How To: Sun Roof Repair

[SchniperJB]

I'll let you know when I get the roof assy put back up. I dropped it to get to the holes from the front mounts of the rack.

Yes, I had to drop the roof to get to the holes. Mine were/are rusted, and I have knocked out the nutserts to properly sand, fill and paint the roof.

Jeremy

 

[thelal]

Where do the drain/drip channels at the back go?
I c one in the picture but can't c where it connects - is it above the 2nd doors?

 

[SchniperJB]

drains down the C pillar. Guessing it runs out the rear wheel well.

 

[Rkroelin]

I found your post the other night, when I was dreading the removal job. Read it many times, then decided to bite the bullet.

Just finished removing the sunroof and assembly. Your post made the job so much easier.

Hope I remember how to do it all in reverse, when time comes to reassemble.

Thanks again, I owe you .

Jeremy

I'm glad it was helpful.

 

[Rkroelin]

This is a greate write-up and is why this forum deserves a

If you pull the sunroof and pan out to fix the eom roof rack holes (if you even need to pull it), it looks like it should all be able to go back without having to the alignments and adjustments to the gears if I'm following it right....or does any disconnection of the removal process require all the adjustments even you are not repairing the tracks, rails, pulleys, rollers, etc.?

My sunroof works, I just might need to pull it to the roof repair which is where I am not sure .

If you don't move the rails at all or spin the motor/gearbox assembly you should be okay. You'll find out when you put it back together. If it needs to be adjusted the roof won't open/close/tilt fully.

Just be sure to check it before you put the headliner back up.

 

[bugsnbikes]

heya- sorry to hijack- but what does the whole assembly with glass weigh (your best-guesstimate?)

thanks

 

[Rkroelin]

Maybe 20lbs? It isn't very heavy. Just big and awkward. You have to remove the glass to remove the assembly though.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

No you don't. I just had mine out and didn't need to remove the glass. However, I may need to as my sunroof is STILL leaking.

I removed the top corner cover plates that are held on with one phillips head and used sealant underneath but that didn't stop the leak.

I originally removed the whole sunroof assembly to weld up the holes left after removing my stock roof rack. Upon removal of the headliner I noticed water stains on the backside of it & assumed that they were from previous downpours with the drains clogged. Well after unclogging and cleaning the whole assembly and reinstalling, it is leaking from the front corners, adjacent to the triangular backing plates that show corrosion. (see pics below).

Do any of you who have removed this seem to recall a rubber seal or gasket between the track rails and housing body? If so, that may explain my leak.

 

[jmvar]

Has anyone every pulled the sunroof and just sheet metal welded in? I can honestly say I wouldn't even miss the sunroof. Especially the maintenance after 10-12 years.

 

[Rkroelin]

No you don't. I just had mine out and didn't need to remove the glass. However, I may need to as my sunroof is STILL leaking.

In hindsight I suppose you don't have to remove the glass. But it is definately going to need adjustment after reinstallation of the sunroof assembly. Not to mention adding weight to the assembly while you try to wrestle it out of the vehicle.

Do any of you who have removed this seem to recall a rubber seal or gasket between the track rails and housing body? If so, that may explain my leak.

No, I don't believe so. It has been a while though. Check the FSM.

Also check the adjustment of your glass. If you pulled the sunroof and did not readjust the glass you could have a leak there. See the FSM for adjustment criteria.

 

[Rkroelin]

Has anyone every pulled the sunroof and just sheet metal welded in? I can honestly say I wouldn't even miss the sunroof. Especially the maintenance after 10-12 years.

I see no reason why a good welder couldn't put a panel in.

However a hack job with poor welds will likely end up cracking at the weld due to the flexing of the body. I have seen a 4-Runner with a sunroof like this.

I have a decent amount of welding experience, but I would have a professional welder tackle the job. Definately not some off road shop.

 

[pr0ject42]

I'd say if you were going to do that, you'd be better off cutting off the room instead of welding something in.

You'd need to

A) remove everything
B) cut a blank to fit in there tightly
C) weld this up well so that there are no leaks/blow through/pin holes whatever
D) grind down the welds (optional)
E) prime the new stuff
F) paint the new stuff (optional)
G) put headliner back in (optional)

Or you could just wait until it breaks, fix it like this guide shows you (meaning you do steps A and G above with minor repair between) then wait for another 15 years, or better yet never use it and it will not break. Then you're done with it.

Of course I'm kinda partial to my sunroof

 

[1shot1kill]

Thanks , but I put a skybox up there and now no problem with water getting in. But, before it was raining in the LC and I live in the P.N.W.!

 

[SchniperJB]

Re-reading this thread, and in the first post -
"2)Remove the plastic trim from around the sunroof – be very careful if you have a tan interior as you cannot buy new replacements in tan. Mine were very brittle and all 4 pieces shattered. The TSRM calls these pieces “sliding roof garnishes”."
It is not necessary to remove all 4 trim pieces. You only need to remove the two side pieces, to access the nuts that hold the glass in place. I left the long front and rear pieces on the glass. Might save someone a few minutes, or the headache of replacing trim.

 

[4WD Toyota Owner Magazine]

Badass writeup. Hope like hell i never have to do this!

 

[Rkroelin]

Re-reading this thread, and in the first post -
"2)Remove the plastic trim from around the sunroof – be very careful if you have a tan interior as you cannot buy new replacements in tan. Mine were very brittle and all 4 pieces shattered. The TSRM calls these pieces “sliding roof garnishes”."
It is not necessary to remove all 4 trim pieces. You only need to remove the two side pieces, to access the nuts that hold the glass in place. I left the long front and rear pieces on the glass. Might save someone a few minutes, or the headache of replacing trim.

Okay. I'll update the post with your info.

 

[Rkroelin]

Badass writeup. Hope like hell i never have to do this!

Thanks! I pick up your magazine every time I'm at a bookstore, it is great.

 

[justbecause]

Started raining and my sunroof will close but not lift up to seal. I'll be taking it apart after work thanks for the write up. I hope I'll soon be able to say I fixed it mine.

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Still an awesome write-up!

If it had all of the disassembly pics and write-up as well, I would have thought RavenTai had done it.

 

[Luke111]

This is exactly what I was looking for, I had to remove the sunroof to get to the sunshade.... I just redid my headliner in Marine Vinyl and pretty much had to disassemble the sunroof for a 10 min job of recovering the sunshade in the same vinyl ........we got everything back in the truck and the sunroof was completely out of sync....so I will realign the gears today and give it a try....... Thanks for this information as I was completely lost last night trying to figure it out. I love the Mud!! Lou