Removal of sunroof cartridge

[oldbimmer]

Morning chaps..

Has anyone got an effective method for removing the sunroof cartridge???? It looks like a lot of fun...

Any tips/advice appreciated.

[Trise30rally]

its actuall very easy, most of it is glued in.....

There are two welded tabs at the back, either side, cut those then it should pull away from the roof, then you just have to cut it away from the front........

Any questions just ask.....

[Black_Potato]

Just done mine, or 95% of it, angle grinder & goggles. As said a fair amount is glued in you just need to slice it either side of the welded tabs, carefull not to cut the roof ;)

[ed325i]

I just drilled out the spot welds and heated the glue up and pulled it out, didnt use a grinder

[oldbimmer]

Thanks guys - you've given me the confidence to crack on!

[northloop]

Just done mine, or 95% of it, angle grinder & goggles. As said a fair amount is glued in you just need to slice it either side of the welded tabs, carefull not to cut the roof ;)

Been there, seen it, done it

[alan1272]

my effective method

[ed325i]

my effective method

You can just drill out the spot welds.

[alan1272]

You can just drill out the spot welds.

i'm afraid it's a bit late now plus there's nowt more fun than a big grinder

[agreen]

alan did you pop rivet a plate over the top then ?

[alan1272]

no, i welded the panel back in on some tabs and sealed round the edge with windscreen sealant.

[Lloydie38]

Here's mine removed - what a ball ache - and it still looks cr4p but it's not for showing it's for throwing

[/img]
With Hammerite...
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[Milko]

Can you do this with the roof lining still in the car?

[Lloydie38]

hmmm - think it would be very tight, very limited on space..

[agreen]

Can you do this with the roof lining still in the car?

ou could remove the lining do it then re fit the lining seems a little pointless to me but

saying that i just had an all plate riveted over the top of it looks good from what i have seen

hth

[Brian28]

Pretty impossible with the original lining in place, wouldn't look right afterwards as the roof lining is a different shape to take account of the cassette and opening sunroof. Bin the original and fit a roof lining from a scrappie non sunroof car afterwards, should look Ok?

[Milko]

I just want to remove the sunroof panel and its mechanisam to be replaced with a cf panel bonded in place, I realise now you guys have removed everything including the metal inside the car which the sunroof slides into... correct?

[agreen]

correct?

YES

[ed325i]

I removed the inner skin from mine and then welded it back in.

[UweM3]

I removed the inner skin from mine and then welded it back in.

ditto here. Cheapest and best looking solution IMHO.
After welding I have ground the remaining flange down a little to make it look nice. I bought some very thin and lightweight foam sheet at the Classic car show in Stoneleigh last year to glue back up instead of a roof liner.
If you want to tuck your cage up as high a spossible, there will be no room for a roof liner.

BTW insted of a grinder you can also use a sharp chisel. Loads of sparks which will settle on your screens, BEWARE!!!

[ed325i]

Loads of sparks which will settle on your screens, BEWARE!!!

Or the windows of your house

[UweM3]

Loads of sparks which will settle on your screens, BEWARE!!!

Or the windows of your house

you don't........?

[WMWNWMN]

grinding, drilling, prying, heat gun, beer. it was a fun night



my CF plug should be here any day now, damn boat ride across the atlantic takes forever some times

[oldbimmer]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys...

In the end, I managed to get the cage fitted (Safety Devices B8) by cutting part of the rear section of the sunroof cartridge away, which wasn't much hassle at all. All I need to do now is seal the suroof with some sort of sealer and it's job done..

[bmwe30mtech]

Im thinking about doing this soon. Unlike you guys i intend to put a new one back in! (or pay somebody else to).

Looks easier than i thought, better get the drill out.

[ed325i]

This is how mine looks now I have primed it.

[nickso]

whats it look like on the outside?

im going to remove mine in the coming months and fancy welding it.

[ed325i]

whats it look like on the outside?

It looks like a normal sunroof from the outside.
I welded it from the inside.

[nickso]

thats what i want to do. what did you fill the hole outside with?

[ed325i]

I used Sikaflex sealant to replace the rubber seal on the outside so it looks like a normal sunroof.

[nickso]

cheers for the info, i think ill do the same.