FJ with roof rack - BANNED from City Parking Garage!!

3081 Views 33 Replies 19 Participants Last post by ballkillerxxx, May 28, 2008

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · May 28, 2008 (Edited)

WARNING - rant followed by question...
We have a horrific parking situation at our building, in which we as residents were put into a situation where there was no available guaranteed parking in the area for us. Instead, we are required to buy "passes" to the city garage and we are expected to park there. (never mind that they don't staff it and it's usually free for anyone to park there, and hence we are sometimes unable to park our smaller car there because it's full.)

Our FJ has a roof rack and during a snow emergency, when we were REQUIRED to park in the garages and not on the streets, we were turned away from the garage and wound up leaving it in a parking lot and hoping for the best.

We now have to leave it parked at a meter during the day, since my husband works from home, and feed the meter - problem is, that it is very recognizable and if if even clicks over for a moment to "expired", it's almost as if the meter monitors wait for it to expire and ticket us immediately.
(I hope that's not really how it is, but it feels like it!)
Few local businesses have dedicated parking, and those that do, do not have the available space to lease us an outdoor parking space. We've tried.

It's a horrible, nasty situation, and we shouldn't have to sell our home and move in this market to escape this, and we're certainly not giving up the FJ either!!!

The city certainly won't bend the rules for us, or build a new garage with a clearance more that 6'6" or 6'8".

SO, the question is - could we safely remove the roof rack without damaging it, or the roof? Is there a market for OEM roof racks, since we won't have a use for it?

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

jeshua

· #2 · May 28, 2008

sorry for the hassle.

You can remove the roof rack with out issue or damage people do it all the time. And you could probebly sale it on the forum for a couple bucks. I would check the classified section and see what the going rate is for a OEM rack. Good luck.

bone3412

· #3 · May 28, 2008

wow thats nuts!!! You can remove the factory roofrack, and from what Ive read its not hard to do at all. As far as selling the rack after, I dont know for sure but a lot of people have added the factory rack after purchasing their FJ so I wouldnt think youd have a problem selling it.

crusherII

· #4 · May 28, 2008

Yes, search and you will find the instructions. BEFORE you do it make sure you get the SIX covers for the holes left.

As for selling the rack, post it and see what happens.

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 28, 2008

Wow! Thanks for the quick responses! This has really cheered me up.

bone3412

· #6 · May 28, 2008

Oh I forgot to mention you have to get the plugs for where the mounts are, I would think that when you sell it you might be able to get the plugs from the person who buys it.

FJ FunJunkie

· #7 · May 28, 2008

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage said:
WARNING - rant followed by question...
We have a horrific parking situation at our building, in which we as residents were put into a situation where there was no available guaranteed parking in the area for us. Instead, we are required to buy "passes" to the city garage and we are expected to park there. (never mind that they don't staff it and it's usually free for anyone to park there, and hence we are sometimes unable to park our smaller car there because it's full.)

Our FJ has a roof rack and during a snow emergency, when we were REQUIRED to park in the garages and not on the streets, we were turned away from the garage and wound up leaving it in a parking lot and hoping for the best.

We now have to leave it parked at a meter during the day, since my husband works from home, and feed the meter - problem is, that it is very recognizable and if if even clicks over for a moment to "expired", it's almost as if the meter monitors wait for it to expire and ticket us immediately.
(I hope that's not really how it is, but it feels like it!)
Few local businesses have dedicated parking, and those that do, do not have the available space to lease us an outdoor parking space. We've tried.

It's a horrible, nasty situation, and we shouldn't have to sell our home and move in this market to escape this, and we're certainly not giving up the FJ either!!!

The city certainly won't bend the rules for us, or build a new garage with a clearance more that 6'6" or 6'8".

SO, the question is - could we safely remove the roof rack without damaging it, or the roof? Is there a market for OEM roof racks, since we won't have a use for it?

You can absolutely remove it, and there are plenty of folks who will be interested to buy it, the one thing I'd suggest though is to find someone local to sell to as you will need their plastic blank off plated once you remove the rack. it is quite easy, just be gentle on the bolts when removing them because the nut in the headliner can snap and then ya gotta drop the headliner and go fishing for it. It's a very easy job and I'm sure you can find someone in your area to help ya out. Good luck!!

FJ FunJunkie

· #8 · May 28, 2008

wow People jumped on this thread like a grenade, I've been seeing used racks in new or good condition going around 250 to 350. Some nice money to get something else you can use.

UnionRef

· #9 · May 28, 2008

Where do you live? I wonder if it's the same garage I tried to park in!

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 28, 2008

UnionRef said:
Where do you live? I wonder if it's the same garage I tried to park in!

Nope, we're not in your state. It's a sensitive issue, so I don't want to ruffle feathers around here by saying where we are - but it's not Memphis!:bigthumb:

FJ FunJunkie

· #11 · May 28, 2008

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage said:
Nope, we're not in your state. It's a sensitive issue, so I don't want to ruffle feathers around here by saying where we are - but it's not Memphis!:bigthumb:

I don't think the issue would be ruffling feathers so much as someone knowing what area you are in to help remove it and buy it. lol :bigthumb:

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 28, 2008

FJ FunJunkie said:
I don't think the issue would be ruffling feathers so much as someone knowing what area you are in to help remove it and buy it. lol :bigthumb:

Hahaha.... true, true... well we're in the NH/MA/ME area... Email me if you are interested in a gently/never used (other than environmental exposure)
FJ roofrack!! We just might be interested in talking to you about it (unless hubby wants to keep it in the living room?!?)

Brock

· #13 · May 28, 2008

I drove my FJ from Charleston to DC recently for a business trip instead of flying. hotel downtown with parking and height was 6'6" on sign. My 3" ToyTec OME lift with 295x70x17 Nitto Terra Grapplers made it in there fine...actually was no room left under the swinging height bar to put a dollar bill between...but had 4 inches easy inside garage. On way out it would lift slightly and hit the bolt head in the rack cross member it was so close.

It will fit a 6'6" garage....or at least mine would. It is tight though.

logan9967

· #14 · May 28, 2008

just make sure the roof gets sealed nice when you take off the roof rack, the dehumidifier mod is getting quite popular

Mikey D.

· #15 · May 28, 2008

Welcome aboard! I'm sorry to hear of your problem, I hope you get it rectified soon.

One question...do you have any NY Yankees or NY Giants insignias on your FJ? That could be a big part of the problem if you're in the NE area! :lol:

Mike

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · #16 · May 28, 2008

Brock said:
I drove my FJ from Charleston to DC recently for a business trip instead of flying. hotel downtown with parking and height was 6'6" on sign. My 3" ToyTec OME lift with 295x70x17 Nitto Terra Grapplers made it in there fine...actually was no room left under the swinging height bar to put a dollar bill between...but had 4 inches easy inside garage. On way out it would lift slightly and hit the bolt head in the rack cross member it was so close.

It will fit a 6'6" garage....or at least mine would. It is tight though.

\

It's not up to us to decide about parking there. We were physically barred by personnel from the garage, one of the rare times it was actually staffed. The bar they have hanging clearly scrapes the roof rack, there's not an ounce of leeway there.
It may be hung at an incorrect height that is shorter than it claims, but frankly, no one in the city government gives a damn about our situation, and there are many more pressing issues in the city, so I highly doubt they'd do a thing about it.

Your optimism is appreciated, but alas it is for naught in our case.

logan9967

· #17 · May 28, 2008

load down the fj so it fits under

if they ask say you have aftermarket lowered suspension thus the fj should be removed from the list, if it's still an issue after the rack comes off

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage

Discussion Starter · #18 · May 28, 2008

Mikey D. said:
One question...do you have any NY Yankees or NY Giants insignias on your FJ? That could be a big part of the problem if you're in the NE area! :lol:

Mike

GASP! NEVER!:lol:

Brock

· #19 · May 28, 2008

LoveTheFJHatetheGarage said:
\

It's not up to us to decide about parking there. We were physically barred by personnel from the garage, one of the rare times it was actually staffed. The bar they have hanging clearly scrapes the roof rack, there's not an ounce of leeway there.
It may be hung at an incorrect height that is shorter than it claims, but frankly, no one in the city government gives a damn about our situation, and there are many more pressing issues in the city, so I highly doubt they'd do a thing about it.

Your optimism is appreciated, but alas it is for naught in our case.

go there at night and remove one or two links from the swinging sign to raise its height...just make sure there is room in garage for that increase LMAO:clap:

DMAND

· #20 · May 28, 2008

I'll trade my covers for your roof rack. Deal?

1 - 20 of 34 Posts

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