Luggage Rack fixings

[Rangoon]

I've just purchased an excellent example of the standard luggage rack from a fellow Fiat enthusiast. However, it didn't come with any fixings. I wondered if anyone might know of a supplier who sells the gaskets, fixing bolts and washers as a baggie set? Alternatively, does anyone know the actual metric bolt size used, so I can DIY it?

[bradartigue]

I've just purchased an excellent example of the standard luggage rack from a fellow Fiat enthusiast. However, it didn't come with any fixings. I wondered if anyone might know of a supplier who sells the gaskets, fixing bolts and washers as a baggie set? Alternatively, does anyone know the actual metric bolt size used, so I can DIY it?

It probably is not metric; the luggage rack most commonly seen on the Spider was made by an American company, installed by dealers, and requires cutting holes in the trunk. It should have four feet that set the angle of the rack on the trunk. Under the feet is a thin rubber circular gasket that you can replace with just about any flat, wide gasket. Early ones had fluted feet that had no gasket in between the rack and top of the foot. Late ones had a straight foot and the only one of these I had had a smaller flat gasket.

[redcars]

I have what I consider to be the standard luggage rack and it has 1/4" course thread bolts with space saver heads and you need the space saver heads.

[Rangoon]

Thanks for your help, fellas.

[SunnySideUp]

I had to replace the rubber cushions on my rack where it meets the trunk lid. I found a rubber washer at Ace Hardware that worked out pretty well. They are a bit thick but the other easily available washers I found and tried all seemed too thin.

I used a Sprinkler Valve washer, LASCO brand, P/N 02-2667. It is 7/32" ID with 1-1/8" OD and about 3/16" thick. They were about $1 each.

Hope that helps!

[spidernut]

I found that the rack fits better to the trunk without the metal pieces that go between the rack and the trunk. You can also use small rubber washers available at Home Despot and sLowes. Mine three luggage racks all had standard/US bolts.

[bradartigue]

Oh and you typically have to adjust the spring tension of the lid so it will stay open. If you look at where the spring attaches you'll see that you can move them back 1 notch.

[redcars]

As far as springs go I had to add helper springs to mine to have it stay open on it's own. I got the springs at Rural King in a size small enough to go inside the original springs and used wire on one end to make them long enough.

[Rangoon]

Yes, I had wondered whether the trunk lid was likely to stay up with the rack on. I'll take a look at those springs as well - thanks for the caution.

[Rangoon]

Well, I finally found time over Easter to mount the luggage rack to the trunk lid.

Initially, I couldn’t find any bolts to fit the four existing holes in the feet, as 3/16” was too small and 1/4” was too big. To add to the confusion, one of the holes had been enlarged by a previous owner to some odd size that defied anything in Imperial or Metric!

So I purchased a cheap SAE/Metric tap set and tapped the three matching holes up to 1/4” and the odd hole up to M8.

I then spent some time laying out painters tape on the truck lid at the four general locations of the feet and refined the final position, drafting my measurements in pencil on the tape. I then traced around the feet, removed the rack, redefined the circular tracings by using a circle template, marking up the quadrants and creating crosshairs to mark the central drilling points.

I started drilling with a 2mm bit and incrementally increased bit size, until the bolts could pass through the resulting holes easily. The two rear-most feet actually sit above the trunk lid’s internal panel supports, so the holes actually pass through two metal surfaces.

With the four holes completed, I returned to the rack, turned it upside down and used superglue to spot-weld black plumbing O-rings to the outer circumference of the feet (three tiny dots were sufficient) to act as a gasket/seal.

Finally, I placed the rack in position and used ratchet sockets to drive the bolts home.

The internal trunk washers are rather prominent, in that they are stock silver, so I’ll spray these at a later date to blend in with the truck lid.

I’ve yet to adjust the springs to compensate for the new weight of the luggage rack, but I understand from the above comments that it’s not that hard to do.

Now, I know there has been some quite spirited debate on the forum about the aesthetics of the Spider profile with or without the luggage rack. But count me in on the ‘Pro-rack’ team – I think it’s a charming accessory.

[RRoller123]

That plumber's o-ring seal is a great idea. The mating surface on the trunk is at significant risk of rusting.

[spidernut]

Looks like you did a great job!