[TR] trunk luggage rack TR3

[Geo Hahn]

On 12/11/10, Randall <TR3driver at ca.rr.com> wrote:

>> how tough was it to get the hinge pins out?
>
> ...I don't think doing this on the car would be a good idea, though.

No doubt it is not a good idea -- but I did it anyway.  Used a
C-Clamp, a nut with an opening larger than the pin and a bit of metal
smaller than the diameter of the pin.  But then mine pressed out
easily, yours may not.

I did not used the pins supplied with the rack as they prevent you
from removing the rack with the hinges in place (something I wanted to
do easily and frequently).  Instead I used allen-head cap bolts and
nyloc nuts with some nylon bushings from Ace to make it all fit.

Now let me think... what did I do with those pins I didn't need?

> Some kind person on this list sent me a replacement, but I'm ashamed to
> admit that I have forgotten who it was.

Oh yeah, now I remember.

> Note that the rubber feet supplied (at least the ones I got from TRF) will
> leave marks in the paint.

I glued (double-sided tape actually) circles cut from an old
sweatshirt to the rubber feet.  I affixed the material to a circle of
sheet aluminum to present a flat surface contact (the rubber pads on
mine were concave and w/o the aluminum would have mainly made contact
near the edges).  That and a good waxing before installation has
prevented serious marks on my soft-as-butter clear coat finish.

Geo