Begin by thoroughly cleaning the rain gutters on your XJ. Dirt and rust here will compromise the mount. If you are using clamp-on gutter mounts (common on Rhino Rack and Warrior products), place the rubber pads into the gutter and tighten the clamps gradually, ensuring the rack sits level . For full-platform racks, loosely assemble the tray on the ground, then lift it onto the vehicle—enlist a friend, as these are bulky. Center the rack front-to-back and side-to-side before torquing all hardware to spec. A pro tip from the Jeep Cherokee Forum: while you have the roof trim partially peeled back for mounting, consider pre-wiring any future accessory lights. Run the wires through the existing rack mounting holes, using a dab of silicone to prevent water intrusion, then tuck them under the headliner to the pillar .
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