How to Install a Roof Rack on a 2nd Gen 4Runner (90-95)
Before you start
This is the install we walk every V3 customer through. It is not a clamp-on rack: the V3 mounts with fourteen 3/8" steel rivnuts coated in gold zinc, set into the roof. That means drilling. It also means that once it is in, it is not going anywhere — which is the whole point of a rack you intend to put a rooftop tent on.
Set aside an afternoon. The drilling and rivnut work is the careful part; everything after that moves quickly.
Tools you will need
- Drill with a 9/16" bit (a step bit works well)
- Center punch
- Sharpie
- Magnet pen — for steel shavings. Do not skip this one.
- Rivnut tool
- RTV sealant (any color)
- Hand ratchets. Not an impact. With a hand tool you can feel a cross-thread starting; with an impact you cannot.
The detail that makes or breaks the install
The 4Runner roof is domed. Set the assembled rack on the roof in its final position, get the sides matched and the crossbars square, then start the mounting hardware in the crossbars — and angle each bolt so the threaded end points toward the center of the rack. The mounting holes have a little play built in specifically to let you do this. The rivnuts will sit at that same slight angle, so the bolts need to match it.
Get this right and everything seats flat. Get it wrong and you will be fighting the hardware for the rest of the afternoon.
Step by step
1. Mark your holes
With every bolt angled correctly, take the Sharpie and trace a tight, consistent circle around each bolt where it meets the roof. Then pull the bolts and move the rack aside.
2. Punch and drill
Center-punch the middle of each circle as accurately as you can, then drill 9/16". Start slow. If you are using a step bit, stop early and test-fit a rivnut (thread it onto a bolt and use that as a handle) before you go any bigger. You get one shot at each hole — oversize it and you are moving up to a larger rivnut.
3. Clean the holes
Run the magnet pen around every hole and pick up the steel shavings. Shavings left sitting on paint turn into rust spots.
4. Set the rivnuts
Put a bead of RTV around the edge of each rivnut, insert it into the roof, and pull it down with the rivnut tool. This takes real effort. Pull until your knuckles nearly touch, give it a half turn, and tighten again. Wipe the squeezed-out RTV with a shop towel as you go.
5. Set the rack and thread the bolts
Bring the rack back into position and thread all the mounting bolts into their rivnuts. Do not tighten anything down yet.
6. Let it settle, then tighten
Back the crossbar bolts off so the whole rack relaxes flat and every bar seats naturally against the roof line. Then tighten the main mounting bolts — hand ratchet, snug and even, working around the rack rather than doing one side at a time.
7. Seal it
Run RTV around the base of every mounting point. Be generous, then wipe it clean with a finger and a shop towel. Look for air pockets and pinholes and dab more RTV over anything you find. This bead is your water barrier. Done right, the mount is completely waterproof. A pinhole is a drip in your headliner six months from now.
8. Final tighten
With the main bolts down, snug the side bolts, walk around the truck once more checking every fastener, and you are done.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Rushing the drill. Every other step on this list is recoverable. An oversized hole is the one that costs you.
- Skipping the magnet pen. Shavings on paint become rust.
- Reaching for the impact. Cross-threading a rivnut you just set is a bad afternoon.
- Being stingy with RTV. Sealant is cheap. A wet headliner is not.
After the install
A full-length rack changes the airflow over the truck, which is what the wind deflector is for. As one owner put it in his review: “the wind deflector is a must.”
Re-check your hardware after the first few drives, the same way you would re-torque wheels after a tire change. Things settle.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to drill into the roof?
Yes. The V3 mounts on fourteen 3/8" rivnuts set into the roof skin. There is no clamp-on version of this rack, and that is deliberate — it is what allows it to carry a rooftop tent with confidence.
Will water get in?
Not if you do the RTV steps properly. The rivnuts are bedded in sealant and every mounting base gets a sealed bead over it. Check for pinholes before you call it done.
Can I use an impact to speed things up?
Please do not. Hand ratchets let you feel a cross-thread before it becomes a problem.
Does it fit a Hilux Surf?
Yes. Surf owners run these — two of the reviews on the product page are from Surf builds.
How long does the install take?
Plan a relaxed afternoon. It is not a difficult job, but it is one you want to do slowly.
Watch the install
Here is the full install walkthrough on video. It was filmed on a V2 rack, but the mounting concept, the drilling, the rivnuts and the sealing are all the same on the V3:
Every V3 is made to order in our shop. If you have a question about your truck before you order, get in touch — you will get an answer from the person who builds them.
