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Whether you’ve lost your roof bar key or have purchased a used vehicle with a rack already attached, you might need to remove these bars without a key. In either case, removing roof bars without the master key is relatively simple.
With just an Allen key set and long nose pliers, you can remove the roof rack set in no time. Keep reading to learn more.
You can use an Allen key to remove roof bars because it allows you to physically remove the bars from the vehicle. This technique essentially takes the roof rack apart so that you can remove them from the vehicle’s roof. You only need two items and a few minutes to get the job done.
To begin, remove the door seals. This will give you better access to the clamping mechanism that holds the rack in place. Put the door seals to the side for the time being.
You will need to get access to the Allen key bolt. On some models, this opening may be easy to spot. On others, the opening may be underneath the cap or in a hidden location. No matter what kind of a model you have, try to adjust your positioning so that you have as much eyesight on the bolt as possible. Usually, popping up the cap a bit works.
Use an Allen key to loosen that bolt. The size of the Allen key will depend on the brand you have. For many roof racks, a 4 millimeter Allen key works, but others may need an Allen key set as small as 2.5 millimeters. Having a key set will be best since you will have different-sized options.
All you have to do is insert the Allen key and turn it counterclockwise to loosen the bolts. Go slowly while you are loosening the bolt so that you do not drop and lose it.
Once the bolt is loose enough, you can remove the bracket from around the door using long nose pliers. The pliers are only used to make the job a bit easier. You can technically do this with your hands, but it will take more time and may hurt your fingertips. Use a long nose plier for best results.
After you have removed the brackets, repeat all of these steps on the remaining doors. Once you remove the other side, you can remove the rack entirely.
In just five simple steps, you can remove the roof bars from your vehicle without the key. Just grab an Allen key set and long nose pliers. However, only use this technique when removing roof bars off your own vehicle. Do not use this technique to remove and steal roof bars from other vehicles.