Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and 
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2013
- Messages
- 694
- Reaction score
- 7
- Points
- 0
- Age
- 57
- Location
- TN
- Vehicle Year
- 1998
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 4.0 X
- Transmission
- Manual
- My credo
- Leave it better than you found it.
Original Poster: bmerr98
Difficulty: 2 out of 10
Time required: 2-3 hours (including hunting at the bone yard)
Disclaimer: The Ranger Station.com, The Ranger Station.com Staff, nor the original poster are responsible for you doing this modification to your vehicle. By doing this modification and following this how-to you, the installer, take full responsibility if anything is damaged or messed up. If you have questions, feel free to PM the original poster or ask in the appropriate section of The Ranger Station.com forums.
Brief Explanation:
If your '04-'06 Expedition has the roof rack with raised side rails and you're missing one or both cross rails, you know that your roof rack is useless. With OEM cross rails going for around $100 a pair on eBay, you might find it easy to put off buying them, and then wishing you had them when it's road trip time and you want to strap stuff to the roof. It can be hard to part with a C-note for something you only use now and then (like a roof rack), but what if you could get it back in action for say, $20 or less? By raised side rails I mean these:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11750&thumb=1&d=1380335034
Tools needed:
-1/4" or 3/8" ratchet with 3" extention
-T-25 Torx bit (IIRC - bring an assortment)
-Dremel tool with cutoff wheels
-EYE PROTECTION (during Dremel use)
-Phillips screwdriver
-measuring tool
-WD-40 or other light lube
Parts needed:
Just the cross rails from an appropriate donor vehicle. I found that the roof racks on the 2000 Chevy Blazer and 1998 Pontiac Montana minivan have raised roof racks, 38" spacing between the side rails, and similar mounting systems for the cross rails. Other year models may also work.
Step 1:
When you find a donor, you may have to remove the entire roof rack. My donor was a 2000 Blazer. 8 T-25 Torx screws held the roof rack, 2 at each corner. Once removed, I disassembled it with the Phillips screwdriver and slid the cross rails out.
Step 2:
You will need this measurement. Mine was a little over a half inch, so my donor parts (nearly .75")needed to be trimmed. If your C channel measures about the same as your donor rails, you may be able to install without trimming. That's called a win.
View attachment 11802
Step 3:
If the donor rails measure more than your C channel, you will need to trim them down. There was a seam that marked the center line of the ears, for lack of a better word. I didn't think to get a pre-trimmed pic.
View attachment 11803
Step 4:
This metal piece will also need to be trimmed. It clamps to the inside of the C channel and holds the rail in place. Use some WD-40 when removing the thumb screw. The threads are mashed at the end to keep it from inadvertently being unscrewed all the way and the lube might keep the threads from galling. Go slow...
View attachment 11804
Step 5:
With your donor rails trimmed to fit, just slide them in from the back as the OEM ones do. Be sure the metal piece is INSIDE the C channel.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11754&thumb=1&d=1380335105
Position as desired and hand tighten the thumb screws to secure.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11755&thumb=1&d=1380335105
Then load up!
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11756&thumb=1&d=1380335105
New OEM cross rails: $100
That cargo box on GMAccessorieszone.com: $385
I paid $12.95 for the cross rails including the $2 entrance fee and sales tax, and $27.32 including tax for the box at a local thrift store. $485 vs. $40.27 and a couple hours of piddling. I think I won.
Difficulty: 2 out of 10
Time required: 2-3 hours (including hunting at the bone yard)
Disclaimer: The Ranger Station.com, The Ranger Station.com Staff, nor the original poster are responsible for you doing this modification to your vehicle. By doing this modification and following this how-to you, the installer, take full responsibility if anything is damaged or messed up. If you have questions, feel free to PM the original poster or ask in the appropriate section of The Ranger Station.com forums.
Brief Explanation:
If your '04-'06 Expedition has the roof rack with raised side rails and you're missing one or both cross rails, you know that your roof rack is useless. With OEM cross rails going for around $100 a pair on eBay, you might find it easy to put off buying them, and then wishing you had them when it's road trip time and you want to strap stuff to the roof. It can be hard to part with a C-note for something you only use now and then (like a roof rack), but what if you could get it back in action for say, $20 or less? By raised side rails I mean these:
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11750&thumb=1&d=1380335034
Tools needed:
-1/4" or 3/8" ratchet with 3" extention
-T-25 Torx bit (IIRC - bring an assortment)
-Dremel tool with cutoff wheels
-EYE PROTECTION (during Dremel use)
-Phillips screwdriver
-measuring tool
-WD-40 or other light lube
Parts needed:
Just the cross rails from an appropriate donor vehicle. I found that the roof racks on the 2000 Chevy Blazer and 1998 Pontiac Montana minivan have raised roof racks, 38" spacing between the side rails, and similar mounting systems for the cross rails. Other year models may also work.
Step 1:
When you find a donor, you may have to remove the entire roof rack. My donor was a 2000 Blazer. 8 T-25 Torx screws held the roof rack, 2 at each corner. Once removed, I disassembled it with the Phillips screwdriver and slid the cross rails out.
Step 2:
You will need this measurement. Mine was a little over a half inch, so my donor parts (nearly .75")needed to be trimmed. If your C channel measures about the same as your donor rails, you may be able to install without trimming. That's called a win.
View attachment 11802
Step 3:
If the donor rails measure more than your C channel, you will need to trim them down. There was a seam that marked the center line of the ears, for lack of a better word. I didn't think to get a pre-trimmed pic.
View attachment 11803
Step 4:
This metal piece will also need to be trimmed. It clamps to the inside of the C channel and holds the rail in place. Use some WD-40 when removing the thumb screw. The threads are mashed at the end to keep it from inadvertently being unscrewed all the way and the lube might keep the threads from galling. Go slow...
View attachment 11804
Step 5:
With your donor rails trimmed to fit, just slide them in from the back as the OEM ones do. Be sure the metal piece is INSIDE the C channel.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11754&thumb=1&d=1380335105
Position as desired and hand tighten the thumb screws to secure.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11755&thumb=1&d=1380335105
Then load up!
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11756&thumb=1&d=1380335105
New OEM cross rails: $100
That cargo box on GMAccessorieszone.com: $385
I paid $12.95 for the cross rails including the $2 entrance fee and sales tax, and $27.32 including tax for the box at a local thrift store. $485 vs. $40.27 and a couple hours of piddling. I think I won.
Last edited:
