# '05 Pathfinder Roof Rack Warning!



## Calgary Canuk (Nov 18, 2005)

I found this out the HARD way, so hopefully someone can benefit from my mistakes.

If you ever decide to move the crossbars on your 2005 Pathfinder Roof Rack, take it to the dealer and have them do it, despite how easy it looks to move yourself.

The reason, the bolts that hold in the cross bars have loc-tite on them. I stripped one of my bolts trying to get it off and then spent a couple hours trying to get the head of it off so that I could get the bolt out with vice-grips. I was very fortunate to not have damaged the roof rack of the paint on the roof.

As to why they put loc-tite on bolts that are designed to be moved - I don't know. Even when I went to get a new bolt at the dealer, the replacement bolt had loc-tite on it, not to mention that it cost $10. The parts guys was surprised, too and asked if the bars were designed to be moved, which of course they are. However he also said that if I brought it in, they could probably fix it under warranty, but I figured that I stripped the bolt, so I fixed it myself.

Hopefully others won't learn this lesson the way that I did.


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

Good info...

"As to why they put loc-tite on bolts that are designed to be moved - I don't know."

You gota think like a vehicle manufacturer.. Loose bolt and member comes loose and scratchs paint, manufacturer fault.

End user strips it out because of lock-tite, users fault.


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## zeker (Nov 23, 2005)

Thanks for the heads-up. I need to move the cross bars this week-end to match up with a Loadwarrior. Now that I am fore-warned, I'll pay particular attention to loosening the screws. I'm glad they're torx heads.


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## Triffid (Aug 25, 2005)

When I added the "Nissan/Yakima LoadWarrior Cargo Basket with Extension" to my '05 Parhfinder I laid towels on the roof and yes I did notice the bolts being tight when I adjusted the cross bars........


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## zeker (Nov 23, 2005)

Triffid,
Good looking Pathy. Nice pics. I've been thinking about getting the WeatherTech deflectors for my 2005. Do they cut down on the dreadful wind noise when the rear window is down?


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## Triffid (Aug 25, 2005)

zeker said:


> Triffid,
> Good looking Pathy. Nice pics. I've been thinking about getting the WeatherTech deflectors for my 2005. Do they cut down on the dreadful wind noise when the rear window is down?


zeker...
The deflectors help a lot on the wind noise... Very easy install... I used the "dark" ones... Took about 20 minutes total..........Triffid


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## MtnBikerChk (Nov 7, 2005)

LMAO - so that's why neither me or my husband couldn't move them. Our ski rack looks funny with them spread out so far - I plan to have the dealer do it when I bring it in next.

THANKS for the heads up!


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## eazy.e (Dec 26, 2006)

Does anyone know the weight limit or max load for the factory roof rack (Path 05)??

Thanks


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## pdfruth (Jul 14, 2006)

eazy.e said:


> Does anyone know the weight limit or max load for the factory roof rack (Path 05)??
> 
> Thanks


Page 2-46 of the owners manual says 220 lbs. (100 kg).


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## rodg9220 (Sep 18, 2006)

I have no use of the cross bars so I removed them. It is now easy to clean the roof and cuts down a bit on air drag. I also noticed that the bolts were kind of tight when removing them.


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## eazy.e (Dec 26, 2006)

pdfruth said:


> Page 2-46 of the owners manual says 220 lbs. (100 kg).


Thank you for the response.

Man, looking for a ski/snowboard rack isn't as simple as I thought it would be  
so many choices.....


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## pdfruth (Jul 14, 2006)

eazy.e said:


> Thank you for the response.
> 
> Man, looking for a ski/snowboard rack isn't as simple as I thought it would be
> so many choices.....


I like Thule.... been using their stuff for a few years now.


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## LittleStevie (Sep 27, 2006)

One other note of warning on the roof rack: The plastic covers on each of the four corners will fly off if they get a little loose, which happened to one of mine. The dealer won't replace them under warranty because it's a body part that is apparently in the fine print of the exclusions. I've attempted to secure mine with silicone adhesive.


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