There was a time when a sunroof was considered quite a luxury addition; now, however, many vehicles come with standard sunroofs. If your vehicle lacks this breath-of-fresh-air amenity, consider installing one or having one installed by professionals. There are several variations on the sunroof available, including electric sliding with an interior shade, manual sliding or pop-up. In our demonstration we installed a manual pop-up model. Important: Installation of a sunroof is a fairly complex project that involves quite a few steps and does require cutting into the metal body of the vehicle. Only advanced do-it-yourselfers with a fair amount of mechanical expertise should undertake a project such as this, and then only with complete and detailed installation instructions provided by the manufacturer of the sunroof. For many, this is the type of project that is more suitably left for professionals at a shop that specializes in installing sunroofs and other after-market accessories. The following summary outlines the procedures in sunroof installation as performed in our demonstration, and provides information on the steps that professionals typically go through in this type of installation. If you undertake such an installation, read and carefully follow the instructions that are provided with the installation kit. Materials: Sunroof installation kit
Jig saber saw
Cordless drill
Awl
Hammer
Screwdrivers
Socket wrench
Tin snips
Masking tape
Grease pencil
Felt-tipped marker
Utility knife
Allen wrench
Rubbing alcohol
Safety glasses
Work gloves
Tip :Before beginning the installation, disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable in the event that you need to reroute some electrical wiring in order to install the sunroof.
- The sunroof installation kit comes with a printed template. You may want to place the template on the roof exterior to visualize the placement of the sunroof before you begin. The actual placement of the template is done inside the vehicle. Follow the instructions that come with the installation kit for positioning the template. Measure for placement, and position the template against the headliner (figure A), making certain that the template is centered and that you clear dome lights, visor and any consoles by at least one inch. (In some cases, it may be necessary to relocate a dome light in order to perform this installation.) Use masking tape to secure the template to the headliner.
- Use a hammer and awl to puncture the template at the designated location, in this case marked as "point A" (figure B), thereby puncturing the headliner and dimpling the metal roof of the vehicle. The dimple, which should be visible on the outside of the vehicle, will be the reference mark for cutting the roof. You may want to mark the dimple with a grease pencil to make it more visible( figure C).
- Once you've created the reference mark, move the template to the exterior of the vehicle, matching the dimple with point A on the template, and orienting the template on the outside of the roof just as it was on the inside(figure D).
- With the template positioned, measure and double-check the placement since your next step will be to drill into the metal roof. You may want to lay a blanket down inside the vehicle to catch any metal shavings or debris that falls when you begin drilling and cutting into the roof.
- With measurements double-checked, drill a pilot hole into the roof of the vehicle at the point "A" location (figure E).
- Once you've drilled the pilot hole, you'll need to prepare to remove the headliner. This may require removing visors, overhead grab-handles (figure F), dome lights, overhead consoles or other accessories mounted to the ceiling, and will require removing the plastic trim pieces that hold the headliner in place (figure G).
- With the necessary hardware removed, carefully drop the headliner down and remove it from the vehicle. Use caution with the headliner as they are easily damaged.
- With the headliner removed, outline the template with a grease pencil, remove the paper template itself and create an outline around your markings with masking tape (figure H). The outline will serve as both a guide for cutting the roof and protection for the painted finish around the outside of the cut. Again, recheck placement and measurements, heeding any specific instructions that come with the kit, before you begin cutting.
- Once you are absolutely certain that placement is correct, insert your jigsaw blade into the pilot hole and carefully begin cutting out the designated section of the roof using the taped guide (figure I). Take your time and use care as you cut. An alternative to the jig saber saw is a tool called a nibbler. This tool may be purchased from sunroof manufacturers.
Safety tip: Always wear safety glasses and heavy work gloves when you use a power tool to cut through metal. - Once you have successfully cut the hole for installation of the sunroof, test-fit the sunroof frame and make certain that it fits snugly without snagging, binding or catching on any rough edges. If there are rough edges, remove the rough spots with tin snips.
- Fit the vehicle's headliner back in place.
- With the sunroof frame in place, use a heavy marker to outline the opening on the headliner to mark it for cutting (figure J).
- Remove the headliner and use a utility knife or cut out an opening using your marker tracings as a guide (figure K).
- Remove the masking tape from the roof exterior.
- Prepare the sunroof for installation by cleaning the frame with rubbing alcohol (figure L) and applying the sealer and adhesive (provided with the kit) per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Apply a protective primer (provided with the kit) to the exposed, cut edge of the roof to prevent rust. Apply the primer completely around the opening.
- Position the sunroof frame in the opening from the outside of the vehicle by carefully lowering it into place (figure M).
- Install the inner ring, which holds the sunroof in place, from inside the vehicle (figure N). Secure the assembly in place by tightening the cam bolts with an Allen wrench.
- With the headliner reinstalled, use a utility knife to trim off any excess or rough spots around the inside edges of the cut opening -- leaving an exact fit.
Note : Additional information about headliner installation is available in the online summary for Car Care and Repair, episode 111, Interior Problems and Solutions. - Install the pinch molding (which holds the headliner against the sunroof frame) and the vinyl trim (which covers the cam bolts) (figure O) around the frame interior according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Install glass (figure P) by inserting the two front hinges into the front of the frame brackets, lowering the glass panel and gently pushing forward. Attach the rear latch.
- Finally, check the fit and operation of the sunroof, and remove any debris from the installation.
RESOURCES :
Auto Repair for Dummies
Author: Deanna Sclar
ISBN: 0764550896
Vehicles provided by Lance Cunningham Ford
Vehicles provided by Lance Cunningham Ford
4101 Clinton Highway
Knoxville, TN
Web site: www.lancecunninghamford.com
Jackson Manufacturing, sunroof products
Special thanks to
Jackson Manufacturing
Manufacturers of sunroofs and other automotive ventilating glass products.
58038 C.R. 3 South
Elkhart, IN 46517
Phone: 219-293-7710
Web site: www.jacksonmfg.com
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