Leaky sunroof

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Missing Link

Missing Link

New Member
Posts
653
Location
Colchester, Essex
A couple of times during the winter I had some water dripping through the blind of the sunroof. The seal around the glass is wrinkled particularly at the back and the seal edge seems hard.

The RAVE disk covers removing and refitting the seal but should I really look at replacing it and how easy are they to get?

If I open the roof (something I avoid if possible) the deflector does not drop properly on reclosing due to a bent support on the right side. I am a bit worried about trying to straighten it as it looks pretty poor material and it might break so end up in a worse position. Are parts reasonably available?
 
this can be a bit of a mare of a job. somewhere in one of the issues of LRO magazine, it had a full double page spread on how to fix your f*cked freelander sunroof.

give us a day or so, I'll try to find the issue (no promises though, could be anywhere in the house)

you never know, could even scan it and email it to you if I can find it, if only it wasn't illegal, and we don't want to break the law now do we ?
 
I've got the sunroof glass out. The seal is distorted because the metal frame was bonded to the glass has virtually rotted away:frusty:

Would I have to get a complete new glass or is the frame available?
 
£132+ for a new sunroof:mad: so now I am trying to think laterally to make a new frame out of ally:confused:

I was right to be concerned about the wind deflector mount except that it did not break while trying to straighten it, it way already broken when I looked with the bit laying in the frame.

The only possible saving grace may be that it is a separate part. The exploded diag is not clear but EEK100140, Sunroof pivot RT might be it?

The 1st picture is the broken RT side the second the good LT but even that appears to be distorted.

DSC_0223.JPG

DSC_0224.JPG
 
Trying to come up with a solution without buying a new glass panel. I thought initially that the seal strip went both over the metal frame and the glass but apparently not. The metal is approximatly 7mm bigger than the glass all round which is what the seal fits on and there is a step in the seal to make it go over the glass itself.

The best idea I have come up with is to bond strips of aluminium all round the edge of the glass with the front one wide enough to shape to fit the curved edge. I would then also bond "L" shaped pieces either end to bolt the glass down and smaller profile pieces front and back to replace the drip edges on the original.

I would prefer to rivet the corners together but I dont have the tooling to joggle the aluminium strip.

The old steel frame was glued on with rubberised adhesive similar to what is used for bonded windscreens. Any suggestions as to what I could use for Aluminium which is readily available?
 
Will be interested to see how you get on with this, i got a 98 freelander on Monday, the sunroof although doesn't leak the metal strip has rotted away leaving the seal sticking up.
Will be getting a manual over the next few day to see how to get the roof out, when the rain stops anyway:mad:
 
It was astonishly easy to get the glass out, in fact so easy you have to worry about security.

Along each side there is a plastic strip immediatly below the glass running front to back. This pops of with a gentle pull using a screwdriver. This in turn reveals three torx head screws on each side. Remove them and the glass just lifts out with its frame attached (or half unstuck as in my case)

I will take some pics as I go along and post if I can produce something worthwhile.
 
Thanks Missing Link

Silly question, but are the torx screws from the outside or inside. I have a complete oblong plastic surround on the inside, which holds the headliner, will have a look at the weekend when it finaly stops raining in Somerset.

Thanks again
 
Can't attach a pic as mine is now in bits. Sit in the car facing forward and open the blind. Leave the sunroof closed and look at the side above the passenger seat. Almost flush with the glass is the plastic cover about 10mm deep running front to back. When you unclip the cover you will find the three Torx bolts. Same on the other side.

Glass.jpg
 
Tried to sort out the broken pivot block £8.45 ea + shipping almost doubles the cost:confused:

Local stealership similar price + vat but no shipping so are cheaper:D



Except that the Rt side is OK but the Lt side is only listed as a pack of 10 i.e. £84.50:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Don't you just love Land Rover
 
Finished and refitted:D

1. The culprit, completely rotten frame but the glass is OK.
2. 1st strip bonding after cleaning and masking up.
3. Last strip bonding.
4. Seal lip marked out for cutting.
5. Mounting flanges bonding.
6. Seal fitted.

Materials 40mm x 2mm strip, 20mm x 20mm angle, EVO-Stik "Serious Stuff" glue.

Problems. I would have tried a different glue, this crap did not come up to its description, an activated glue would have been better. 2mm thick was really too thick for the sealing strip, 1.5mm Ally or 1mm steel would have been better. I should have been more careful marking out the holes for the fixing screws.

I could have got away with 30mm strip on 3 sides, the 40mm was only needed to cover the curve of the front edge. The clamps in pic 5 were better than the workmate especially as the glue took much longer than claimed to go off. As to was it worth it, in view of the fact that my time is free yes but it was a bit of a hassle. The seal really needs replacing but that alone is nearly 50 quid. I think even a new glass does not come with a seal. So to replace the whole set would be £200:mad:


01.JPG

02.JPG

03.JPG

04.JPG

05.JPG

06.JPG
 
I'm on my second Freelander now and have just cured my dripping sunroof the same way as I cured my last one, it seems to happen after about 7 years old. Both cases for me have been cured by running a thin bead of clear outdoor grade silicone around the outside of the sunroof glass where it meets the surrounding rubber seal, including the join piece along the rear top edge. I had water seeping through the glass to rubber seal on top and then getting into the hollow frame which surrounds the glass, eventually dripping into the car. The tube of clear windowframe silicone was a fiver from B & Q and I just masked the area off before squirting the stuff on and then wiping most of the excess off. It wont be getting through all areas of the glass seal but I didnt take any chances. A fanatic may choose to carefully lift the rubber away from the glass and work in some sealant as you work your way around. When the metal frame eventually rots away completely I'll dig a bit deeper and get a new sunroof, but I reckon it's good for a few more years yet and should now stay dry.
 
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