I need to refinish my drip rails. I've seen a video of someone removing them, but he'd already broken the front piece(s), so he had to buy new. The 3" front piece hooks onto that white mushroom-headed clip above the A-pillar trim.

My question: is the drip rail removable with this 3" front piece intact? Can I disconnect the rail screws and rearmost clips and then just push the rail forward to release the front piece from its retainer clip? Or, can I disconnect the entire rail from this front piece without breaking it (does it slide together) and leave it on the car?

 

I left mine on and repainted them with Plasti-Dip spray paint after taping newspaper above and below the roof rails.

3 years later they still look great.

 

This was absolutely my first train of thought, before knowing how easily they could be removed. But SO much taping off of the car... Spray paint gets everywhere no matter how careful you are.

 

Took me about 60 minutes for both sides.

You can also use butcher wrap paper for more coverage.

Also, since it is plasti-dip, any over spray on the paint peels off when dry.

 

Once I saw how easily these come off the car (a few screws in the top of the door opening, and some clips over the side windows) I was all for pulling them off to paint them. But that damn front 3" piece stopped me in my tracks. It might be something stupid-easy but I don't want to break anything to find out what I should have done.

Doesn't anyone know how to pull the drip rails without breaking off that front section?

 

I found this, hope it helps.


well, to remove the drip rails, you must:

-open both doors

-pull at your black weather stripping, there are screws under there that you have to undo...

-once the weather stripping is pulled down (about half way down the door opening, you don't need to go much further) begin removing the screws that are underneath the roof edge.

-Once you have done that, you are almost home free, the very front of the drip edge, the piece that is over the a-pillar cover, locks in with a head and a slot, meaning it has to be slid forward before being pulled out, so, you have to start pulling near the b-pillar. The portion of the drip edge that is over the rear window just snaps in with clips, so it should pry off pretty easily.

-make sure that the drip edge is un-clipped all the way back once that is done, push the drip edge forward so that the "head" lines up with the hole in the "slot" and can be removed without any force.

Just be careful that you don't snap the front of the drip-edge off, because you will either have to glue it onto the car, or you will have to purchase a whole new drip edge...

I hope that this helps!

-Chase

 

It is possible to remove it all without damaging the clips. You have to get the rail loose then push it all forward to get it off the white mushroom clip. The only damage you can do to that is snapping the part that holds onto the clip. Or more likely, the molded drainage parts. Everything in this area is sketchy to take apart, and of you damage anything you're looking at a water leak into your footwell. I could share pics at some point if it helps.

 

Exactly what I wanted to know! Thanks, NC.

 

Here is the pics, just be careful on those ears on the gutters

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ent-parts.html










Here are the clips: 51137058122

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...find-part.html

 

Hijacking this to ask how do you clean the drain holes? I think mine are stuffed up.

 

Thanks for this. It looked like it was possible to just push the entire rail forward to get it off of the "mushroom", but I wasn't sure. Further, it looks like I'd be able to pull the main rail off of the forward curved piece but I don't know how the two are attached, and the video(s) I watched showed how easy it is to break them. I think I'll just leave them attached and pull the complete rails off as a single part.

 

Pretty sure you can just pull them apart safely, they're clipped together and can just be pushed back together

 

You can see a part with a hole in it in the picture that was just posted of the rail. In the picture it's just to the left of the clip in question. It's at the front of the drainage rail. I stuck a needle through mine to get the junk out of it. But keep in mind that hole drains into another molded part behind the a pillar that also guides the water down what makes you think it's clogged? Is it visible or something else?

 

Every time I wash the car and blow it off, there's pretty much an endless stream of water that pours out of the gutters where the drains are. Taking the a-pillar trim off isn't bad, I'll work on it. How big is the needle you're talking about? I was thinking I'd need something the size of a dipstick to work with, but I guess I can reach the rest through the a-pillar.

 

I just moved a sewing needle around in there before I realized mine needed more work. Got all the junk out of that little hole though

 

Yes. It can be removed, but you have to be careful and remove the screw holding the 3" part in place. It also hooks and slides onto a plastic post. I bought new drip rails as well as beltline moldings due to mine looking like they had a rash. Very easy job to do.

 

I know about the plastic "mushroom" clip, but what is the screw you mentioned?

 

Ix nay on the screw I mentioned. That is for the A-pillar plastic removal. My fault. Still an easy job though by sliding and lifting off the clip