First Post?
Welcome to NAM!

There are pictures here.
Mine just snap into place with out much fuss. I don’t recall that it matters which way they go in.

 

I've been reading this forum for 5 years and somehow never posted? Guess I'm stupider than I thought.

Thanks for the link, somehow I missed that post. One side of the plug has the insert part flush with the part that's visible from the outside so I figured it might matter which end up. They feel like they want to go upward but looking at the pictures maybe I'm trying to push them in the wrong direction. Putting the damn rack on was easy no idea why this is so hard.

 

Later I’ll take a few pictures that might help you, and others.

For what its worth, I used to* put on and take off my MINI racks several times a year. The only issues I ran into were a little chipped paint next to the slots and I wore out one of the brass nuts.

*My R56 has become a garage queen now that I have a Wrangler with roof racks.

 

If I recall correctly, those are just plastic. Maybe try soaking in hot water to make them a bit more pliable?

 

Here a couple of pictures of the cap for the roof rail on my R56 and how mine are installed.


Cap, ribbed side up for installation



Cap partially fitted into the roof slot.

There is an up and down to these caps. On mine the smooth side is down. I install it like I show above, one end first and then push the other end in. It takes a little push, but nothing extreme, and it snaps into place. When I took these pictures, the air temp was about 40 deg. I have installed these in much colder temperatures without issue.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi I’ve read all the thread. I understand how the ‘legs’ work but no matter what, I cannot get them inserted into the hole. I see how they work, I have them fully disengaged from the brass nut etc, so they should go into the slot and then when legs pushed in at the centre they will spread out and hold the rack in position. But - I just cannot get the legs into the roof slot. I did with one although it still didn’t feel fully home, but the others just no chance. Any ideas? I have the rack bolts loosened too to allow some play.

actually just reading page 3 with the pics and maybe I have the drivers side / passenger side orientation wrong. Does that prevent insertion if so? (I’m in the uk so my drivers side is on the right. So should the sticker with the triangle be on the left or right of the car? As viewed if sitting in the drivers seat), perhaps someone can let me know. I’m hoping that’s the problem.

 

The roof shouldn't matter UK or US.
They are referring to the orientation to the front, using drivers side as its written in the US.

I cant help you any more, I remember fighting these 6 years ago, but my R56 went bye bye.

 

Hi thanks for reply. Do you mean the symbol should be above the drivers door (in the US)?

 

I used mine for quite a few years and it wasn’t the easiest to install, but not really hard either. The first time they were installed I had a MINI tech at the dealer show me how to do it. 3 of the legs on mine are pretty easy to get in, the 4th is a little hard. The how-to on Page 3 shows the “pry tool” that is used to push the legs into the slots. This tool is an important part to getting those to fit right. I never used the brass nut to do this. But, as you push the legs into the slots with the pry tool, the nut needs to be threaded in so it will be engaged with the legs. It is a bit of a process. Push and wiggle the legs, thread in the nut, push and wiggle the legs, thread in the nut... etc...

The other thing on mine was that I need to push down a little on the drip rail in order to get the legs to line up with the slot. The drip rail is a bit flexible so this doesn’t hurt it, but it is helpful if it is warm when you do this.

I do follow the stickers on the rack as to which side is which. However, I am not sure what it means in the UK vs the States. Sorry.

Any chance of you posting pictures of what/where you think you are having issues getting this to work right?

BTW - Happy New Year...

 

To answer the question above about the sticker. The sticker needs to go to the "LEFT" side of the car. So if you are in the UK them it needs to be on the passanger side.

I started putting these on in 2008 when I first got my MINI. Honestly these were dificult the first time to get set up propely. But once set up were "easy" (at least in my mind) to install. I could put both the front and the back on in less than 2 minutes total time.

As you have done leave all the bolts on the rails to legs slightly loose. Get the legs inserted and locked down then tighten the bolts from rails to legs tightened.

In my local area i set these up for a bunch of people and all found them rater easy to intall after set up properly.

I no longer have my MINI but if you have questions send me a PM and I will do my best to.

 

To answer the question above about the sticker. The sticker needs to go to the "LEFT" side of the car. So if you are in the UK them it needs to be on the passanger side.

I started putting these on in 2008 when I first got my MINI. Honestly these were dificult the first time to get set up propely. But once set up were "easy" (at least in my mind) to unstall. I could both th front and the back on in less than 2 minutes total time.

As you have done leave all the bolts on the rails to legs slightly loose. Get the legs inserted and loked down then tighten the bolts from rails to legs tightened.

In my local area i set these up for a bunch of people and all found them rater easy to intall after set up properly.

I no longer have my MINI but if you have questions send me a PM and I will do my best to.

 

Hi thanks all I finally managed to get them fitted. One piece of advice I will give in case this was part of the solution - I used some silicon grease as I think I had problems getting the triangular bit that sticks out (see arrow) past the drip rail. For some reason mine was exceedingly tight, and added to my problem of getting the legs pushed into the roof slots. So lubrication helped I think.

I did as suggested and put triangular sticker on the passenger side (in UK!) this time, so maybe that also was the problem, I can’t tell.


Tight spot

fitted

 

Nicely done.

One last thing - I found was to not use the nut to push the legs into place or use it as little as possible. Just thread it in by hand as you push the legs in and when the legs are pretty well seated, then torque the nuts. I wore out one of the nuts and had to rig up a “replacement” with washers and whatnot. Keep the nuts pretty well lubricated and they should last.