Confirming: "Spool Trimmer Line" is the Right Stuff for Sunroof Drains?

[Bill F]

Just want to confirm - this is the right sort of stuff for routing out those pesky sunroof drains, is that correct?

Shop Shakespeare 140-ft Spool 0.08-in Spooled Trimmer Line at Lowes.com

https://smile.amazon.com/Oregon-20-...1511847158&sr=8-10&keywords=weed+trimmer+line

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0148WM45...t=&hvlocphy=9032119&hvtargid=pla-378085084794

I assume the largest diameters (.095, .105) will be stiffer and therefore easier to work down the drains without being super-flexible and noodle-y, yet still strong enough to poke through the accumulated crud...but does anybody sell this stuff by the foot, rather than in 20-140 foot lengths? :-0

But, was also looking around, is a gun-cleaning tool like this a good option? Or just some wire rope? Or would it tear up the drain tubes? Seems less wasteful and I will actually have a future use for wire rope, cuz I ain't never buying a weed eater if I can help it!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1WZG76/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2Y8IAW8YL559L&colid=2H3FJZICNVRTB

Realize that I'm overthinking this, but I cleaned out the drain 'slots' the other week, and clearly that wasn't enough, because yesterday's storm filled my rockers with water and they were sloshing around like crazy...

Anyway TIA for any help!

~ Bill

 

[jcardona1]

The drain tubes are big, like 5/8" ID. Trimmer line won't do anything in my opinion if you have a clog. Pull the tube out of the kick panel and blow air into it, might be more effective.

This is what trimmer line looks like inside the drain tube:

 

[shocktower]

The drain tubes are big, like 5/8" ID. Trimmer line won't do anything in my opinion if you have a clog. Pull the tube out of the kick panel and blow air into it, might be more effective.

This is what trimmer line looks like inside the drain tube:

You usually heat and bend the end or smash and make it like a jag for gun cleaning

 

[Alex Fogg]

I used heavy gage braided wire, like the type used for hanging large pictures, and got it to go all the way to the bottom of the tubes.

 

[LS1FJ40]

I used trimmer line. The kind that is not smooth. Once I got it all the way through I put one end in a drill and spun it while pouring water down. It worked great.

I would afraid of anything too stiff puncturing the tube. I’ve also heard of guys using air and it coming loose in the headliner.

Moonroofs are stooooopid!

 

[White Stripe]

Ive used compressed air before. Just take a blow gun and blow the drains out.

 

[inkpot]

I have used 0.030 MIG wire also, if it's handy.

 

[2fpower]

Ive used compressed air before. Just take a blow gun and blow the drains out.

Be careful doing this. Only blow from bottom of line to the sunroof (backwards). If you blow from top down, I have had the tube pop off the sunroof trim, thus, you have to drop the headliner to put it back on.

 

[Malleus]

The drain tubes are Ø16-mm thinwall rubber-ish hose. I cringe when I hear fishing weedeater line through them. (I know, everyone does it; that doesn't make it right) If you puncture them, you'll have to replace the hose, or pull it and tape it, which will later fail. The photo above tells the story. I can't imagine it does more good than harm. Using compressed air may, depending on the clamps at the drain pan, encourage the hoses to move off the nipples. I don't like that either. It's unlikely that your hoses are clogged anyway, unless you park you truck under a cottonwood tree with the sunroof open.

The rocker panels will fill up, they're supposed to. The design is really poor. There is no practical way (please note I said practical) to clean the rocker panel drain areas. Once they get dirt in them, it's in there for good. The best you can do is use a zip tie to clean the pinch drains regularly. Keep in mind that this wasn't planned for in the design. Regular swabbing with anything that can remove paint will remove paint, and then you'll be dealing with rusting rocker panels.

You can leave the plugs out, but that'll let more trash in, in the long run.

The only long term solution, IMHO, is to do what Mr. T did in the rear: run the hose out of the panel. I'm replacing my front hoses with rear hoses (because I can't find a domestic metric source I like) ,cut to an appropriate length, and they will discharge through the rear corner of the inner fender well, in front of the running boards, where they should have been from the factory.

I'll post the work when it's done.

 

[Bill F]

The drain tubes are Ø16-mm thinwall rubber-ish hose. I cringe when I hear fishing weedeater line through them. (I know, everyone does it; that doesn't make it right) If you puncture them, you'll have to replace the hose, or pull it and tape it, which will later fail. The photo above tells the story. I can't imagine it does more good than harm. Using compressed air may, depending on the clamps at the drain pan, encourage the hoses to move off the nipples. I don't like that either. It's unlikely that your hoses are clogged anyway, unless you park you truck under a cottonwood tree with the sunroof open.

The rocker panels will fill up, they're supposed to. The design is really poor. There is no practical way (please note I said practical) to clean the rocker panel drain areas. Once they get dirt in them, it's in there for good. The best you can do is use a zip tie to clean the pinch drains regularly. Keep in mind that this wasn't planned for in the design. Regular swabbing with anything that can remove paint will remove paint, and then you'll be dealing with rusting rocker panels.

You can leave the plugs out, but that'll let more trash in, in the long run.

The only long term solution, IMHO, is to do what Mr. T did in the rear: run the hose out of the panel. I'm replacing my front hoses with rear hoses (because I can't find a domestic metric source I like) ,cut to an appropriate length, and they will discharge through the rear corner of the inner fender well, in front of the running boards, where they should have been from the factory.

I'll post the work when it's done.

Good input, and will look forward to seeing your writeup! Thx!

 

[Malleus]

This was my motivation. Eye-opening and depressing at the same time. I love that camera though.
Sunrooof front drain well, with tubing
Sunroof front drain well, without drain tubing

You can see the "dam" that the drain has to run water over, just to get into the rocker panel. Keep in mind, this is in the kickpanel, under all those unimportant wires and stuff.

 

[Bill F]

This was my motivation. Eye-opening and depressing at the same time. I love that camera though.
Sunrooof front drain well, with tubing
Sunroof front drain well, without drain tubing

You can see the "dam" that the drain has to run water over, just to get into the rocker panel. Keep in mind, this is in the kickpanel, under all those unimportant wires and stuff.

I love it, a sort of car colonoscopy!

 

[Malleus]

Oddly enough, that was the thought in my mind too. You must be as old as me.

 

[Bill F]

Oddly enough, that was the thought in my mind too. You must be as old as me.

I'm 49 - plumbing and drainage become more important as we age, don't they! :-0

 

[White Stripe]

Be careful doing this. Only blow from bottom of line to the sunroof (backwards). If you blow from top down, I have had the tube pop off the sunroof trim, thus, you have to drop the headliner to put it back on.

Yea I've had that happen. U do have to be careful.

 

[LINUS]

I used trimmer line. The kind that is not smooth. Once I got it all the way through I put one end in a drill and spun it while pouring water down. It worked great.

I would afraid of anything too stiff puncturing the tube. I’ve also heard of guys using air and it coming loose in the headliner.

Moonroofs are stooooopid!

All of this is exactly my method - right down to the square line.
I put my cordless drill on low range & even then just rotate it, we're not drilling for oil here.

I flat butane the tip & slap a small scrap of shop-rag in the molten line ( say 1" square / bore patch sized).

Also to OP - an Otis would fit, but at the price of Otis & needing 3 minimum, I wouldn't $$$$ for that.

 

[greentruck]

Just want to confirm - this is the right sort of stuff SNIP....just some wire rope? Or would it tear up the drain tubes? Seems less wasteful and I will actually have a future use for wire rope, cuz I ain't never buying a weed eater if I can help it!SNIP
~ Bill

I use the small diameter wire rope that is used as the lift cable on overhead doors. It's like 1/8", maybe 3/16? It's weight helps it down the tube and through clogs. It's big enough it shouldn't have the issue of piercing the tube that smaler stuff may suffer from.