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Sunroof spacer and washer

tintinmt

Active Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
50
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uk
I have started to try to diagnose a stuck and leaking sun roof.
The roof appears stuck in the closed position.
I can hear the motor try to move but the roof does not budge.
The handbook describes the emergency procedure to close the sunroof.
The description leads me to think that I am missing the spacer and washer that go on the screw/bolt that one must remove before manually cranking the sun roof closed.
The instructions explicitly say not to lose the screw, spacer or washer otherwise the roof won't work!
My question is - can somebody please give me the spacer size so that I can make one?
Maybe then my roof will open?
I attach pictures of the instructions and my motor.
Is the spacer normally visible with the headlining removed?
 

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Hi @tintinmt. My cruiser is a 1995 KZJ70 and when I look through the hole in the headlining what I see is exactly what is in your photo. The screw is in tight, apparently held in with a sort of blue threadlock material. When I get the screw out nothing else comes out with it or pulls out with needle nose pliers. No washer and no spacer. They just don't appear to be there. My sunroof works perfectly and your doesn't, but all the stuff in the photo looks identical. Maybe the spacer is a red herring. Perhaps someone who has reassembled their "moonroof" can come up with a better idea, I'm not sure this is the right track. Unless it only comes out at night!
 
Thanks Tel Boy! I did subsequently wonder if the spacer and washer were concealed by the screw head. I did slacken the screw but I have yet to remove it completely and try moving the roof with a screwdriver as per the manual.
 
First thing ; is it steel or glass one? Take the whole motor off and see if it works, don't bother plying with that screw if you've got headlining off anyway. With motor off you should be able to slide the roof manually. If not the runners are rusty. Only time the sunroof leaks is when the drains are stuck or someone had taken rear body vents off and put them back on wrong way around. (they're drilled where the pipes connect only on one side)
 
Hi qbatx. This sounds very helpful! Thanks.
This is a metal sun roof.
I intend to check all the drains soon too (also easy with the headliner out). I have not checked the bottom ends of the pipes yet.
I have just replaced the fuel flap release cable and I'm looking for a replacement cable to repair the rear seat release mechanism.
 
Thanks again qbatx. I found the off side rear drain pipe to be folded over and stuffed into the rear of the wing somewhere. It was full of water but is now back where it belongs!
In a second positive note I also found the sunroof spacer and washer in a door pocket! Next job will be to work out what to do with them.
 
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Update of sorts. I still don't understand the purpose of the spacer but I removed the screw to access the manual opening/closing head. Predictably - no joy with moving it with a screwdriver.
So, I removed the motor. Yuk! Drive gear is rusted solid and the drive cable looks rusty too (what I can se of it). A bit of WD40 sorted the motor and drive mechanism, although I have not been able to remove the gear from the spline. It probably would have been quite hard even without the rust. However, I have other things to worry about. The metal sun roof panel seems to be stuck fast in the opening at this time. I have been able to run a blade between the rubber seal and roof for about two thirds of the way but the rear section seems stuck. I assume that the panel must drop down at the rear before it slides backwards? Any thoughts on how I should encourage it to move back into the roof as it should? Obviously, I don't want to make it worse than it already is. Cheers & Happy New Year.
 
Another quick question for those with an LJ70 with a sunroof. Does the sunroof just go backwards and forwards? ie no tilt option?
 
Sorry it didn't notify me about your last replies. There is no tilt but the mechanism got a little kick up at the end so when the panel is almost closed it goes up, it should go down/back at the start of opening.
 
Thanks again. That is what I was expecting. I think I need to keep working on freeing the corrosion on the back edge. Once free, I expect to be able to push down on the rear edge and then slide the sunroof section back.
Any idea if the headlining material on the underside of the sunroof can be removed with the sunroof in place? If so, I might be able to gain access more easily.
 
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Unfortunately not, it only slides out when whole sunroof is out and you take mechanism out of the pan it sits in. Just take the whole thing off!
 
:grimacing: I have looked at doing that, although the pan does seem to be bonded to the roof. The current issue is that the sunroof panel is still stuck in the aperture due to corrosion, so I am concerned that it still might not budge even if I undo the sunroof mechanism fixings.
I am also concerned that there may be a mechanism in the sunroof to prevent the sunroof panel from being pushed inwards to gain unauthorised entry. I.e. a sort of lock once the roof is closed.
 
It's not bonded, it's actually expanding foam tape that has gone hard on the outside. It will come off. One way or another :D
 
I appreciate your continued support. I fear that this will be the path I eventually resort to. These jobs rarely seem to go the easy way.
 
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No problem, i always take it all apart to retrim blind+headlining.
 
The fight with the roof continues, although I think rust has definitely won round 1. Having removed the tracks from the main frame panel the roof panel still will not move and I have found considerable rust in the panel itself. I am inclined to think it is unrepairable when you consider the all the corroded and perished parts required to make it good. Most are probably not available, so a complete used roof seems the only route to a functioning sunroof. Of course there is the alternative of just sealing it up, which does go against the grain a bit.
So, I am on the lookout for a working sunroof cassette......
 
I have put the old sunroof back in the car. I used a 10mm neoprene seal to replace the factory foam seal. If I did the job again, I would look for 8mm or maybe down to 5mm. I took the opportunity to inject Dinitrol into the areas where the roof joins the body which are normally completely concealed by the headlining. I am also taking the opportunity to fill some holes in the roof where some lights or similar must have been installed prior to my ownership.
If I ever find a decent sunroof I will have to do the whole job over again. As advised by qbartx, sunroof removal is a two man job I think.
It would be interesting to know how they were installed at the factory. From the paint, it is evident that they were installed prior to the car's top coats being applied.
 
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