Hey sunroof/moonroof guys.....

I hate em. Dread them. Can't stand them when they come in. THe installers we have around here hack and destroy headliners when installing aftermarket rooves. I just had an 06 STS in the shop with the back end of the original headliner collapsed and hanging. There was only about 4 inches of the board left and t hen a big open gap up to the board covering the motor and cables. It was all sagging. Not fun to fix, and could have been avoided if the cut was more careful.

Anyway, after the ranting, I'm fishing for info. What's the secret or is there a general rule to follow to get the moonroof slider out of the mechanism for recovering? I don't want to drop the whole unit, just get the slider loose for covering. Had one a few weeks ago that was brittle and fell apart as I was jostling it loose. So I left it out (I told the people, and had it in the trunk). I had put so much time in rebuilding the headliner that it was cost prohibitive to continue to try to get the slider to work.

We've tried covering them still up in their tracks, but I don't like doing that. I feel that it's not as professional as we should be, and worry about it falling down.

I'm looking for that elusize "this works every time" trick.

Depending on the make and model, mostly you can remove the glass and get them out through the top opening, on some you must remove the rear drip channel too.

On very few, the whole module has to come out, but it is very rare....

I hate doing aftermarket s/roof headliners too....

The best, easiest way to do them is to glue the fabric on the rear piece and do the rest in the car....

Just mask everything well.

I had one of my guys do a Chrysler 300 last week, the idiot spray glued the whole phuckin' dash.

The guy is a genius behind the sewing machine, but not too bright when it comes to trim mechanics....

If you need any help, PM me and I'll give you my number...

I've done tons of s/roof repairs and headliners for the aftermarket....

I have mostly been able to remove just the glass and then work the slider out from the top. But then again most of the cars with the aftermarket sunroofs I have worked on were at least a few years old for those tote your note car lots.

Ok soo i have an after market sun roof in my car which I bought from the dealer dumb idea however it leaked i reasealed it but now im missing the buttons and I cannot get a hold of the manufacturer is it worth getting a new one installed?

If you have the sunroof and it is sealed and alright in that respect, you may as well get it working right. A switch is just a switch. It's not going to know what it's running, so don't worry about having the exact stock switch. Check the junkyards and look for a sunroof car and swipe the switch from there. Or hit the hardware store and pick up a three position rocker switch (off at rest, forward and back). Now, you may have to get a bit more advanced switch if yours has the relays for raising at the front, and all the little extra things that some rooves do. Good luck

Yes, most of the time they obsolete them within a year or 2. Therefore, you cannot get parts for them.

Several of the aftermkt. s/roof companies have merged or gone belly up within the past 2 -3 years...

Why mess with rigging up some bs, go to a restyle shop and have them put you in a new model or trade the car for one with a factory unit.

IMO, aftermarket roofs ruin the structural integrity of a vehicle.....