Dealer installed sunroof?
Founding Member
Joined: 11-23-2007
Posts: 8,210
From: Texas
did i ever mention the time a customer came to our shop asking for help? He was zooming down the freeway in his 1989 or so chevy camaro iroqu z-28 and his passenger decided he wanted to take his t-roof glass section off. WHILE DOING ABOUT 120 KLMS AN HOUR/75MPH. i think that was in 1992 and the replacement t-roof was $1500 or so. BY the way..them t-roofs were crap too..they vibrated, the rubber seal eventually leaked and i'm pretty sure if you rolled your car..your head came flying off.
Senior Member
Joined: 02-01-2006
Posts: 1,470
From: lockport,ny
Factory installed sunroofs DO NOT seal the glass against the opening in the roof. They have a waterproof steel well that is welded to the roof . This well acts as a structural member around the perimeter of the cutout. It also is a gutter, which channels the water (that got past the edges of the glass) into a series of drain tubes which direct the water to the ground. This method is both structurally sound and doesn't rely on a perfect seal at the glass.
Aftermarket sunroofs seal the glass to the frame that is attached to the cutout in the roof. This frame is a two-piece setup. The top piece has a rubber seal which the glass is forced against when the sunroof is closed. The inside piece of the frame is installed from inside the car and screws to the outer piece. In order for there to be no leak, there must be a perfect seal between the frame and the edge of the roof cutout (usually done with sealer or putty) and also between the rubber seal and the glass. This design provides no structural reinforcement of the sunroof cutout, unlike the factory setup. It's analogous to cutting a hole in the wall of your house and installing a window with no 2x4s bracing the cutout.
Aftermarket places will offer a "lifetime warranty against leaks", but what that means is that they will re-seal the frame WHEN it leaks (and most eventually will).
Usually all it takes is to look at an aftermarket sunroof install, and then go to a dealer and look at a factory install- there's no comparison. Remember, this aftermarket setup will be under vibration for many thousands of miles.
I once wanted to have an aftermarket sunroof installed in a previous vehicle, but after researching the differences, I decided not to do it.
Steve
Aftermarket sunroofs seal the glass to the frame that is attached to the cutout in the roof. This frame is a two-piece setup. The top piece has a rubber seal which the glass is forced against when the sunroof is closed. The inside piece of the frame is installed from inside the car and screws to the outer piece. In order for there to be no leak, there must be a perfect seal between the frame and the edge of the roof cutout (usually done with sealer or putty) and also between the rubber seal and the glass. This design provides no structural reinforcement of the sunroof cutout, unlike the factory setup. It's analogous to cutting a hole in the wall of your house and installing a window with no 2x4s bracing the cutout.
Aftermarket places will offer a "lifetime warranty against leaks", but what that means is that they will re-seal the frame WHEN it leaks (and most eventually will).
Usually all it takes is to look at an aftermarket sunroof install, and then go to a dealer and look at a factory install- there's no comparison. Remember, this aftermarket setup will be under vibration for many thousands of miles.
I once wanted to have an aftermarket sunroof installed in a previous vehicle, but after researching the differences, I decided not to do it.
Steve
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