Hello thanks took mine off another question can i buy the rest of the filler strips to complete the slots in the roof rails
thanks tom in vegas

Thanks for the tips guys (and girls)!
:beer:

Wow, I am glad that I found this post.

From the first time I washed my car I wanted to remove the cross rails. Just from looking at them I realized that they would harm gas mileage.

It took me less than ten minutes to go out to my garage and remove the cross rails! The one on the driver's side I was able to remove with my bare hands, the one on the passenger side required a flat head screw driver and a t-shirt to protect the paint.

Be careful though I think I may have actually removed the little lip that is on the bottom left portion of the cap as you look at the photo. This is on the cap that I removed with my bare hands. However it doesn't appear to have affected anything except I think I removed just a little bit of paint...nothing a little touch up paint won't fix however, and it isn't even noticeable to anyone who isn't looking for it.

Thanks again!

I am serious....less than ten minutes (and I had to use a small ladder and go back and forth in a limited amount of space around my SUV!)

Hi, everyone. New on the forum and can't believe the amount of useful info out there. A brief question: when removing the roof rack end caps, is it better to insert the screwdriver on the medial side (ie. towards the center of the roof) or the lateral side of the caps? Does it really matter? I've tried yanking them off with my hands but have had no success. I've pried so hard that the Santa fe actually rocks back and forth. Before proceeding wth a screwdriver, thought I'd learn from others who've done it this way.

On a unrelated note: took the SF in for servicing yesterday because of rattling in the front end- they ended up fixing it , no problem, but told me that changing my oil at other retail outlets would void my warranty because of the type of filter being used. The oil has been changed at a very reputable shop, but the filter used is not a Hyundai filter. Before doing the oil change I asked if it wa warranty approved specifically for the SF and the reply was "yes". Any of you experience the same thing?

Thanks

At least in America, it is illegal for a manufacturer to not allow servicing at other retail outlets, unless the manufacturer provides the service for FREE. It's called the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.

If the other retail outlet uses parts that meet OEM specs, your warranty is not voided. It does not have to be Hyundai brand.

I've found the Fram CH9999 oil filters I bought at Wal-mart are exactly the same as the factory SF filter (3.3L), even made in Korea. I believe they are from the same manufacturer as Hyundai's stock filters.

I just found out that cross rails are optional on the 08's..... go figure :57:

Hmmmmmm, cross rails are optional on the 08 Santa Fe.

I might want to post mine on E-Bay, I don't think I will ever use them.

Thanks for the tips on the simple removal! We'll keep them stored until we decide it's necessary to use a cargo box on top. :thumbsup:

That is 100% baloney, you should have told him to go Frook-off.

Your only issue with using an aftermarket filter is if the filter leaks and causes oil to leak and you end up killing your engine, and the dealer can prove that the filter was the cause, then they may be able to deny warranty... but to claim that your radio is no longer warranted because you used an aftermarket filter (for example) is pure BS.

Great thread.

After reading the instructions and printing the pic, it took me about 10-15 minutes to get the end caps and factory cross-rails off. As posted here before, you need to get the rear part of the end cap off first and then pull it up and toward the back of the vehicle. One end cap came off by just using my hands, the other required some gentle persuasion with a screwdriver. I tried using the screw driver in the small slot at the back of the end cap but that didn't work and it looked like continued pressure would damage the mounting and the end cap. So, after pulling it up very slightly using my hands, I got a screwdriver wrapped in kitchen roll into the outer edge (about midway) and then gently levered it up with a slight twisting and downward motion.

After getting the cross rails off, I realised how flimsy the locking pins of the factory cross rails actually are. They are just plastic pins that enter the roof-rail holes by about 8.5mm (0.33"). Each one is supposed to retain a 25kg (55lb) static weight and handle dynamic loading of more than that. Not only do they look flimsy but, when locked into the holes, they are slightly loose meaning that wear will increase on the pins as the cross rails move about slightly with a load in transit.

Hopefully they won't go on again until I sell the vehicle. In the mean time I'll be getting some of the Thule areo bars from Hyundai. As I mentioned in another thread, at the moment Thule don't supply the required footpack and fitting kit to anyone other than Hyundai so that's the only option (at least in the UK). That is, unless someone has figured out which of the 4900 series footpacks and fitting kits will do the job...........

nb - check this thread for a pic of the pathetic pins:
http://www.hyundai-forums.com/index.php?ac...77&t=23799&st=0

This post has been edited by StoneIce: Feb 24 2008, 03:25 PM

The factory cross bar pins do have a stainless steel rod inside (they are coated in plastic), so they aren't that pathetic. Plus, they are warranted for 5 years so you can get them replaced if they are defective. I took mine in to the dealer because the black tape covering the bottom screws was peeling in the corners, and they gave me 2 new cross bars!

Well, I hope you're right about the pins but I don't think I'll be using mine anyway.

Here's proof of the steel pins. This is a damaged cross bar I had replaced. The cross bars are rated to 220 lbs (100kg) per the manual.

:)

As I have said before, "newbie", we have to keep the economy running.

Don't let the facts confuse you. :)

David <><

Clearly I was wrong about the pins and thanks to maseace for providing the proof.

Edmunds.com ran a test to see if these roof rail have any impact on fuel consumption (using a Buick Enclave)

Aerodynamics and Fuel Economy
These tests were designed to show the impact of aerodynamics on fuel economy. We looked at the effects of adding a roof rack and luggage, dropping the tailgate on a truck and drafting behind an 18-wheeler.



source: http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/...ps.0.*#pressure

BimmerDom,

Hardly worth removing the adjustable roof rails, is it?

Tnx for the info.

David <><