't need to remove the entire headliner. This saves you from disconnecting lots of wire harnesses for interior lighting and the center console.

Remove the visors. Pry off the trim panel to expose the screw. Remove the screw and pull it out, disconnecting the vanity lighting wire harness.

Remove all 4 side grab handles by prying off the end covers with a flat screwdriver to expose the screws.

You need to remove the A, B and C pillar interior trim pieces on both sides. Use a plastic trim tool. The A pillar removes towards the center of the windshield. The B pillars pries put at top and bottom; then pull the panel to the center of the vehicle and then down. B pillars can be tricky because the seat back is an obstacle. The C pillar pries forward and down.

Now you should be able to pull down the headliner at the sides near the B pillars. I think the headliner is magnetically attached at those locations. 2 nuts hold the front mounting points to the vehicle. Be careful of the wire harness that runs across there.

Similarly you can access the nuts for the rear mounting points by pulling down the headliner at the back side windows.

To prevent creating a leak, be sure to use some sort of sealant around the bolts of the new mounting plates. I did some similar penetrations to my gear tunnel and used 3M marine flexible sealant. Look for something that will withstand heat, vibration, and weather.

You will probably want to use thread lock on the nuts when installing the new mounting plates.

Reverse the process to put everything back together.

All the best.

 

[the.phd]

Personally, if I were doing this, I would look for a roof mounting solution that uses the original mounting points and does not require so.much disassembly and potential for harm to the vehicle. Some simple U bolts would be plenty secure, not require interior disassembly, and not risk creating leaks.

Unlike the mounting points at the truck bed, Rivian decided to hide any exposed bolts on the mounting points that might be visible from the outside of the vehicle. Personally, I don't spend a lot of time looking down at the roof, but hey.

I have not done this, personally. This is my understanding of how to access to the nuts holding the R1T mounting points. Treat this as general guidelines not gospel.

You don't need to remove the entire headliner. This saves you from disconnecting lots of wire harnesses for interior lighting and the center console.

Remove the visors. Pry off the trim panel to expose the screw. Remove the screw and pull it out, disconnecting the vanity lighting wire harness.

Remove all 4 side grab handles by prying off the end covers with a flat screwdriver to expose the screws.

You need to remove the A, B and C pillar interior trim pieces on both sides. Use a plastic trim tool. The A pillar removes towards the center of the windshield. The B pillars pries put at top and bottom; then pull the panel to the center of the vehicle and then down. B pillars can be tricky because the seat back is an obstacle. The C pillar pries forward and down.

Now you should be able to pull down the headliner at the sides near the B pillars. I think the headliner is magnetically attached at those locations. 2 nuts hold the front mounting points to the vehicle. Be careful of the wire harness that runs across there.

Similarly you can access the nuts for the rear mounting points by pulling down the headliner at the back side windows.

To prevent creating a leak, be sure to use some sort of sealant around the bolts of the new mounting plates. I did some similar penetrations to my gear tunnel and used 3M marine flexible sealant. Look for something that will withstand heat, vibration, and weather.

You will probably want to use thread lock on the nuts when installing the new mounting plates.

Reverse the process to put everything back together.

All the best.

I'll keep prying at those grab handles then. Those end covers are on there TIGHT.

And yeah, I agree with most of what you said, I have some U-bolts I found online that I think will work coming tomorrow, but with the 3" distance, most of the threading doesn't go deep enough on the U-bolt to work without having screw spacers as well and then it would potentially be over the height of the rack.

 

[Rivianero]

The trick with the grab handle covers is to insert the flat screwdriver between the flat front of the strap and the plastic cover, then pry out. It helps to push the strap flat with the headliner surface.


I found that these U bolts work pretty great...
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-1-4-quarter-inch-wire-rope-clips-93891.html
Just a little tight at first, but have the advantage that the thread does not start so far down the ends.

 

[the.phd]

The trick with the grab handle covers is to insert the flat screwdriver between the flat front of the strap and the plastic cover, then pry out. It helps to push the strap flat with the headliner surface.


I found that these U bolts work pretty great...
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-1-4-quarter-inch-wire-rope-clips-93891.html
Just a little tight at first, but have the advantage that the thread does not start so far down the ends.

Those would be great, except the holes for the rack are 3" from center of hole to center of hole, about ~70-72mm for the inner width.

 

[Rivianero]

Maybe bend some threaded bar to the shape you need?

 

[the.phd]

Maybe bend some threaded bar to the shape you need?

Looking at doing that tomorrow when some ubolts come that should be around the right size. hopefully can make them V-bolts for grip.

 

[Mellowyellow]

Rivian accessory port adapter

I don’t know any that are three inches apart

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