When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So I recently took out my sunroof assembly. Have a few questions on the sunroof sound proofing, vibration dampening, water channels yatta yatta yatta.
Does anyone know if there is a replacement for the blue rubber strip? Should I make it go all the way around for giggles?
The red is silicone that was under the rails, I think this there to help channel water to the drains. When reinstalling, do you think its ok the just add a big blob on the side and let it dry from there?
So I recently took out my sunroof assembly. Have a few questions on the sunroof sound proofing, vibration dampening, water channels yatta yatta yatta.
<picture deleted for brevity>
Does anyone know if there is a replacement for the blue rubber strip? Should I make it go all the way around for giggles?
The red is silicone that was under the rails, I think this there to help channel water to the drains. When reinstalling, do you think its ok the just add a big blob on the side and let it dry from there?
This is timely as I just started to fully restore my sunroof assembly. For the blue rubber strip, mine is in good enough condition to reuse, and I wouldn't bother making it wrap all around - Mazda must have left that gap for a reason. If your is too buggered up to reuse, I would take some good cross-section measurements of the best section of that strip, and based on its dimensions, cross section shape & material, you may be able to find an equivalent substitute material on McMaster-Carr - https://www.mcmaster.com/ But before doing that, give Ray Crowe a call and see if Mazda still sells that piece; kind of doubt it, but it's worth a shot.
For the red areas under the rails, that is a silicon/RTV type of sealer. The FSM doesn't specify what kind to use, so I'm going to use either Permatex grey/Great Stuff silicone RTV, or HondaBond sealer on mine. You basically want to completely cover the undersides of the aluminum rails, so yeah, put down a good consistent bead & wipe off any excess that oozes out along all the edges - you don't want any excess silicone interfering with the flow of water out to the drains. That sealer is there for 2 reasons: (1) The bottoms of the rails are completely flat, but the surface of the frame it bolts on to is not, it has a slight curve to it, so there would be gaps where water/moisture can get trapped and encourage corrosion without the sealer there. (2) The sealer provides a break between the two dissimilar metals where they join (AL & steel), which prevents corrosion.
For the yellow foam, that's just a dust/weather strip seal. My plan to restore that was to take good cross section dimensions of the existing foam, and find a suitable replacement at my local hardware store/Home Depot. Or try same with McMaster-Carr if I strike out locally.
A little bit off topic, but is your FC an S5 with the passive seat belts? If so, did you need to remove your seat belt rails/motor unit in order to remove the sunroof assembly? I posted about this headache yesterday - https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generati...belts-1155003/
Thanks for the info. Very helpfull. No mines not, would you br able to turn the key on and have the seat belts move back? Then you could get it out. Unless on misunderstanding the question.
Thanks for the info. Very helpfull. No mines not, would you br able to turn the key on and have the seat belts move back? Then you could get it out. Unless on misunderstanding the question.
Yeah, you're misunderstanding. The entire seat belt track (under the A-pillar trim) and one of its brackets will get in the way of dropping the sunroof assembly out. I figured it out though, and posted up how in my thread.
Back to the sunroof tracks in the silicone, how did you get yours to break the silicone bond and come out after all the screws were removed? I'm now having a hell of a time getting mine out - probably because my sunroof frame has no signs of visible rust and that silicone is really ON there. I have 2x used sunroof assemblies that are both a bit rusted, but I was able to free up the aluminum tracks easily off of those by using a putty knife to cut into the silicone & gently prying the tracks up. No such luck on mine. Maybe try heating, or some kind of solvent to try to soften the silicone?
Yeah, you're misunderstanding. The entire seat belt track (under the A-pillar trim) and one of its brackets will get in the way of dropping the sunroof assembly out. I figured it out though, and posted up how in my thread.
Back to the sunroof tracks in the silicone, how did you get yours to break the silicone bond and come out after all the screws were removed? I'm now having a hell of a time getting mine out - probably because my sunroof frame has no signs of visible rust and that silicone is really ON there. I have 2x used sunroof assemblies that are both a bit rusted, but I was able to free up the aluminum tracks easily off of those by using a putty knife to cut into the silicone & gently prying the tracks up. No such luck on mine. Maybe try heating, or some kind of solvent to try to soften the silicone?
Mine just kinda popped off, didn't have an issue. Very little rust on mine.
Mine just kinda popped off, didn't have an issue. Very little rust on mine.
I just got my tracks off, Mazda must have been extra generous with the silicone goop on mine. I ended up using an extra sharp & thin blade putty knife to get underneath the tracks & gradually cut much of the silicone free at the back end, then some gentle prying from the back end popped it loose enough so I could get underneath with the knife & cut the silicone that bonded the middle & front ends of the tracks tight, and it finally came off. Only a couple of tiny spots of surface rust, so I'm really happy about that! The 2x used sunroof assembly frames I got had some rust perforation in multiple spots, so since they were unusable, I was banking on my existing frame being rust free.
I wire brushed & prepped the few surface rust spots of the sunroof frame for a coating of POR15 to prevent any future rust. Once that cures in a few hours, I'll be picking the best of the reusable parts from the now 3x sunroof assemblies I got to build one that will work & last, and take the best of my 2x used outer sunroof panels to get painted to match my FC's black paint.
I just got my tracks off, Mazda must have been extra generous with the silicone goop on mine. I ended up using an extra sharp & thin blade putty knife to get underneath the tracks & gradually cut much of the silicone free at the back end, then some gentle prying from the back end popped it loose enough so I could get underneath with the knife & cut the silicone that bonded the middle & front ends of the tracks tight, and it finally came off. Only a couple of tiny spots of surface rust, so I'm really happy about that! The 2x used sunroof assembly frames I got had some rust perforation in multiple spots, so since they were unusable, I was banking on my existing frame being rust free.
I wire brushed & prepped the few surface rust spots of the sunroof frame for a coating of POR15 to prevent any future rust. Once that cures in a few hours, I'll be picking the best of the reusable parts from the now 3x sunroof assemblies I got to build one that will work & last, and take the best of my 2x used outer sunroof panels to get painted to match my FC's black paint.
I may be in need of a new sunroof motor soon, so if you want to get rid of one, let me know
I may be in need of a new sunroof motor soon, so if you want to get rid of one, let me know
Will do! All of the 3 motors I have work well, and I've already cleaned out the 30+ year old hardened grease from the gear boxes of 2 of the motors and re-greased them with Honda Shin-Etsu grease. That stuff works wonders on things like the sunroof motor gear box, cables & power window mechanisms - never dries out & hardens and stays slippery forever.
12-27-21, 06:33 PM
