Has anyone successfully removed their drip rails off an xj? I'm getting a little rust and was wondering if they can be removed then replaced. If not ill have to work around them.

 

VERY GOOD QUESTION! I have just noticed the same problem with my rail. I do know that I do have to take care of this sooner rather then later.

 

It looks like they are glued, crimped, or clipped on.

 

Are we talking about the rain gutters?

 

Man I hope they aren't glued on, with everyone running around with roof racks mounted to the gutters... I do recall seeing a thread where someone removed them to put tree sliders in.

 

Mine got peeled off by a tree, it has clips and some kind of adhesive.
mine got bent up pretty bad and wont go back on anymore I miss it lol
these are the clips..
http://www.o.teamgrandwagoneer.com/c...+rail&catid=95

 

I do know that on my 98 they are a part of the roof and a single piece of metal. I don't have the chrome or painted cover. it is finished metal. Matter of fact 2 of the 4 that I have owned had the finished metal and not the molding cover.

 

The chrome trim on the rail is glued on. Under that the sheet metal is a seam between the body and the roof that is pinch welded. I split mine open on a recent wheeling encounter with a tree. If you try cutting the rail off then say goodbye to the roof.

 

Unless you weld it back together of course. Hell, a fantasy of mine is to add a Land Rover Discovery high top roof. But that is just fantasy.

 

I don't know what the chrome ones are made of, but mine are steel and painted the color of the jeep. I do see clips and some adhesive, so they wont be easy without possibly bending or kinking them. :/ But if anyone has....please help!

 

pry gently from underside, and they will roll off in a inward fashion. once i had broken the caulking i slid them off by pulling/sliding them forward and messed up not one clip. 4 or 5 of those involved and i think their function is to hold drip rail on til paint/pucky dries.