MG2000XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Salt Lake City, UT
Hey guys, I've been on a mission to address roof top rust before winter sets in and today I decided to pull my roof rails and see how bad the rust really is.
Most of my roof looks like this, I need to get inside the windshield seal and assess the situation. I can peel the seal back a bit and the rust is worse outside the seal from the looks of it.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fg0SxLBFl.jpg&hash=d7b6ec99b3058d84bc978ac586be3d75)
I was able to easily remove all bolts from the aluminum threaded nutserts except for one. I was cranking on my torx driver then the nutsert began spinning beneath the rail. Fudge...
The more I worked on it, the looser it became. I considered drilling out the torx cap but I reallllllly didn't want to do that. I needed some type of tool or plier that was skinny enough to fit between the roof rail and the roof itself that could grab the spinnging nutsert.
I ran around the house looking for whatever I could find.
I found no tool that would work but I did find a butter knife that would fit.
This is what I came up with.
This thing was somewhat snug but still spinning freely.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FIrHe6Tyl.jpg&hash=e214848b440e09d42252377ebb09a006)
I cut the butter knife flat and notched the blade so it would fit around either side of the nutsert. by putting pressure on the knife the nutsert slipped into the notch in the blade. I had to widen the gap a couple times until the blade fit tightly but it worked! It held the nutsert nice and tight while I could break the torx bit free.
Notched butter knife.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FWuvIdzql.jpg&hash=f2be4af64762de6833f99e929c7295e1)
Fits great and kept the nutsert from spinning while I broke the bolt free.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQU38Yyxl.jpg&hash=0cc6504e35a77d50ee33107e1cf70a27)
Now I need to somehow reseal the nutsert to keep it from spinning and/or leaking. Any ideas there?
In addition to the spotty rust all over the roof, I have rust developing in the rain gutter/drip rail at the front of each gutter. Any suggestions on how I should clean that rust out?
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0qP6bOgl.jpg&hash=a8bdf210dbcdcd920e518cf71e0d0ee7)
I will likely be grinding, filling, priming and painting my rust spots on the roof then hitting everything with a couple layers of Monstaliner. Debating trying to color match a grey to the Jeep or I might just opt for the standard Jeep owner move and git it black.
I'm confortable taking a grinder to the Jeep and working on the rust myself but I need to do it before we start getting snow and overly salted roads. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hope the tool helps someone in the future!
MG
Most of my roof looks like this, I need to get inside the windshield seal and assess the situation. I can peel the seal back a bit and the rust is worse outside the seal from the looks of it.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fg0SxLBFl.jpg&hash=d7b6ec99b3058d84bc978ac586be3d75)
I was able to easily remove all bolts from the aluminum threaded nutserts except for one. I was cranking on my torx driver then the nutsert began spinning beneath the rail. Fudge...
The more I worked on it, the looser it became. I considered drilling out the torx cap but I reallllllly didn't want to do that. I needed some type of tool or plier that was skinny enough to fit between the roof rail and the roof itself that could grab the spinnging nutsert.
I ran around the house looking for whatever I could find.
I found no tool that would work but I did find a butter knife that would fit.
This is what I came up with.
This thing was somewhat snug but still spinning freely.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FIrHe6Tyl.jpg&hash=e214848b440e09d42252377ebb09a006)
I cut the butter knife flat and notched the blade so it would fit around either side of the nutsert. by putting pressure on the knife the nutsert slipped into the notch in the blade. I had to widen the gap a couple times until the blade fit tightly but it worked! It held the nutsert nice and tight while I could break the torx bit free.
Notched butter knife.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FWuvIdzql.jpg&hash=f2be4af64762de6833f99e929c7295e1)
Fits great and kept the nutsert from spinning while I broke the bolt free.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQU38Yyxl.jpg&hash=0cc6504e35a77d50ee33107e1cf70a27)
Now I need to somehow reseal the nutsert to keep it from spinning and/or leaking. Any ideas there?
In addition to the spotty rust all over the roof, I have rust developing in the rain gutter/drip rail at the front of each gutter. Any suggestions on how I should clean that rust out?
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0qP6bOgl.jpg&hash=a8bdf210dbcdcd920e518cf71e0d0ee7)
I will likely be grinding, filling, priming and painting my rust spots on the roof then hitting everything with a couple layers of Monstaliner. Debating trying to color match a grey to the Jeep or I might just opt for the standard Jeep owner move and git it black.
I'm confortable taking a grinder to the Jeep and working on the rust myself but I need to do it before we start getting snow and overly salted roads. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hope the tool helps someone in the future!
MG
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