I installed the factory roof rack today, thanks to the instructions from Schatzy62!!!

Rack seemed fairly easy to get on, however my new concern with the install is that is it clearly noticeable that the rack has pushed the seal downward from its normal place, for about 3-4" on either side of each mount. I'm concerned about leakage. I can see clearly that the seal is moved because the line of dirt where the roof meets the seal and now higher than where the seal sit!!!

Any help would be appreciated!

Mike

 

See below

 

Do you really mean 3-4 inches? You can barely see any disruption in the rain gutter on my installation. Is the rubber covered bar under the claw touching your paint. If so, you may need to tighten the nut a little more. This will allow the claw to roll outward and let the rain gutter move back into place. The rubber coated bar should not be touching your paint. Here's some pics of what mine looks like installed.

 

Note that the OP says that it has pushed down the seal on each side for about 3-4"--think horizontally, not vertically.

But it does sound like an alignment problem.

 

If I think about it from that perspective I would say the gutter is depressed down by 1-2 millimeters for about 1-1.5 inches on both sides of the roof slot.

OP, I’ve never had any leaks with my rack installed the way I have it. I live in St. Louis and it’s been on my car since March.

 

To the OP two things

1. did you remove the little rubber strips completely. if no they will cause the gutter to deflect a little more and you will see the gutter variation for a longer area than in some of the pictures shown in this thread.

2. I have had my rack on an off the car over 100 time and it has sat thru many a rain storm including some that have been over 2 inches an hour. NEVER had a leak from the OEM Roof Rack.

 

take a close look at the club door window seal right below the rain gutter in the photo. a little push should reseal the window. mine has some problem and every time you open club door you might have reseat window.