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Sun Roof

R

rattler43

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Joaquin Valley, California
Was wondering if the 4 door xj had a sun roof as an option? I saw a nice one on a 2 door at the pick a part that I almost bought to put on my 88 xj 4 dr. But mine has the corrugations on the roof that appear to be in the way. Was concerned about it leaking, even if I flattened them out to do the mounting. Anyone out there that has tried this installation on a 4 door? Thanks....Don
 
Yeah, 4 doors came with sunroofs as an option. A female friend of mine had a 91 limited and had a sunroof in it from the factory. I don't what the roof looked like though. But, to answer one question, yes, they were available. I personally looked into getting and installing one, but, more times than not, it will end up leaking, at least that is what i was told.
 
The sunroof was a FACTORY option on 4-door XJs, but when the sunroof was purchased they used a different roof and the ridges ended behind the sunroof frame.
 
My '96 has the corrugated top w/roof rack & a factory sunroof. (I assume it was factory-installed; it's on the orig. sticker.) The gasket goes right over the corrugations.

It has not leaked in 8 years of fairly extreme Maine weather. I suppose the most important thing is to keep the gasket supple.

Someone has mentioned an XJ sunroof w/screw-type opening mechanism. Mine is a 3-position ratcheting device w/grab handle. Opens a max. of about 3 inches.
 
Eagle said:
The sunroof was a FACTORY option on 4-door XJs, but when the sunroof was purchased they used a different roof and the ridges ended behind the sunroof frame.
Click to expand...

I read this after posting & went out & looked more carefully at mine.

The ridges are there just as normal on both sides of the sunroof, visible another 4" before tapering flat at the downward curve to the windshield, & the gasket shows the ridge humps under it right to the very edge--maybe 1/4" from the edge--of the cutout, where they flatten out. (The roof rack is the normal length; front crossbar moved back behind the sunroof. Sunroof is 18X36".)

So this might be a dealer installation, which is probably good news for Rattler.
 
My buddy has an 89 Laredo that has a sunroof that was installed aftermarket and it leaks a very tiny bit, cause the seal is bad. He does have the ridges, but I can't tell you how it got put in, it's just there.
 
Thanks to all for the input. I also heard that they had a tendency to leak, but the one I saw on the 2dr looked like it hadn't been leaking. It also didn't have the ridges run as far forward as my 4 door. I would like to install one, but I don't need the hassle of leaks. Have my headliner out already "the fabric portion", so thought might be the time to put one in before I redid the headliner. I wouldn't have thought that Jeep would have went to the trouble of making two types of roofs for them, but Eagle may be right. The ridges on my roof don't go all the way to the front, but they go a little further than the 2 door I was looking at. Thought there might be a special seal to cover the ridges or something. Hoping twas true anyhow. BTW..what does PM mean?
 
"PM" means "private message" or, in this case, "send a private message."
 
I have a 1990 4 door xj Limited. It has a factory power sunroof, it drops and slides back under the roof to a fully open position. ( Eagle is correct its a different roof ) None the less the ridges end in the sunroof moulding all nice an pretty. Just sat morn I scrapped all the sealant the previous owner had neatly sealed it shut with :( , Ran fresh hot wire to switch and presto the roof works :) now where to get a good raincoat............and on a second note what do people recomend for lubing the cables? graphite or some sort of oil?
 
Now I'm curious. What qualifies as a sunroof? Should the manual kind (w/either screw-type or ratchet-type mechanisms) that only go up a few inches for ventilation be called "pop-ups", & the term "sunroof" reserved for the power ones that open all the way?

Were both these types available (and identifiable) as factory options at some point?

Rattler, is the one you're thinking of installing power or manual?
 
My wife's '91 has what I believe to be a factory-installed sun roof (manual operating) and it doesn't leak . . . . . unless, there's a pine needle laying between the glass and the seal
 
Yea, I wondering the same, does the sunrooof gasket just overlap the ridges, or are there no ridges on the models with the factory sunroofs...
 
I went out & looked at mine again even closer. I thought at first that the gasket must be pliable to fit over the ridges so nicely, but after pressing hard on it I see there is absolutely no flex & I believe it is molded to fit over the 8 ridge protrusions.

As I said, it's set into a normal roof with 4 ridges that extend the full length of the car, & the ridges on both sides are clearly visible under the 1" gasket lip right to the edge of the cut-out where the gasket drops 1/4" to make the "bed" for the glass. (A few drops of water sometimes get trapped there & sprinkle me the first time I open it after a rain or carwash, but it has obviously never leaked.)

The molded gasket suggests to me that is is indeed a factory installation. It's hard to imagine that an aftermarket sunroof company had a gasket made esp. for XJs.
 
Last edited:
Rattler43, I re-opened this at work this morning and don't have the opportunity to look at my wife's XJ for you to be certain. But, from what I recall, Churchlady has it just right. Don
 
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