Lexus GX Roof Rack Delete DIY
Clean up the lines of your Lexus GX with this simple DIY trick from the members at Club Lexus!
Roof racks on SUVs are, in some cases, useful. If you tend to haul things like kayaks, bicycles, or cargo up there. But if you don’t find yourself in need of the extra space, a roof rack can also be rather unsightly. And it would seem that a lot of Lexus GX owners feel that way. Because deleting the roof rack is an incredibly popular DIY project undertaken by a whole bunch of folks.
That includes Club Lexus member Tdoll. But thankfully, he also decided to document the process here in the forums for anyone who might also want to delete their roof rack. If you’re considering doing the job yourself, pretty much everything you need to know is all right here.
“I have seen so many pictures of the Lexus GX with the roof rail deleted, I decided to delete mine. As you may or may not know, some GX470’s came without a roof rail or roof rack, whatever you want to call it. The ones that do not have it have the same drip molding as the ones that came with roof rails. But where the supports are located there are brackets and joint covers. The brackets secure the joint covers via bolts, and the covers secure the drip molding. So with that in mind, I ordered the necessary bolts, brackets, and covers to get the OEM look. Turned out great!!”
“These are the OEM Lexus parts I used to get the “OEM” look and function. The bolt part # is 90119 08C47. You will need a total of 12. When you remove your existing roof rail, the center supports use two bolts for each side. I reused those bolts as they are the ones needed for this. You need 6 brackets and 6 covers. I also had to order the passenger side drip molding because the previous owner lost it.”
The look is certainly clean. But IanB2 wonders aloud if the removal of the Lexus GX roof rack has any residual benefits as well.
“I love the look, and this is on my list of things to do! Did you notice any less side wind effect on the highway with the rack gone? Any change in fuel economy? Or is it just wishful thinking that such a small change would have a noticeable effect?
“The crosswind thing is the bigger concern, but anything I can do to improve fuel economy is a good thing. This is our go-to vehicle for most highway trips, and it’s also the worst of our vehicles on fuel. Considering the competition it has in my fleet, it’s a bit surprising.”
Unfortunately, the OP doesn’t seem to notice much of a difference with any of the above.
“I have not driven on the highway since I did this, so I have not noticed any changes. Honestly don’t think it will make a noticeable difference. I wondered if it would, but honestly we are driving the wrong vehicles if fuel mileage is a concern. Had to come to terms with that long long ago. In the past, I have owned 2 lifted 4x4s, so I am used to poor mileage. Plus I have a heavy right foot.”
So hey, maybe deleting your Lexus GX roof rack won’t solve world hunger. But at least it’ll give your SUV a cleaner look, and that’s certainly worth the few dollars and handful of minutes it takes to make it happen!
