Removing Sunroof Panel?

[NC Panda]

Hey guys,
So I'm trying to take my sunroof panel out to replace it for a better little option. My only problem is the unit won't come out? I took all the bolts off of the support rails that hold the whole system up there but it's not letting me get it out. The sunroof is closed right now, does it need to be open to remove some more bolts or what? If so I'm going to need a new sunroof switch or will probably need to get the wiring figured out for the motor to open :/ any other experience in this would be very helpful

[Red]

"So I'm trying to take my sunroof panel out to replace it for a better little option."
Are you planning to have a custom panel made up? Because AFAIK, there are no other "options" to fit these cars, and there's nothing to replace it with except another of the same thing. From what I remember, you drop the fabric, undo a batch of rail screws, and it pops up and out, although old weatherstripping could be a problem. Once you disturb that "cartridge" you will need new weatherstriping and you will need to adjust the new installation or else you will have roof leaks.

You also don't have to hook up the motor to operate the roof. The car came with a little crank handle (in the toolkit if you still have it) that unscrews a philips head screw after you pop off the roof switch panel, allowing you to manually open and close the roof.

Sorry that I don't remember the details but it should be obvious once you get in there. The tool looks like a large allen key, maybe 4" long.

[gotzoom?]

BO-40 -> BO-45 pages in the service manual tell you exactly what to do. It would be a good idea to get ahold of a service manual because you'll also need to properly align the panel when you put it back in and the procedure is in the service manual.

In short, here's what you do:
1. remove the screw that is underneath the sunroof control panel.
2. remove the motor
3. Put some tape or otherwise protect the paint on the roof between the sunroof hole and the windshield
4. Pull the whole mess out of the top of the car through the sunroof hole in the roof.

[Red]

You sure he needs to remove the motor in order to just remove the panel? The motor is not attached to the panel, other folks have removed the panel without removing the motor and drive works.

[NC Panda]

Thanks, I will try this when I get back.
Red, they have carbon fiber (i think it's "retro-spec") options but I want to get a decently thick piece of plexiglass and tint it so that I have a clear/tinted roof there instead of just the metal. Getting new weatherstripping was in the plan already also. I will try to see if my friend has his allen key, I def do not have mine but might have another option laying around the shop as well.

[gotzoom?]

The reason I provided the service manual pages is so to make it easy to find what Toyota says. They do say to remove the track in order to replace the sunroof panel. There are small metal clips that hold the sunroof headliner in place, so you can pry them away from the panel and slide the headliner back to expose the screws that mount the panel on to the track. I haven't tried removing the screws with the track in the car to see if you can get the panel out that way. There is a lip on the rear edge of the panel that may make it impossible to remove the panel with the track in the car. I'm not sure, though.

If I were the one doing this work, I would not turn a screwdriver without reading over the service manual and studying the exploded view diagram.

[Red]

Totally agree with you, zoom. Which is why I ordered my shop manual on the same day I paid for my car. I STILL haven't memorized it though.<G>

The manual I'm looking at says:
1. Disconnect battery cable
2. Remove center cover of controlbox
3. Remove control switch
4. Remove motor through service hole
5. Remove wind deflector
6. Remove guide rail cover
7. Remove sliding roof and guide rail (as a unit!)
apply adhesive tape to protect thebody
pull roof & guide rail upward and forward to remove

And then apparently they unscrew the actual cover from the rails.

However, AFTER all that it also says:

REMOVAL OF SLIDING ROOF PANEL
To remove only sliding roof panel
(a) Pull loose the clips and slide the headlining rearward
(b) remove the front and rear shoe bolts
(c) remove the roof panel

So after they take you step by step through all that torment, they tell you to just unbolt the panel and pop it out.
Go figure.

[gotzoom?]

Yeah, I actually need to replace my rusty sunroof panel with a relatively unrusty one, so I have been trying to figure this out myself. The track does not look like it will come out the hole in the roof, but apparently it does. My "new" sunroof came with a track, so I was able to see what it looks like with it out of the car. You can see where the one screw goes in, so it seems that is the correct way of doing it. I guess it also wouldn't be the first time that a service manual told you the most difficult way of doing something too.

[Jacare]

wow. I need to buy a fsm.
ideas on where to find one?

[Red]

Unless you find one on ebay, they're only sold at the dealer parts counter, about $75 or so. If you can also get the electrical wiring diagrams (a much slimmer book) those are also valuable. You'd think after all these years Toyota would just give us online acces or at least permit them to be online, but no, anything you can find online would be bootleg.

[NC Panda]

Sorry to be "that guy" but my car is far from being cleaned up and looking stock, I see it more as a learning experience just doing things myself instead of using an FSM. I will refer to the wiring diagrams from time to time but even when I do wiring I just strip the covers off and go from there. Anyway, I got the panel out... it's actually rather simple. Creating the plexiglass panel I want.. not so much but hey it'll be fun. Anyway, here's some pics... I'll do a DIY for the panel when I finish the plexi panel.

First I had to remove the carpet underliner (who would have thought... facepalm.)


Once the carpet's out the bolt's you have to remove kindof stare you in the face. There are 5 of them on each side. Between the brackets (which will stay on the rails) and the panel (which comes out) there are a few spacers (about 5 or 6 I forget now.)


Once you undo these the just give it a little push up and forward and you get this...


Easy enough. One thing I did notice though is that the front brackets like to go under the wind visor, but if you reinstall it you need to but the bracket on the top because that's what holds the wind visor down when the panel is forward. Like I said, there will be a write up of the plexi-panel coming shortly in the DIY section

[Red]

Hey, nicely done.

Can you take some shots of the roof, from inside, that show the larger picture of what the entire oof looks like from the underside? i.e. to the sides and rear of the hatch as well?

Folks have asked about reinforcing bars, wire routing, etc. and it would be handy to have some pictures of the bare underside of the roof around to reference. (Like, how far back does it go?)

I think the hatch curves front to back as well as side to side, and if that's the case then the best way to make plexi match up on that is probably to place a sheet of plexi on top of the actual hatch, carefully level it in stove, and gently heat it until it sags to the right shape. That might be something best left to a plexi shop, it should be routine for them.

[NC Panda]

I'm heading over there shortly, I will grab some more pics for you guys. I have a coupe though so idk what to tell you about the hatch situation but yea I can def snap pics of everything.

[NC Panda]

Ok so here's some extra pictures of the panel and the surround in the car.

Panel:



(it lays pretty decently flat)

Interior:

This picture is to show the gap between the rail system and the actual roof (looks confusing at first)

gap to side of car

front



If you guys want any specific pics let me know, I'm going to a custom glass company in a day or two to ask if they can make a plexi/acrylic panel that will work for what I want to do. IF they can and the price is affordable I will ask them about a group buy if people are interested in having an actual see-through sunroof.

[gotzoom?]

Sweet! Thanks for the confirmation that this works. For those of us with the headliner and sunroof liner still installed, it's not necessary to remove any of that. There are a series of clips, 4 iirc, that hold the sunroof liner in place at the forward edge of the sunroof panel. If you pry those off the panel, you can slide the liner back by hand and expose the bolts on the panel itself.

[Red]

I'm guessing that after the plastic is made up to the right curves, it still will need to have a channel or rabbet made along the edges so the gasket can fit in properly. Ask the plastic shop about that, because proper fitment of the gasket can be a big issue. For a group buy it would be a Real Good Thing if the plastic replacement was "all set to go" just pop on a new gasket.

Do they also need to be drilled & tapped for the screws on those carriers? If so that too.

If the plastic shop doesn't ask you "What type of plastic?" and dosn't explain to you that there are many types (plexi/acrylic and lexan/polycarbonate but within each family, many strengths, UV resistance, scratch resistance, etc.) you might want to also ask them about that. The good stuff is more expensive--but cheaper than doing the job again and again, or seeing a hatch get all ratty and scratched up in a year.

Even with all that, there should be some profit in it for someone to Do It Right.

[NC Panda]

Yea, when I go to the shop i'm going to make sure they can do the drop on the back of the panel, the ridge for the gasket, and I would like to shoot for an tinted acrylic panel but that really all depends on what the prices are. As far as the carriers I think you could just use the hollow bolts with the threads on the inside (i forget what those are called) but if you run those and a spacer it should be ok. that would also reduce the need for more complex cuts/curves. If they can do it and do a good job I will be sure to let you guys know and I'm sure they would be super happy with the business.

[Red]

NC, when plastics shops don't stock the plastic you want, they normally order in a whole 4'x8' sheet of it, charge you for the whole sheet, and keep the excess. (Kaching!)

I figure that one sheet should get you 6-8 panels, so there's big savings to be had if you can get six other folks interested and split up the cost of that sheet. Plain smoke, gray, bronze, tint is often in stock at a larger shop.