I had the VW roof bars for my {old|outdated|previous} GTI. I {liked|appreciated|favored|preferred} {the way|the best way|the way in which} they mounted to the {car|automobile|automotive}, {and i|and that i} {liked|appreciated|favored|preferred} {the way|the best way|the way in which} that attachments mounted on them (sliding {into a|right into a} slot on {the top|the highest}, not clamping {around|round} them like most others). {You can|You may|You possibly can|You'll be able to} see them in {the pictures|the images|the photographs} of my GTI that I posted {previously|beforehand}. {They had|That they had|They'd} key locks on the sides that {kept|saved|stored} the endcaps secured. {The only|The one} {thing|factor} I carry on the bars are SporTube Ski & Snowboard Cases. {When i|After i|Once i} {got|acquired|bought|obtained|received} the A3 I {immediately|instantly} ordered the Audi bars from AutoWebAccessories. They {were|had been|have been} backordered {and finally|and at last|and eventually} {came|got here} in {right|proper} {before|earlier than} I {needed|wanted} them for a ski {trip|journey} over {the holidays|the vacations}. {When they|After they|Once they} arrived, I opened the {box|field} and was horrified to see {all of the|all the|the entire} plastic endcaps (2 {pieces|items} on {each|every} {end|finish} {of each|of every} bar) {were|had been|have been} {completely|fully|utterly} shattered. After my {initial|preliminary} freaking out, I realised {a few|a couple of|a number of|just a few} {things|issues}.
2. {The two|The 2} covers ({upper|higher} and {lower|decrease}) on {each|every} bar are {identical|an identical|equivalent|similar}, {front|entrance}/rear/left/{right|proper}. 3. The plastic fairings {under|below|beneath|underneath} the bar are {different|completely different|totally different} left/{right|proper}, {but|however} {the same|the identical} {front|entrance}/rear. 4. The design of the plastic covers on the ends of the bar are {complete|full} crap {in general|basically|generally|normally|on the whole|typically|usually}, {and especially|and particularly} {compared to|in comparison with} the {version|model} that I had on the {old|outdated|previous} VW. {I couldn't|I could not} have {just|simply} returned them {for another|for an additional|for one more} set. With that taken care of, I {wanted|needed|wished} {to improve|to enhance} on my {original|authentic|unique} SporTube adaptors. My '{version|model} 1' had been {individual|particular person} {pieces|items} {that didn't|that did not} {reach|attain} {the full|the complete|the total} width of the roof bar. I {decided|determined} to make {a new|a brand new} piece. Start with {a piece|a bit|a chunk} of 3/{4|four} inch {square|sq.} aluminium tube, {4|four} {feet|ft|toes} {long|lengthy}. This {is too|is just too|is simply too} {long|lengthy} for the roof bar, so it {has to be|must be|needs to be} {cut|lower|minimize|reduce} down. For the rear bar on the A3, I {decided|determined} to make it 38.5 inches {long|lengthy}. One {end|finish} of the aluminum tube had a sticker on it, {so that|in order that} was {the end|the tip|the top} that {got|acquired|bought|obtained|received} {cut|lower|minimize|reduce} off. {All the|All of the} hacksaw cuts {were|had been|have been} made with the aluminium tube clamped in a mitre {box|field}.
{When you|If you|Once you|Whenever you|While you} get the Aluminium, {also|additionally} get the black plastic caps to snap in {each|every} {end|finish} when {finished|completed}. Aluminium {in the|within the} mitre {box|field} for {cutting|chopping|reducing|slicing}. Next, three equidistant marks {were|had been|have been} made on the bar centred on {where|the place} the notches {would be|can be|could be}. Additional marks {were|had been|have been} made for the cuts of the notches, which {would be|can be|could be} about 1/2 inch {wide|broad|extensive|huge|large|vast} (or {a little|a bit|a bit of|a little bit|just a little|slightly|somewhat} {more|extra}, {whatever|no matter}). The depth of the notches would {simply|merely} be measured by the {height|peak|top} of the hacksaw blade - when the blade was flush into the {cut|lower|minimize|reduce}, {stop|cease} {cutting|chopping|reducing|slicing}! Marks for {cutting|chopping|reducing|slicing} a notch. With the hacksaw cuts made for {each|every} notch, {you have|you could have|you have got|you may have|you might have|you will have|you've|you've got|you've gotten} {to finish|to complete} {cutting|chopping|reducing|slicing} the piece out {somehow|by some means|in some way|one way or the other|someway}. A Dremel with a {cut|lower|minimize|reduce}-off wheel is {the perfect|the proper|the right} {tool|device|instrument|software}. Notch cuts {finished|completed} with a Dremel. Once the notches are {cut|lower|minimize|reduce}, {the top|the highest} of the bar {can be|could be|may be|might be|will be} drilled for the mounting bolts. 1 inch in from {the end|the tip|the top} {seems to be|appears to be} about {right|proper}.
Drill a tiny pilot {hole|gap} in {the top|the highest}, then {follow|comply with|observe} by drilling it with a 1/{4|four} inch bit {through|by|by means of|by way of|via} {the top|the highest} and on {through|by|by means of|by way of|via} {the bottom|the underside} {in one|in a single} step. Now {it's a|it is a} matter of {cleaning|cleansing} up the edges. Start with {a good|a great|a superb|a very good|an excellent} sharp 'flat bastard' file. Aluminium {is very|could be very|may be very} {soft|comfortable|delicate|gentle|mushy|smooth|tender} {and easy|and simple|and straightforward} to work with. If {you've|you have|you've got} {never|by no means} {done|accomplished|achieved|carried out|completed|executed|finished|performed} it {before|earlier than}, {practice|apply|follow|observe} on the scrap piece {that you|that you just|that you simply} {cut|lower|minimize|reduce} off earlier. For 'softening' and rounding the corners, and the {initial|preliminary} cleanup of any burrs on the cuts, stroke one {direction|course|path|route} {only|solely} (away from you). You {can be|could be|may be|might be|will be} {more|extra} aggressive {to clean|to scrub|to wash} up the inside of the notches, squaring the cuts and {cleaning|cleansing} up any imperfections {in the|within the} {lower|decrease} corners {caused by|attributable to|brought on by} the Dremel. Clean up the {inner|inside|interior|internal} edges of the cuts with {a little|a bit|a bit of|a little bit|just a little|slightly|somewhat} 'rat tail' file. Take it {slow|gradual|sluggish}, and in {a few minutes|a couple of minutes} {you can|you may|you possibly can|you'll be able to} have {both|each} ends and {all the|all of the} notch edges smoothed.
