OK.  I'm working blind here, don't have immediate access to this car.  

I'm  asking about a 2001 Outback, specifically the roof strips..not the two roof rails, but the black painted strips that are attached directly to the roof.  

The black paint is peeling off, and the owner asked me to repaint them (she lives far away from me).  Just so I know to bring the appropriate tools to remove them, I need to know how those strips are attached to the car.  Screws?  Rivets?  TORX?  Glue?

Thanks for any information.

Too much difficult with the window seals, etc. Probably rip everything to shreds trying to get them off. The window/door seals are glued in, and the rails are sealed to the body, etc. Just cover them with black vinyl (automotive decal vinyl). That's what we do. 

GD

I believe those were "shrink tubing " to begin with ... the trim pieces above the door were. 

Haha, maybe I wasn't all that clear:  I'm asking about the black strips that run longitudinally on the middle of the roof, BETWEEN  and parallel to the two heavy roof rails (my '96 has three).  If something was to be tied to the roof, it would sit directly on these. 

Edited September 9, 20187 yr by NV Zeno
Spelling, punctuation

NV Zeno,

Just peal them off the roof and remove the glue. Purchase a roll of an appropriately shaped and coloured rubber protection strips that are contact glued to the doors of cars for parking lot door dent protection. There are lots of different shapes and colours to choose from, and they're peal and stick. Couldn't be easier, and a lot less expensive than trying to paint what's there and deterioprated. And when you add up labour costs, you're way ahead of the game.

So...just to be perfectly clear, those strips are glued to the roof, no fasteners, right?

The only real way to confirm would be to remove the roof lining of the interior, or poke one of those inspection cameras up through the centre interior light to make sure there are no retainer screws that have been drilled and fitted to the sheet metal.

Cheers

Bennie

https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_2001_Legacy-Outback-Wagon-30L-AT-4WD/_51505_6029304/ROOF-RAIL-ROOF-SLATS/B12-922-02.html

are these it?  looks more than just glue.

Gentlemen,

Those protection strips obviously (from the parts diagram) fasten into the steel roof, held in place in two places with nuts and in two other places with push in plugs that snap into place, but many times break off when removed.

To get at the nuts means removing the headliner from the car ... meaning two hours work to remove and then replace for a first time DIYer. I've been there done that to get at a sunroof for repairs on a 2002 OBW. The sun visors, mirror, overhead lights, A, B, C, and D pillar moldings, as well as the overhead assist handles (B Pillar seat belt loops as well), all door opening weather stripping covering the headliner has to be pulled half way down, and then the headliner can be removed out the rear of the car.

Go the removal route and you're looking at hours just to remove and replace, and then possibly parts to reattach them (the plugs if they break, the special bolts attached to the rub strips if they're corroded and don't come off , meaning cutting them free.

Go the mask, sand, and paint while they're on the car and you have hours of masking, prep work in an impossible position (on a ladder of some type, reaching over the roof rails, trying not to mark the roof paint ...?

Unless there is a real sentimental reason attached to this 18 year old car, why would anyone do this job at all?

I don't envy your position, but total removal will give you the best job. Good Luck!

This is EXACTLY the information that I was looking for, thanks nvu and gbhrps.  

Since the paint has mostly all peeled off already, it should be a snap to sand and repaint.  I'm not looking for perfection here, the owner is concerned mostly about the appearance of the peeling paint and multicolored roof strips.  I'll probably just mask, sand and repaint with a small brush, just to satisfy my friend's concern about appearance.

 

 

Edited September 11, 20187 yr by NV Zeno