Summer on its way! SUNROOF / MOONROOF DRAIN-CLEAN-MAINTENANCE reminder (With links)! (1 Viewer)

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Hi all!

As someone who just spent way too much time with a water intrusion caused by a number of things, here's a reminder to check and clean your drainplugs for your sunroof; snake them all the way down, and make sure your rocker panels aren't full of water...and clean the pinch welds.

I recently found out about the plug/welds so I will be checking these this weekend, provided the rain stops a bit (Portland/Vancouver Metro area and I don't have a garage).

HERE IS A FANTASTIC DIY LINK about cleaning your drains AND extending the tubs a little bit - Thank you @JerseyCruiser from 2007!

HERE IS A LINK WITH PINCH WELD LOCATIONS (photos) so you know where to look underneath - Thank you @tomatopants from 2007

From experience, if you have water intrusion and it's only on the D/S floor (heavy seepage), it's probably the drain plugs on the sunroof.

I recently found out via another thread that the 1994-1997 has FOUR drain locations on the sunroof - one in each corner and the rears are hard to get to.

If your windshield has been replaced and you cannot verify the gasket was replaced with an OEM gasket, you might want to have it pressure checked and then replaced - a properly sealed windshield gasket, per the 80-series experienced shop I used says "as long as it holds 90psi through the gasket, it's sealed properly". Mine was replaced by the PO and did not use OEM gasket and the windshield shop who did that work did not know the specific way an 80 series needs the gasket installed...this can also cause water leakage behind the dash and cause electrical gremlins (See post #48 in my linked thread for details), which I definitely had.

Have a great spring and summer!
 
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not to muddy your thread but IMHO if you run a roof top tent or a roof rack the sunroof is practically worthless. I think the best fix is to caulk it, pull the fuse for the sunroof and be done with it.
 
not to muddy your thread but IMHO if you run a roof top tent or a roof rack the sunroof is practically worthless. I think the best fix is to caulk it, pull the fuse for the sunroof and be done with it.
If you're running a RTT, sure :) And no worries about hijacking.

So, dumb question....do y'all take them off your rigs when not in use? Like, after the cmaping season? I see a lot of people in Portland/Vancouver with RTT's and in talking to about a dozen that I've run into (4Runners, Jeeps, Cruisers, etc), they use their RTT maybe 4-5 times over the summer but then leave it on. Why? Is it securely fastened and can't be removed? I'd have to remove it mostly because that's an additional 200+ pounds of weight on my Cruiser. And while that's not a lot after you consider someone having front/rear bumpers and swing out, sliders, winch, cargo, fuel, etc...it's additional. Especially for me since I'm all stock (currently baselining after having her for almost 8 years and then adding a lift/sliders/bumper & swing out).

I know RTT's are a huge spot of contention with people so I'm sincerely asking on the above :)

Thanks,
 
not to muddy your thread but IMHO if you run a roof top tent or a roof rack the sunroof is practically worthless. I think the best fix is to caulk it, pull the fuse for the sunroof and be done with it.
I like this even better. I was telling the wife today wish I could remove the sunroof and weld in some sheet metal and be done with it…
 
Better than fiddling with the rocker panel drains, remove one of the two lower rear body bolts holding the fender on. Then the water will drain out of that pocket and never get into the rockers.

The rear drain tubes are long enough to replace the front tubes and exit through one of the bolt holes. No more clogged drains.

FWIW, this is what Toyota did on the 120s. The roof drains go all the way through the floor and out.
 
BUMP, since we're about 1/3 of the way through May...
 
I recently cleaned by drains with weedeater line, however I followed that up by pushing warm water from a 60ml syringe into the drain line to confirm it was clean and blast out any remaining crude. off Amazon.

A multipack of syringes are available on Amazon for cheap. I typically use them for mixing herbicide to treat the lawn.
 
BUMP since we’re going into fall.

Check/clean your drains before the rains hit wherever you are 👍
 
BUMP since we’re going into fall.

Check/clean your drains before the rains hit wherever you are 👍
Yes sir Dirty.. Nice thread and thanks for the reminder and motivation. I have the company that installed my front windshield coming out tomorrow to pressure test. I am a little concerned though. After this round of rain, I noticed in both bottom corners(drive&Passenger sides) it was wet and my windshield on the inside had condensation inside the glass. When the company installed the new front glass, I never saw them do the work the FSM requires.. so I am a bit skeptical. I am positive the company did not use OEM Rubber and I don't think the dude glued both sides, as I was present for the entirety. This is on me and should have read the FSM first instead of assuming the dude knew the procedure. That's on me.. The floor boards seem to be good but I am going to be cleaning my sunroof drains out in the AM, tomorrow before they get here to pressure test the front glass. Again , the above is on me.
Note to all, as I do not want to bad mouth the insurance carrier... if you have to have your front glass replaced, no matter who your Insurance carrier is, buy the OEM Rubber gasket/seal yourself and have the company replacing the glass use it. Insurance companys like to use the cheapest parts they can to replace the OEM, and charge you, the insured, sky high monthly insurance rates..
Again this is on me, I should have brought the FSM with me, and made sure the procedure was on point. Lesson learned, I will not let this happen again.
Have a good day all.
 
Ditto: this past summer heard the typical sloshing water noise while accelerating and stopping. Slit drains were plugged, hadn't checked them in a long time, a few minutes with plastic zip ties and warm soap water down the sunroof drains. Problem solved.
 
Yes sir Dirty.. Nice thread and thanks for the reminder and motivation. I have the company that installed my front windshield coming out tomorrow to pressure test. I am a little concerned though. After this round of rain, I noticed in both bottom corners(drive&Passenger sides) it was wet and my windshield on the inside had condensation inside the glass. When the company installed the new front glass, I never saw them do the work the FSM requires.. so I am a bit skeptical. I am positive the company did not use OEM Rubber and I don't think the dude glued both sides, as I was present for the entirety. This is on me and should have read the FSM first instead of assuming the dude knew the procedure. That's on me.. The floor boards seem to be good but I am going to be cleaning my sunroof drains out in the AM, tomorrow before they get here to pressure test the front glass. Again , the above is on me.
Note to all, as I do not want to bad mouth the insurance carrier... if you have to have your front glass replaced, no matter who your Insurance carrier is, buy the OEM Rubber gasket/seal yourself and have the company replacing the glass use it. Insurance companys like to use the cheapest parts they can to replace the OEM, and charge you, the insured, sky high monthly insurance rates..
Again this is on me, I should have brought the FSM with me, and made sure the procedure was on point. Lesson learned, I will not let this happen again.
Have a good day all.
I forgot to follow up on my original reply to Dirty
Yes sir Dirty.. Nice thread and thanks for the reminder and motivation. I have the company that installed my front windshield coming out tomorrow to pressure test. I am a little concerned though. After this round of rain, I noticed in both bottom corners(drive&Passenger sides) it was wet and my windshield on the inside had condensation inside the glass. When the company installed the new front glass, I never saw them do the work the FSM requires.. so I am a bit skeptical. I am positive the company did not use OEM Rubber and I don't think the dude glued both sides, as I was present for the entirety. This is on me and should have read the FSM first instead of assuming the dude knew the procedure. That's on me.. The floor boards seem to be good but I am going to be cleaning my sunroof drains out in the AM, tomorrow before they get here to pressure test the front glass. Again , the above is on me.
Note to all, as I do not want to bad mouth the insurance carrier... if you have to have your front glass replaced, no matter who your Insurance carrier is, buy the OEM Rubber gasket/seal yourself and have the company replacing the glass use it. Insurance companys like to use the cheapest parts they can to replace the OEM, and charge you, the insured, sky high monthly insurance rates..
Again this is on me, I should have brought the FSM with me, and made sure the procedure was on point. Lesson learned, I will not let this happen again.
Have a good day all.
I had forgotten to follow up on work and reply concerning Dirty Peppers post about roof drains.. the front glass installer came back out to my place, pressure tested my front glass and the glass and rubber seal to the front windshield was good. Turns out I needed to clean my sunroof drains with the weedeater line and clear the rocker panels. .Doh!!!! Lesson learned. Thanks Dirty.
 
If you remove one of the two bolts holding the rear edge of the fender to the body, the rocker panels will never fill up with water.

FWIW, the weedeater line will only remove a significant blockage; it won't clean the lines. Nor will blowing them out with compressed air. Both will help, but the only way to clean them is to soak them in soapy water.
 

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