glueguy
glueguy GRM+ Memberand Reader
10/15/11 10:26 a.m.

The sunroof gear drive on my BMW E46 broke out of its plastic tube. The tube split lengthwise. When the sunroof retracts, the gear drive goes back in where it's supposed to be. It's just that when stressed to move it goes to the path of least resistance - out the split and the sunroof doesn't move. I want to seal up the tube. I think standard epoxy but want to see if anyone has better suggestions or a specific product.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn SuperDork
10/15/11 10:35 a.m.

Older BMWs with power seats had a similar problem, the tube would crack and the drive cable would come out through the split. The fix was to slit a piece of gas line, wrap it around the tube and hold it in place with a couple hose clamps.

glueguy
glueguy GRM+ Memberand Reader
10/15/11 10:46 a.m.

Interesting, but won't work here. The tube is molded as part of the sunroof cassette. There is no way to get a hose clamp around the tube.

NOHOME
NOHOME HalfDork
10/15/11 12:36 p.m.

Can you wrap a piece of fiberglass cloth around and then saturate with resin?

93gsxturbo
93gsxturbo HalfDork
10/15/11 1:17 p.m.

My 85 Peugeot suffered a similar fate with the sunroof.

I wrapped it with a few layers of fiberglass cloth, applied resin, let it cure. Problem solved.

Taiden
Taiden Dork
10/15/11 1:33 p.m.

can you get a soldering iron in there? do a sketchy plastic weld!

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