Roof rails/racks for '21 w/Moonroof?

[DerkB]

I was surprised that my '21 ST arrived without roof rails and neither Thule nor Yakama has an option for a rack? Dealer says rails aren't an option w/Moonroof. I would really like to use a ski rack. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[singingwhodat]

I have a 21’ with the sunroof and roof rails from Ford


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[UNBROKEN]

First…your dealer is wrong like most tend to be. Second…The oem rails are optional now and while expensive can be added to any Explorer…pano roof or not.
Lots of people want to delete theirs so hold on to the pieces on your car now…you can definitely sell them.

 

[Blown F-150]

I have a ‘21 that didn’t come with the rails. I found someone that wanted to delete theirs ( they had a ‘20) and we swapped parts. It is a little bit of work and you have to at least partially drop the headliner to get at the fasteners.

I think he said it was over $800 to buy the “delete” parts and it was well over a grand for me to buy the rails and misc parts to add them. We were both happy to be able to swap.


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[riverbadboy]

I have a 21 with the pano roof that came with the rails. I removed them since I didn't trust the wife and kids to load the roof correctly lol

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[DerkB]

First…your dealer is wrong like most tend to be. Second…The oem rails are optional now and while expensive can be added to any Explorer…pano roof or not.
Lots of people want to delete theirs so hold on to the pieces on your car now…you can definitely sell them.

Thanks!

 

[DerkB]

I have a ‘21 that didn’t come with the rails. I found someone that wanted to delete theirs ( they had a ‘20) and we swapped parts. It is a little bit of work and you have to at least partially drop the headliner to get at the fasteners.

I think he said it was over $800 to buy the “delete” parts and it was well over a grand for me to buy the rails and misc parts to add them. We were both happy to be able to swap.


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[DerkB]

Thanks for your response. I’m wondering what parts you would have swapped from your side of the trade. What are the “delete” parts?

 

[UNBROKEN]

Thanks for your response. I’m wondering what parts you would have swapped from your side of the trade. What are the “delete” parts?

There’s only 4 parts. Both trim panels in your case and under that at the front on each side there’s a retainer.
The bars use a shorter retainer then the bars themselves.

 

[Blown F-150]

Exactly what Unbroken stated. There really isn’t that many parts, just a pain to get at the nuts to remove them.

I provided the top “cap” trim piece and the retainers that it snaps onto for each side.

He provided the rails, the trim pieces under, the plastic caps front, rear and under the rails and then all the applicable fasteners.

Just to keep the swap straight forward I gave him everything to install the delete and he gave me everything to install the rails, even though the fasteners are basically the same.


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[DerkB]

Exactly what Unbroken stated. There really isn’t that many parts, just a pain to get at the nuts to remove them.

I provided the top “cap” trim piece and the retainers that it snaps onto for each side.

He provided the rails, the trim pieces under, the plastic caps front, rear and under the rails and then all the applicable fasteners.

Just to keep the swap straight forward I gave him everything to install the delete and he gave me everything to install the rails, even though the fasteners are basically the same.


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Thanks so much for your responses. Very Helpful!

 

[DerkB]

There’s only 4 parts. Both trim panels in your case and under that at the front on each side there’s a retainer.
The bars use a shorter retainer then the bars themselves.

Thank you Unbroken!

 

[riverbadboy]

It cost me 495 for the two delete mouldings. You will have 2 holes to put plugs into. I used 3m weatherstrip black glue along with the plugs. I let it dry overnight and installed the mouldings next day.

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[GearHead_1]

Interesting install method. I've used that product for almost 40 years. 3M's weatherstrip adhesive is designed to cure once the parts are mated as opposed to letting it cure and then applying the part. 3M's WSA, unlike 3M's silicone, is not very flexible 24 hours later.

 

[UNBROKEN]

It cost me 495 for the two delete mouldings. You will have 2 holes to put plugs into. I used 3m weatherstrip black glue along with the plugs. I let it dry overnight and installed the mouldings next day.

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You didn’t use the correct front retainer then. You used the short one from the rails instead of the correct, longer one that has the stud built in for that hole you plugged.

 

[riverbadboy]

Probably, dealer here had very little information about all the clips that I needed. It secured down fine and after 3 different rain storms seems like it works ok. I might contact them for the right ones. Ty

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[Chrisicle]

So I actually had the same issue and I had the OEM roof rails installed. Heads ups ITS EXPENSIVE.

the dealer convinced me that I could get them installed later for $600. I later returned to ask about the install and they told me parts alone were $2100 for OEM roof rails. They also said that you have to drill a couple holes on each side of the roof to install the rails. Ford will not insure that kind of work from the dealer therefor the dealer refused to do the install.

Months later I stumbled upon a totaled explorer XLT and bought all the necessary parts for the roof rail install for $400. I went to the dealer and they informed me of a shop that does quality work and would do the install. The install turned out to be more work than they thought. But the install cost was $600.Cross bars were cheaper for me since I am a Ford employee.

total cost was about $1300. If I would have bought all the parts from the dealer this would have cost me $3000. I’m sorry if this disappointed you, I was rather livid myself, but I need roof racks. The other downside is that I have the XLT roof rails now. So there regular black plastic not the gloss black rails all other STs have.

 

[UNBROKEN]

So I actually had the same issue and I had the OEM roof rails installed. Heads ups ITS EXPENSIVE.

the dealer convinced me that I could get them installed later for $600. I later returned to ask about the install and they told me parts alone were $2100 for OEM roof rails. They also said that you have to drill a couple holes on each side of the roof to install the rails. Ford will not insure that kind of work from the dealer therefor the dealer refused to do the install.

Months later I stumbled upon a totaled explorer XLT and bought all the necessary parts for the roof rail install for $400. I went to the dealer and they informed me of a shop that does quality work and would do the install. The install turned out to be more work than they thought. But the install cost was $600.Cross bars were cheaper for me since I am a Ford employee.

total cost was about $1300. If I would have bought all the parts from the dealer this would have cost me $3000. I’m sorry if this disappointed you, I was rather livid myself, but I need roof racks. The other downside is that I have the XLT roof rails now. So there regular black plastic not the gloss black rails all other STs have.

You don’t have to drill any extra holes. Why do people that don’t know what they’re talking about…like damn near every dealer out there…keep lying to people?

 

[Chrisicle]

You don’t have to drill any extra holes. Why do people that don’t know what they’re talking about…like damn near every dealer out there…keep lying to people?

Mine DID need holes drilled, I removed the originally plastic in the roof and when I saw there was sheet metal where the studs were suppose to go that’s when I decided I was not going to do it myself. BTW I’m a body construction engineer at ford. Things change, we will change things middle of the year on a model. Things change far more frequently than normal due to Covid.

 

[GearHead_1]

Kinda like our rear crossmember.