Replacing the defender sunroof with fixed fitted glass?

julianf · Aug 1, 2021

I have a hole in the roof for the sun roof. I've been tempted to plate it over, but then I'd still have a hole in the head lining which would irritate me.

Could I get a glass place to cut and harden a bit of glass to fit the hole and then fix it in in the same way as the alpine windows are done?

Any potential issues?

I don't want to reseal the existing unit. The glass of the sunroof is curved and the frame is flat. It's a daft design that I just want rid of in a non bodge way (ie I don't just want to tiger seal it shut, but want a proper job)

Wimblowdriver · Aug 1, 2021

If fitted like alpine windows the seal will sit above the glass and will puddle when it rains. And it will leak - guaranteed.

julianf · Aug 1, 2021

Wimblowdriver said:
If fitted like alpine windows the seal will sit above the glass and will puddle when it rains. And it will leak - guaranteed.

Yeah, I considered that. I wondered if it would suffer a little pooling without leaking. I mean, it's on a slight angle, so it's never going to pool more than a couple of table spoons (ie no pressure) but I can see what you mean also, as it's somthing I have thought of.

lynall · Aug 1, 2021

What about bonding a piece of glass in there, same glue/sealant as windscreens use?

julianf · Aug 1, 2021

lynall said:
What about bonding a piece of glass in there, same glue/sealant as windscreens use?

That's basically what I'm on about. Permenantly fitted, bonded in. As you say, if a windscreen can be leak free whilst plowing through rain on a motorway at 60mph, then it should be possible on the roof?

lynall · Aug 2, 2021

julianf said:
That's basically what I'm on about. Permenantly fitted, bonded in. As you say, if a windscreen can be leak free whilst plowing through rain on a motorway at 60mph, then it should be possible on the roof?

Sorry I read it as you were thinking of using the rubber seal as per the older alipne windows.

julianf · Aug 2, 2021

lynall said:
Sorry I read it as you were thinking of using the rubber seal as per the older alipne windows.

Yes, you're right... But only as that was an immediate solution and I'd not thought further, not because I'm stuck on that idea!

So, to do the windscreen method, what do I do? Get a bit of glass cut oversize and then glue it down with "somthing"?

I still can't really understand why the original sunroof glass is curved whilst the roof and frame that it's supposed to seal on is flat.

I'm now wondering if just taking the original glass to a glass place and getting "one like this, but flat" might not work? I mean to end with a working sunroof...

lynall · Aug 2, 2021

julianf said:
Yes, you're right... But only as that was an immediate solution and I'd not thought further, not because I'm stuck on that idea!

So, to do the windscreen method, what do I do? Get a bit of glass cut oversize and then glue it down with "somthing"?

I still can't really understand why the original sunroof glass is curved whilst the roof and frame that it's supposed to seal on is flat.

I'm now wondering if just taking the original glass to a glass place and getting "one like this, but flat" might not work? I mean to end with a working sunroof...

I think the idea with the original glass being curved is to make sure there is pressure on the seal at the outer edges of the glass as the closing clamp is in the middle, so if you had truly flat glass as you clamped the roof shut the ends of the glass would slightly curl up and allow the seal to leak.

I reckon any of the PU sealants would do the job, or eaby windscreen selalnt loads under a tenner a tube.

Replacing the defender sunroof with fixed fitted glass?

julianf

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Wimblowdriver

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julianf

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lynall

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lynall

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