[Spongey]

Firstly hello, have just joined but have been looking at the site for the past few months and there is some great information here! I own a new model CRDi estate.

My car currently has some 5 month old Hyundai roof bars however, have been having a lot of issues with the bolts which hold the inserts in the roof tracks rusting and staining the silver inserts. After having no joy with the dealers, with there last ‘fix’ been sent away with them painted (which is now rusting through) and Hyundai UK sending me back to the dealers. I am in the market for other options as am not prepared to have rusting bolts on the roof of my car. 

I have been looking at a Thule kit with the 719 feet, 3119 fitting kit and was wondering if any other i30 estate owners have used this kit. I know the roof is different between the hatchback and the estate. Estate has 2 silver tracks which for Hyundai’s own brand roof rails require an additional insert to be bolted in which the hatch back doesn’t need. Is the Thule kit easy to take on / off, does it fit well? Is it solid? Wasn’t massively impressed with the single rivet on the Hyundai’s esp not with a canoe on the roof (even with it tied down front and back)!

Any help / advice greatly received!!

Dave

[Phil №❶]

What about stainless steel bolts, cheaper than a kit.

[Spongey]

Annoyingly the bolts are unique and designed to fit on a very short stud and to be tightened by an allen Key due to the recessed nature there is no access to the outside edge so I think you would struggle to get a socket in. I will try attach a picture.

Thanks for your reply,
Dave

EDIT (The scratch has now been repaired and this is when they were first fitted hence no rust)

[Mike SX]

What about stainless steel bolts, cheaper than a kit.

  But, using an identical allen screw - instead of a hexagonal bolt head

[Phil №❶]

Ok, I see what you mean, they are quite specialised. You could have them anodised by electroplating.

[Mike SX]

You could have them anodised by electroplating.

Anodising is for aluminium, and zinc or passivation may increase the thread size slightly - causing them to bind.

Are the bolts or the allen nuts or both, rusting.

If just the allen nuts, maybe cutting off the stud part of s/s allen screws and drilling and tapping.

[Doggie 1]

 

[rustynutz]

What about stainless steel bolts, cheaper than a kit.

  But, using an identical allen screw - instead of a hexagonal bolt head

 

Surely a specialist bolt shop or a boat yard would have something similar in stainless? 

[Spongey]

Hey all thanks so much for your help!!
I have contacted a local electroplaters today which is something I didn’t even think about before. I used to work as a quality control engineer and as interphase said hot dip zinc plating would cause too larger increase in size of the thread however should be able to get away with a 10-20 micrometer zinc electro coating as thread tolerance doesn’t tend to be that close.
Once again many thanks will feed back when I have more news. If anyone has any experience of non Hyundai racks on the new shape i30 estate any feedback would be great!!

Many Thanks,
Dave

[Dazzler]