Installed a Rhino Rack Backbone - what do about roof gutters?

[Dropowar]

Hello,
We've had our D4 since February, and for obvious reasons have not gotten out in it very far or very often. In preparation for some more travelling I finally got around to fitting a roof rack yesterday. I went with the Rhino Rack Backbone and Pioneer platform, and removed the factory long rails.

Fitment was incredibly easy, and this has been one of the only fitments I've ever done that was true to the time listed on the instructions-it only took 2 hours.

As the car had the factory rails, there was no trim in the roof 'gutters', once the rails were removed. I'm hoping someone can suggest the best option for replacing this trim. I'm not keen on leaving them bare.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=166315&d=1606127990

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=166316&d=1606127990

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=166317&d=1606127990

Regards

Chris

[DiscoJeffster]

Standard fitment is what you have. Same as mine. Eric on here sliced and diced his factory infills to retain them with a backbone. So you can buy new rails and modify them to fit for backbone, but who cares? No one is looking at your roof other than you. Does it matter that much? Your budget I guess dictates that [emoji2369]

[Mike.C]

FWIW I just left them bare. At the time I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on any potential rust issues with them uncovered, not that I think there is likely to be an issue. TBH it just seemed like a lot of effort for little benefit.

[DiscoJeffster]

FWIW I just left them bare. At the time I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on any potential rust issues with them uncovered, not that I think there is likely to be an issue. TBH it just seemed like a lot of effort for little benefit.

Hear hear.

[ATH]

You've got the front part covered and that looks OK so I'd be inclined to leave it at that until such time as you find full length rails somewhere. No one else will be bothered I'm sure.
Just enjoy your trips and a bit of cleaning to remove debris. :)
AlanH.

[DiscoDB]

If you truly wanted to cover up, just find a wreckers and get some roof weather strips from a vehicle with no roof rails and trim to suit. You may just need a dab of silastic to hold the short sections in place.

[Dagilmo]

FWIW I just left them bare. At the time I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on any potential rust issues with them uncovered, not that I think there is likely to be an issue. TBH it just seemed like a lot of effort for little benefit.

x 2