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Extend the life of your Sunroof Moonroof Gear

Danno-23

CEG'er
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
106
Location
Halifax, NS
Finally started using the sunroof again after the long cold winter, and realized I don't know if I ever mentioned a little trick I learned with my sunroof.

Not long after getting my Contour a few years ago, I stripped the teeth on the plastic gear, so had to order one from the regular guy for the 70 dollars or whatever it was.

So I'm sure you all know, - do not use the sunroof after first getting in your car on a hot summer day, as the motor and gear will be especially hot from the heat inside your car, who knows up to 40 or 50 Celsius?

Heres another trick I learned after using the sunroof by hand by turning the crank with a plastic gear in my hand, while I was waiting for the improved plastic one to show up.
When operating the sunroof at highway speeds, there is a high amount of upward force on the sunroof glass. So using the "slide" control, it has to overcome this pressure as it lowers and slides under the roof putting a lot of stress on the plastic teeth.
And especially, going from the open vent position - to closing it up when on the highway, there is so much force you can almost not turn the crank by hand when at highway speeds. Imagine the stress on those small plastic teeth from the wormgear trying to force that roof closed.

The trick I have been doing ever since:
If using your sunroof at highway speeds - crack some windows to relieve interior pressure before opening/closing your roof.
This is confirmed, as when using it by hand at highway speeds, the effort at "vent close" or "slide open" is reduced to probably one tenth the amount.

Thanks everyone! Long live your sunroof worm wheel.
 
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