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6 months back I had a sunroof removed & the roof repaired, but the filler over the patch in the centre of the roof has now cracked, with a few adjacent cracks running off the sides of the main crack. The crack is approx 45cm long. Before I let the guy who done the body work attempt another repair, I'd like to know how it should be done to ensure it doesn't crack again.
I don't know if you'll ever find a satisfactory answer to this problem. I did some research a while back on installing a sunroof--the roofs are designed differently. While it may be possible to cut a hole in a roof to install a sunroof, this doesn't take into account any of the design elements and the results will be less than stellar. I suspect the opposite is true. A roof that is designed as a hard shell doesn't have the same bracing and structural components that a sunroof-equipped does, which enables it to handle the stresses and movements of the car.
peiece in. It is almost impossible to repair it so it won't show. The proper repair is to stitch weld a new panel in the hole. Welding a piece into a flat panel as large as a roof will almost always result in warping the roof.
Stitch welding is welding a very small spot, and then going to the other side of the panel and making a small weld. Then move to another spot and make a spot weld.You keep moving around so as to keep the heat down as much as possible. You continue to move around like that until the panel is completely welded in.
The purpose of moving back and forth like that, is to prevent warping, or at least keeping it to a minimum. The less heat build up, the less warping. As you can imagine, it take a skilled craftsman a very long time to stitch weld a large piece into the hole, and there is still no guarantee it won't warp. Most body shops wouldn't consider taking on the job, because they know the probability is slim of being successful, and it would cost you a fortune..... Time is money.
The other way to do it would be to weld very little, and fill in the joint area with bondo. If you want to know what happens when you do it that way, go look at your roof...!
If you want it perfect, replace the top..! I know that isn't practical, but you asked....
The easiest and best way to me would be to replace the entire roof panel. Splice it in over the pillars. That way the repairs are in areas that are inherently stronger and flex less. I have replaced roof panels with very good results, on rollovers. I'd say whoever did it for you took on a project that was a lot of work and guaranteed to fail.
You are the first person I've ever heard of who wanted a sunroof removed and replaced with solid panel (other than classic car restorations). May I ask why you went this way?
Just for reference, what make year and model is the car/truck, and is this the removal of a factory-installed sunroof or one of the aftermarket ones?
Although, regardless, from where you are now, you have Donn's answer and Stans's answer, pick one, I don't think there are any other real alternatives.
Well, I can offer the "Ghetto" alternative of a vinyl roof installation - depending on what the car's worth, what you are willing to spend to repair it, may actually be the most practical approach...just don't tell anybody you got the idea from me, OK?
Location: central ms,Byram soon to move God knows where!!
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Originally Posted by stanman13
The easiest and best way to me would be to replace the entire roof panel. Splice it in over the pillars. That way the repairs are in areas that are inherently stronger and flex less. I have replaced roof panels with very good results, on rollovers. I'd say whoever did it for you took on a project that was a lot of work and guaranteed to fail.
You are the first person I've ever heard of who wanted a sunroof removed and replaced with solid panel (other than classic car restorations). May I ask why you went this way?
I have to agree with you skin the roof would be the only way I would full ta hole in a roof,unless we were working on an older car and couldn't get the roof skin. At that point we would have to fab up a skin,Ive chopped tops and had to butt weld,(only way to weld it togetheris with a tig welder) to keep the heat down, & you steal have to use weld puddy. Another thing who ever said put bondo on and welding, well you should start with fiball from Upal,then plastic filler ,NOT,Bondo, use something alot beter!! You pay for with you get!! Even in arepair!!!
What is the best shingle to use when reproofing a house?
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