I wanted to try to take off my luggage rack. They are of no use without the cross bars (finally available now for $300). And they make the car more difficult to wash and wax. And they add weight and increase wind resistance. And they make the HHR look more like a truck. So I tried to take them off today. The first three bolts came out easily. But that last one...
They are attached to the roof with rivit-nuts (so the headliner did not have to come down to tighten them). Sadly, the nut is spinning. So now it is loose and I can not finish removing it or tighten it anymore. I tried wedging an awl through the hole, but the bolts are lock-tited in and very, very tight. My only options are to either try to cut the bolt, then I would be faced with removing the rivit-nut. Or, remove the headliner so I can grab the nut from behind. What a bummer.

 

oh no, thats major suckage! I know someone will chime in to help ya out!

 

theres a lot to do to take the headliner out if you have seen any of my cardomain pic. there is a lot of stuff that need to come out it is not fun but it can be done.

 

I have been wanting to remove mine for the same reasons but havent tried yet.

Question....once the bolts are removed, is there a hole that goes thru to the headliner?

Have you tried to remove the other side so we can see whats under that bracket you have pictured?

 

Lee, the "NutSerts" they use expand like a rivet. Nothing really to grab on the other side. Having used them in many applications, you can drill it out from the top, just like you would a rivet, then replace it. It would be a huge help if you had a kit or know someone who does. One thing you can bet on is that it's metric. Once drilled out, it shouldn't be a big piece. I bet if you just let it fall into the headliner, it wouldn't bother you again. On the off chance that it did, you would have to drop the liner to get it out.

 

wow that sucks dont know what to tell you.

 

I would imagine there is a hole of some sort to the headliner. I wonder if some of those "caps" like someone on FSC used on a Tahoe. I can't remember who that was. I'll have to ask over there. I didn't get the rails, was kinda torn on whether I wanted them or not. When the found mine, it didn't have them. Still torn if I want them though.

 

How loose did you get it before it started spinning?? is there enough rome to get say a 45 degree bent pair of needle nose plyers on the bottum part(just below the nut) to hang onto it while you spin the nut the rest of the way off?? Or maybe just apply pressure (say forward ) pinching the bottum threaded deal between the roof rack etc.. while you spin the nut off slowly? this worked for me on some pain in the butt situations!! Good luck!!!

 

Yup, I forgot Angelo posted this pic in my thread about roof racks.
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/appearance-modifications-discussions-6/how-do-you-remove-roof-rails-luggage-rack-4816/

I honestly think Im gonna have my paint/body guy remove the rack and fill/smooth/paint over those holes.