Bicycle Tube Sunroof Fix/wind noise gone!

[LC4LIFE]

Well I have been chasing some wind noise at the top of the A-pillar on both sides of my cruiser for a long time. I have checked door alignment, mirror sealing, weatherstripping etc. to get rid of the wind noise and never got it as quiet as I new it should be.

I always noticed when I had the sunroof cover pushed back but the sunroof closed there was more noise than with the cover pulled forward. So yesterday I went on the hunt to re-align the sunroof for better sealing and to hopefully cure some of the noise I have been chasing. After removing the sunroof glass and looking at the weatherstrip I determined that over time the weatherstrip has been crushed just enough to not seal tightly at the opening on the roof. This gap either lets wind in or causes enough vacuum to make it sound like the upper door is where the wind noise is coming from.

On to the bicycle tire fix: I knew I needed something to thicken the weatherstrip a very small amount, but still retain a certain amount of pliability. Hence the bicycle tube. You will see in the photos below that all I did was cut a 26" tube all the way around about 3/16" wide. This allowed it to be stretched around the sunroof between the glass and existing weatherstripping making the effective weatherstrip about 1/16 thicker all the way around. Also, leaving the cut tube in one piece allows it to stretch around the glass and then it holds itself in place. All this work was done with the glass off and from the underside of the glass. You can roll the weatherstrip away from the glass easily on the underside and that is where the cut tube goes in.

Once the glass was back in and aligned you could visually see from the top that it sealed better and the motion opening and closing was more snug. My wind noise at the doors and sunroof is gone.

Sorry for the lack of photos with the glass out, I wasn't sure this fix would really work so I slacked off on the photos. So here are a few of the tube cut to size, weatherstrip from inside and a picture of the tube in between the sunroof glass and the existing weatherstrip.

 

[tblume]

I need more info! this is moving up on my priority list steadily as I baseline everything else, good idea

any more pics would help, it sounds like you put the tube rubber around the glass, with the factory seal holding it in place; did you use any adhesive?

 

[LC4LIFE]

No adhesive was necessyary, the pressure from the stretched tube along with the pressure from the existing weatherstrip holds it in place very tight.

 

[tblume]

will probably do this in a week or so, thanks for the KISS idea.

 

[KurtKuhn]

LC-

Thanks for the write up.

Just one point for clarification to make sure I understand.

Am I correct in stating that the bicycle tube gets stretched around the sunroof glass, then the weather strip is reinstalled over top?

-KK

 

[LC4LIFE]

Yes, the tube get stretched around the glass, but the weatherstrip is actually attached to the glass so you cannot remove it. You are able insert the tube between the glass and weatherstrip by slightly pulling the weatherstrip away from the glass on the underside.

 

[badmuthatrucka]

This looks like a great idea! I have had this problem as well, and as soon as I finish fixing my front DS wheel bearings, I will look into doing this.

And I assume that you left the tire valve on so that you could adjust it to a larger size as needed, right?

 

[tblume]

did this last night, what a difference a bit of rubber makes with the noise; used to be louder closed than in the tilted up position, now it's opposite and I don't have to turn up the radio when at speed.

hardest part was popping the tube out of my old three speed, second hardest was popping the sunroof garnish pieces off the sides of the glass to expose the nuts.

, job, go do this today if you have noise up there.

 

[cartercd]

I didn't want to bother with removing the glass, so I just took some inner tube and sandwiched it between the frame and weatherstripping at the front and rear of the sunroof. You can do this from the inside of the truck. It solved my wind noise issue. The "sandwich" appears tight enough to hold the inner tube in place. This might be an option for some instead of completely removing the sunroof glass. Thanks for the tip.

 

[d0ubledown]

very nifty...nice writeup! will definitely have to try this. ive got wind noise when the sunroof is fully closed, but the noise disappears if i slightly tilt up. hopefully this solves that problem

 

[IronYuppy]

A couple of Q's.

I have the FSM and it details how to remove the roof glass. But it doesn't specify what position the glass should be in for removal. Should it be closed? Open? Popped-up?

Is it necessary to remove the roof's motor, bracket, visors, etc to do this?

edit: I just tucked-in and started it. FYI you DO NOT need to disconnect the motor or any of that stuff suggested in the FSM. Just remove the map-light assembly, visors, rear-view mirror and the trim piece around the sunroof opening to access the area. This gives you a little wiggle-room for the headliner. Then you need to remove the hard plastic "garnishes" on either side of the glass assembly to access the six nuts that hold it in place.

Not sure if the same procedure applies to the 95-97 with the molded headliner. My 94 was a snap because the cloth headliner is somewhat easy to manipulate.

 

[tblume]

my '93 was just the side garnishes and the nuts, from the closed position, prolly coulda done it tilted, but whatevs; super easy.

 

[IronYuppy]

my '93 was just the side garnishes and the nuts, from the closed position, prolly coulda done it tilted, but whatevs; super easy.

Yeah, the FSM was slightly overkill on this one. Not being familiar with the assembly, I followed the book - it wasn't until I had everything back together that I was convinced there's an easier way. IMO I think it could be done with just removing that trim ring around the opening in the headliner, and the two garnishes would pop right out . Instead, I spent 4+ hours mucking about (and breaking one of the visor mounts ).

 

[tblume]

. Instead, I spent 4+ hours mucking about (and breaking one of the visor mounts ).

:whoops:





btw, (chat)

home movies is a huge hit here at my house, as is DETHKLOK.

"jiminy jillikeres, aint it great, fenten meulley's turning eight." -- McGurk

(chat off)

 

[akarilo]

I wonder if this mod could help my sunroof rattling problem. The noise occurs due to the slack in the track mechanism. I have a feeling that a tighter fit might keep the glass from jumping up and down on washboard type bumps. Thoughts?

 

[jamisobe]

I wonder if this mod could help my sunroof rattling problem. The noise occurs due to the slack in the track mechanism. I have a feeling that a tighter fit might keep the glass from jumping up and down on washboard type bumps. Thoughts?

I had some noise from the front metal strip (the one that flips up when the sunroof is opened) when the sunroof is closed. I put a piece of thin cardboard between the metal flap and the roof on which it lays, I close the sunroof liner so the cardboard is not seen and the rattle stops. It seems that something might be glued to the flap where it touches the roof for something a bit more permanent and less rigged.

 

[smcphc]

After reading your post, I went out and took a look, and figured a piece of foam weatherstrip might do the job. I had some with adhesive on one side, cut a length, and stuck it to the top of metal flap. With the sunroof closed, I used to be able to push up on it and feel the slack, now it's nice and snug. I'll take it for a quick test drive and see how it does on the road.

Scott

I had some noise from the front metal strip (the one that flips up when the sunroof is opened) when the sunroof is closed. I put a piece of thin cardboard between the metal flap and the roof on which it lays, I close the sunroof liner so the cardboard is not seen and the rattle stops. It seems that something might be glued to the flap where it touches the roof for something a bit more permanent and less rigged.

 

[smcphc]

After reading your post, I went out and took a look, and figured a piece of foam weatherstrip might do the job. I had some with adhesive on one side, cut a length, and stuck it to the top of metal flap. With the sunroof closed, I used to be able to push up on it and feel the slack, now it's nice and snug. I'll take it for a quick test drive and see how it does on the road.

Scott

Wow, I think a mudder just saved my marriage! Thanks jamisobe! Every time my wife got in the 80, as soon as we were out of the driveway the rattle would rear it's ugly head and I would hear "When are you gonna fix the sunroof". I had searched multiple threads, and most didn't look like easy fixes.

Anyway, I stuck the foam on the wind flap and just took it for a quick spin around the block, and the rattle is gone! I couldn't believe it at first, I heard a few squeaks, but I flipped the sunroof up and then down, and then silence, blessed silence. I've lived with this since I got the 80, so it was either rattling with it closed or wind noise with it open, take your pick.

If anyone can tell me a downside to this, please let me know, but my fingers are crossed that I can take this off the list.

Scott

 

[jamisobe]

Wow, I think a mudder just saved my marriage! Thanks jamisobe! Every time my wife got in the 80, as soon as we were out of the driveway the rattle would rear it's ugly head and I would hear "When are you gonna fix the sunroof". I had searched multiple threads, and most didn't look like easy fixes.

Anyway, I stuck the foam on the wind flap and just took it for a quick spin around the block, and the rattle is gone! I couldn't believe it at first, I heard a few squeaks, but I flipped the sunroof up and then down, and then silence, blessed silence. I've lived with this since I got the 80, so it was either rattling with it closed or wind noise with it open, take your pick.

If anyone can tell me a downside to this, please let me know, but my fingers are crossed that I can take this off the list.

Scott

Scott, you call me for all of your marriage counciling needs.

The weatherstripping is a good idea. I will do something similar and lose the cardboard.

 

[akarilo]

Rattle

The mod is done and definately improved the "rattling" noise I had. A heavy duty washboard bump will still rattle it somwhat but a huge improvement over the previous condition.
Highly recommend it.