Has anyone seen factory instructions for mounting the accessory roof rack on the 412 wagon? Assuming they exist, I am trying to get a copy. I have a used roof rack for my 412, and want to make sure that I place it in the correct original position. I also want to make sure that I use appropriate hardware and gaskets to attach it securely.
The accessory fact sheet, "Permanent Luggage Rack", available at type4.org (http://www.type4.org/pictures/accessori ... grack/view), shows the rack already installed--but no instructions. I have pictures of 412's with roof racks that I have collected from the Internet--but installing the rack by eyeballing pictures is not very precise. I am hoping that better information is available somewhere, before I start to drill into my roof.
Roof Rack mounting instructions
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vwbill
- Posts: 970
- Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 12:01 am
Hey Chris, I have been thinking about the same thing since someone is selling a rack on the other forum! I just can't decide if I want to drill into my roof also!! Do you think there is an instruction out there from VW or would it come from the vendor? What about getting the location measurements from someone elses rack on there car? Also I wonder if we could estimate from pictures and doing a related measurement?? I was also thinking about designing a thin plate bracket that the rack would mount to then reach to the side rails and attached there with screws to the drip edge(or a knob tighter type) and not have to drill into the roof? I did that for bike racks I made for my buses with a fin side tiangle mount with a hole in the center of the fin to drip egde and a rod with pipe end caps and they held well. I also have mounted a quick release bike truck bed mount with JB weld and it did well but I always had a cable to the side vents!! In a accident my front bike forks bent off before the JB!! Bill
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Chris Hobbs
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:01 am
Roof rack instructions
Darn, it looks like I'm striking out on this question!
Bill, I'm guessing that the instructions would be published by VW to ensure that the mounting of the rack was structurally sound regarding the roof of one of their vehicles. What I don't know is whether there are roof trusses that specific parts of the rack, like the 4 corner stanchions, must center on. I was hoping that maybe someone had an old set of dealer's technical instructions that might include a roof rack installation note.
Plan B is to find someone with an original dealer-installed rack and take real measurements on locations of the screw holes, as you suggested. So far in my visits to VW shows I have seen only one other Type 4 besides mine on the East Coast. So I don't expect to run across an example to measure any time soon...
Bill, I'm guessing that the instructions would be published by VW to ensure that the mounting of the rack was structurally sound regarding the roof of one of their vehicles. What I don't know is whether there are roof trusses that specific parts of the rack, like the 4 corner stanchions, must center on. I was hoping that maybe someone had an old set of dealer's technical instructions that might include a roof rack installation note.
Plan B is to find someone with an original dealer-installed rack and take real measurements on locations of the screw holes, as you suggested. So far in my visits to VW shows I have seen only one other Type 4 besides mine on the East Coast. So I don't expect to run across an example to measure any time soon...
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raygreenwood
- Posts: 11912
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2003 12:01 am
This is sad. Ten years ago...I spent an entire afternoon looking at a rusted out 412 wagon with a pristine factory rack on the roof. I could not get back with money in time to save it.
That being said....I do not think there actually WAS a "factory" rack. Most of that was a factory "approved" ...dealer installed aftermarket rack.
I have seen two types.
(1) Was definately an aftermarket rack....and was greatly similar to the aftermarket, dealer available racks that went on type 3. It did indeed sit on the drip/rain rails. It used four knobs with lock bolts to lock it down. The only one I ever saw on a type 4 looked like it took some clearancing work. Underneath teh chrome strip that resides on teh 411/412 rain gutters....they drilled a hole for the screw of each knob...to pierce the metal so it could not slip off.
(2) This one looked more American in style....and definately more "70's". It had two side rails that were flush with teh roof and screwed in at each end with stainless , fillister head sheet metal screws. Gasket was underneath. The cross pieces slid in from each end and were locked with bolts.
I will see what I can find. Ray
That being said....I do not think there actually WAS a "factory" rack. Most of that was a factory "approved" ...dealer installed aftermarket rack.
I have seen two types.
(1) Was definately an aftermarket rack....and was greatly similar to the aftermarket, dealer available racks that went on type 3. It did indeed sit on the drip/rain rails. It used four knobs with lock bolts to lock it down. The only one I ever saw on a type 4 looked like it took some clearancing work. Underneath teh chrome strip that resides on teh 411/412 rain gutters....they drilled a hole for the screw of each knob...to pierce the metal so it could not slip off.
(2) This one looked more American in style....and definately more "70's". It had two side rails that were flush with teh roof and screwed in at each end with stainless , fillister head sheet metal screws. Gasket was underneath. The cross pieces slid in from each end and were locked with bolts.
I will see what I can find. Ray
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Chris Hobbs
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2002 12:01 am
Postscript July 2nd: I finally got my roof rack mounting dimensions the hard way, by measuring from one mounted on a junkyard 412 wagon. The shop in St. Pete that just restored my 412 gave me a tip about an aircooled VW-only junkyard/repair shop northeast of Tampa, Sunray Bugs, in a place called Dade City, a 90-minute drive from my home. I called the guy to check ahead, and last Saturday went out to check his stock of roughly nine Type 4 vehicles in the weeds. I was looking for any durable parts that I could find, like undented chrome trim, and whatever else caught my eye from my "wish list". The 7 cars that I could see (two squarebacks were too far into the weeds for me to check on this visit) were pretty run-down, only good for the truly desperate parts-seekers, or for durable things like bumpers, glass, or fenders.
But one had the dealer-installed roof rack (bonus!), same model as mine, and it was solidly installed. So for the record, you take the two rear stanchions of the rack assembly and place them on the roof, angled to the rear. Each stanchion has an inner and outer screw mounting it directly to the roof (yeah, ouch, I know). Each outer screw is roughly 6.5 inches along the curve of the roof from the top of the chrome rain gutter (this is the easy part, you just center the whole assembly). The key missing dimension is that they are also 10.25 to 10.5 inches along the curve of the roof from the top of the hatch (when closed). That's from the top of the hatch, NOT from the top of the hatch opening.
This was my first visit to a VW-only junkyard, a really sad place for anyone who loves old VWs and hates seeing them in various stages of irreversible decline. There were mostly Beetles there, but here and there were some rare finds like three Type 3 Ghias.
But one had the dealer-installed roof rack (bonus!), same model as mine, and it was solidly installed. So for the record, you take the two rear stanchions of the rack assembly and place them on the roof, angled to the rear. Each stanchion has an inner and outer screw mounting it directly to the roof (yeah, ouch, I know). Each outer screw is roughly 6.5 inches along the curve of the roof from the top of the chrome rain gutter (this is the easy part, you just center the whole assembly). The key missing dimension is that they are also 10.25 to 10.5 inches along the curve of the roof from the top of the hatch (when closed). That's from the top of the hatch, NOT from the top of the hatch opening.
This was my first visit to a VW-only junkyard, a really sad place for anyone who loves old VWs and hates seeing them in various stages of irreversible decline. There were mostly Beetles there, but here and there were some rare finds like three Type 3 Ghias.