How Problematic Are the Sunroofs?

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Stanz

Active member
Jan 1, 2023
33
2
Portland OR
Hello all!


Prospective D2 buyer and my first post here. I'm very capable mechanically and wondering how much of a hassle the sunroofs really are.

I have no issue with pulling my headliner in my first weeks of ownership, pulling and resealing the trays and reparing if needed with the corner drain/hose kits I'm finding online. If I do that, should I expect a competent fix to last a while? Or should I expect this to be a repeat nuisance?

Should I also wory about the motors/switches being a headache too? I have no problem creating my own relay panel to bypass a factory relay box (have done this on old 4runners in the past).

I live in Portland OR, so having sunroofs not leak is very important.
 
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mearstrae

Well-known member
Mar 15, 2017
143
18
Pennsylvania
About the same as any other car, keep the troughs clean and everything else oiled. Make sure you start with good seals and clean (unobstructed) drains. Why by-pass anything? Just properly fix the things if they're broken, it's much easier in the long run.
 
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robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,789
360
-
Someone did a write up here about what marine sealants to use. I did all that exactly with new gaskets. it functioned perfectly. then I unplugged the sunroof ecu. problem solved
 
pinkytoe69

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,692
183
minnesota
Stanz said:
I have no issue with pulling my headliner in my first weeks of ownership, pulling and resealing the trays and reparing if needed with the corner drain/hose kits I'm finding online. If I do that, should I expect a competent fix to last a while? Or should I expect this to be a repeat nuisance?

Should I also wory about the motors/switches being a headache too? I have no problem creating my own relay panel to bypass a factory relay box (have done this on old 4runners in the past).
Click to expand...

The trays are not an issue. The little plastic drains at the corners are what break and leak.

The motors can fail.

If you can do the work and like having functional sunroofs, repairing any issue is absolutely worth it IMHO.

Nothing about the job is difficult, just a little tedious.
 
terryjm1

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,490
375
Tell me about these, “corner drain/hose kits I'm finding online.”

I am planning this job somewhat soon. I need to get the headliner recovered, front sunroof (assume drains) leaks, and the rear one gets stuck open. I have a spare complete sunroof I will give full maintenance on and swap in place of the rear one. If someone knows where that write is, please post it.
 
pinkytoe69

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,692
183
minnesota
terryjm1 said:
Tell me about these, “corner drain/hose kits I'm finding online.”
Click to expand...

Looks like they 3D print them now... These things:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2551228562...sXmEsmBQ3O&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Mind you, these drains might not actually be broken. The glue/ sealant that attaches them to the tray may just be totally compromised.

I don't know if there are any write-ups as the process is pretty straightforward. Everything you have to remove is pretty obvious.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,733
1,023
Northern Illinois
terryjm1 said:
Tell me about these, “corner drain/hose kits I'm finding online.”

I am planning this job somewhat soon. I need to get the headliner recovered, front sunroof (assume drains) leaks, and the rear one gets stuck open. I have a spare complete sunroof I will give full maintenance on and swap in place of the rear one. If someone knows where that write is, please post it.
Click to expand...
Pinkytoe is right. Sometimes they aren’t broken just loose from the sealant that glued them to the tray.
The rear one getting stuck needs rails and drive cables.
Since you’re going to do your headliner I would pull it out. But I didn’t take out the headliner when I did them. I would just get it to hang down enough to get a 1/4 drive air ratchet up there and pull all those torx screws holding the tray to the other half. I just let the tray hang up there on the headliner. Then I used a wood t ball bat like a drift and nock the outer half of the sunroof off the roof. It’s gonna be stuck to the outside of the roof and you’re going to be hitting that wood drift pretty hard to get it unstuck.
Once it’s off I put it upside down on a trash can and pull the screws holding the rails with drive cables to the sunroof frame and pull that drive cable out of the tube and channels it rides in. While you slide your new drive cables into the frame Lube it up good with dry Teflon spray lubricant. Once those are in and secured to the sunroof frame you’re going to need a gap at the front edge of the glass and the frame. The gap is very important because that’s a big part of getting the thing timed. With the gap at about .250”. And the marks lined up on the motor the thing will go to the vent position and know where closed is.
Just get in touch with me when you’re doing it.
 
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terryjm1

terryjm1

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2011
1,490
375
“Just get in touch with me when you’re doing it.”

Thanks, I was thinking of prepping the spare (actually have 2 spares) so I can swap it in with little downtime. They were salvaged from the same 27,000 mile D1 the engine I installed came from. Do you think the drive cables would be good with some new dry Teflon lube? If not, I’d rather just buy new ones than have to do the job twice relatively soon. The drains on them look good, well they are not broken anyway. Even the sun shade clips are not broken. I like having sunroofs but worry they will get stuck open. i haven’t used the rear one since it stuck open the second time. I was just happy I got it closed again.
 
S

Stanz

Active member
Jan 1, 2023
33
2
Portland OR
Btw what got me nervous on this was that I called a local LR specially garage and asked their opinion on the D2s. They were super pessimistic on them in general and told me that I should give up on having functional sunroofs and that almost all running around now have been permanently sealed shut
 
pinkytoe69

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,692
183
minnesota
Stanz said:
Appreciate everyone’s $.02. Long time first Gen 4runner owner ready to cross over something new and have always admired the D2 and not scared by electric gremlins or wrenching.

these are the repair sunroof spouts I found: https://www.steveparkers.com/product/2-x-discovery-2-sunroof-drain-tube-repair-kit/

also found other 3D printed ones on ebay
Click to expand...
Those are pretty hardcore. Looks like they are metal drains that you rivet in. If you plan on keeping the truck for like 20 years then go for it.

Otherwise I would just save some money and get plastic ones and hardware store tube. As I mentioned in the other post though, your drains may be fine...the glue may just be compromised.
 
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pinkytoe69

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,692
183
minnesota
Stanz said:
Btw what got me nervous on this was that I called a local LR specially garage and asked their opinion on the D2s. They were super pessimistic on them in general and told me that I should give up on having functional sunroofs and that almost all running around now have been permanently sealed shut
Click to expand...

They sound lazy. If you are willing to drop the headliner you can have a lovely set of functional sunroofs.
 
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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,733
1,023
Northern Illinois
Stanz said:
Btw what got me nervous on this was that I called a local LR specially garage and asked their opinion on the D2s. They were super pessimistic on them in general and told me that I should give up on having functional sunroofs and that almost all running around now have been permanently sealed shut
Click to expand...
Thats messed up. I think the sunroof rails and drive cables are still available. Those used to cost about $130. The motors got stupid expensive at the end and I'm guessing they are no longer available now. But thats really not that common a failure and there are just so many salvage Discos you should be able to get a used one. I think 4 hours of labor would be a fair price for the first roof and probably 7 hours for both.
 
pinkytoe69

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,692
183
minnesota
discostew said:
The motors got stupid expensive at the end and I'm guessing they are no longer available now. But thats really not that common a failure and there are just so many salvage Discos you should be able to get a used one.
Click to expand...

Yeah the only time I had a bad motor was a rusted one from a D2 whose frame looked like it had been driven through the ocean.

I assume Tillery should have used ones too.
 
Gordo

Gordo

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2004
1,477
79
Bradenton, Fl
www.floridalandroverclub.com
If your gonna pull the headliner I would reseal the body to the sunroof as well. I went through that and used some butyl sealant. Didnt last long though so I did it again with lifeseal marine sealant and that worked great. Our leaks were coming from the dried up sealant at the body/sunroof seal. Easy to do once your in that far anyway. BTW same sunroof in a D1 just tinted glass in the D2. We swapped over the glass from a D2 parts truck which was a nice upgrade. Good luck its not that difficult just time consuming really.
 
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