Hi Rich. I'm finally ready to install my tracks today. I'm having a panel off paint job done and having the roof clip out will hopefully make it even easier! I just got it back from the paint shop. I have a couple questions. I did read your page one instructions with pics but just to be absolutely clear do the washers go on the back side of the rivets? Also, the washers with the rubber inserts.....do they go in between the bolts and nuts with the rubber side up I'm assuming? Lastly, should I also attach the sunroof insert hinge tabs while riveting the tracks back?
ps I was also planning on using a few small dabs of the product shown in my caulking gun (marine adhesive) under the tracks for extra adhesion and waterproofing. It's an awesome product.
Thanks for any advice and more pics would be helpful if available Marc
1: The washers go on the bottom side of the roof panel. They are a pain in the front, so I haven't installed the center ones on the cars I have done due to accessibility.
2: The rubber goes against the roof to help seal things up. Be careful when tightening the studs on the tracks. If you over tighten you will deform the track and it won't seat right. I just snugged mine up until I saw the track start to deflect. Since they are lock nuts they won't go anywhere.
3: The sunroof insert hinge tabs must be reused. I do have holes for them, however I have had a terrible time trying to get them programmed where they should be. You may have to redrill them. You do not need washers for the 4 rivets on these tabs. The tabs act as the washer under the roof panel.
By all means use the caulk. I found that a little bit goes a long ways. I used a small bead towards the outside of the tracks before installing them. Then I put another small bead on the outer lip of the tracks before installing the gasket. On the cars I have worked on I haven't had a leak yet. Now I just have to get to my '84.
1: The washers go on the bottom side of the roof panel. They are a pain in the front, so I haven't installed the center ones on the cars I have done due to accessibility.
2: The rubber goes against the roof to help seal things up. Be careful when tightening the studs on the tracks. If you over tighten you will deform the track and it won't seat right. I just snugged mine up until I saw the track start to deflect. Since they are lock nuts they won't go anywhere.
3: The sunroof insert hinge tabs must be reused. I do have holes for them, however I have had a terrible time trying to get them programmed where they should be. You may have to redrill them. You do not need washers for the 4 rivets on these tabs. The tabs act as the washer under the roof panel.
By all means use the caulk. I found that a little bit goes a long ways. I used a small bead towards the outside of the tracks before installing them. Then I put another small bead on the outer lip of the tracks before installing the gasket. On the cars I have worked on I haven't had a leak yet. Now I just have to get to my '84.
I have enough material to make about 30 more sets if anyone is interested. I am abandoning the rivet holes on the windshield side, I just can't get them to come out right.
Just scored a biggie. Just managed to score 60" x 10" stainless sheet metal perfect for sunroof tracks. This is 430 stainless not the 304 or 316 that I normally have. Here is the deal, I got it for pennies a pound. So I am going to pass on the savings. To make things even more enticing, The machine I use to bend these has been updated and is bending much better than the first run. Which means fewer failures in the production run. So here is the deal I can come down to $60.00 shipped!!! That is a $25.00 savings over the first couple of runs. If I cut things right I should be able to get 35-40 sets. They will be studded, however there will be no rivet holes. Although I think I can use the rusted out sets to lay out the holes, you will have to drill them.
I need a set of the Stainless Steel tracks, send me an invoice to my screen name here on PFF at gmail.com. (Same email in my PFF profile)
I replaced my tracks 2 years ago with ones from the Fiero Store. They were black when they arrived, not sure if they were painted or powder coated.. I just had to remove the tracks to get the car repainted, and they were completely deteriorated! Just turned to dust for the most part.
Here is when I replaced them December 5th, 2012.
Here is what they looked like last month when I removed the gasket:
The strange thing is the car is parked under a carport, and protected from the rain 99% of the time, and has only been driven in the rain once. I also drilled the 4 holes in the corners for proper drainage. I actually used my own method to drill the holes, no tube, washer or other hardware needed as in Buddy's video. Simply wrap electrical tape a 1/4" up on the drill bit. When you drill the hole, the tape will prevent the drill from going any deeper, and scratching the paint on the sub frame, which would give rust a good place to start.
I do not know what kinda Chinese "steel" the Fiero Store is making them out of, but they were junk.
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 12-26-2014).]
It's been a couple weeks since I PayPal'd ya. Any word on when it will be here? I know you are good for it, just I am getting the car back in the next few days from the paint shop, and need to seal the sunroof up.
It's been a couple weeks since I PayPal'd ya. Any word on when it will be here? I know you are good for it, just I am getting the car back in the next few days from the paint shop, and need to seal the sunroof up.
Should have gotten it by now. I will have to try and find the tracking number.
Should have gotten it by now. I will have to try and find the tracking number.
Rich
No problem, let me know what you find out.
On a side note: I had a FedEx package coming today that said "On Carrier Vehicle - Out for delivery" when I checked it this morning. It still says that as of 10:51PM tonight, but also shows it's current location is in Ft. Lauderdale (an hour South of here) at the same time.
One would think with current technology, they could figure out where a package is! LOL!
THe tracks arrived USPS today. The tape at the end was torn, and some of the hardware fell out it looks like. I am not sure exactly how many of what are supposed to be in the package, but I think I can come up with stuff here to replace it. There is a sticker on it that says "possibly damaged" as the screws and rivets were all loose and rattling around in the tube. When you moved it, it sounded like the tube was full of broken glass. As the mail lady was handing it to me, a washer fell out and went inside her shoe laces that she had to dig out hahaha.
THe tracks arrived USPS today. The tape at the end was torn, and some of the hardware fell out it looks like. I am not sure exactly how many of what are supposed to be in the package, but I think I can come up with stuff here to replace it. There is a sticker on it that says "possibly damaged" as the screws and rivets were all loose and rattling around in the tube. When you moved it, it sounded like the tube was full of broken glass. As the mail lady was handing it to me, a washer fell out and went inside her shoe laces that she had to dig out hahaha.
The tracks look amazing!
Should have 20 rivets and 16 washers with 6 6mm lock nuts and 6 6mm (1/4")rubber backed washers. This is the second time I had one come apart. Nothing missing on the first one.
I went to install the tracks today, and the quality of them is EXCELLENT! All 4 tracks fit in the roof recess perfectly. I did have to add a very slight bend in them to curve better from left to right across the roof.
I do have one small issue however. The rear track I received I think was possibly not aligned perfectly in the bending / shaping machine. It is too narrow, and there is no way whatsoever that the sunroof gasket will squeeze into place. The gasket fits correctly, with a little persuasion, into the other three tracks.
Here is a comparison of the drivers side track, held up at the end of the rear track:
Lastly, a question, is it better to paint these, or leave them raw stainless steel before installing them?
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 01-27-2015).]
I received a set and the workmanship was excellent. One of the tracks was a couple inches too short. I contacted Rich and he sent me out a replacement track and included a couple 30th anniversary tags as a bonus, all on his dime. Excellent customer service.
I went to install the tracks today, and the quality of them is EXCELLENT! All 4 tracks fit in the roof recess perfectly. I did have to add a very slight bend in them to curve better from left to right across the roof.
I do have one small issue however. The rear track I received I think was possibly not aligned perfectly in the bending / shaping machine. It is too narrow, and there is no way whatsoever that the sunroof gasket will squeeze into place. The gasket fits correctly, with a little persuasion, into the other three tracks.
Here is a comparison of the drivers side track, held up at the end of the rear track:
Lastly, a question, is it better to paint these, or leave them raw stainless steel before installing them?
Not sure what happened. Same bending program was used for all the parts. It must have slipped in the clamp for some reason. Just had the machine gone through and everything has been perfect. Lesson learned. Let me know what you want to do, it can be spread with a wedge since it is only 20 ga. As for the paint I'd leave them raw. They aren't going to rust any time soon.
I just received the replacement piece for the rear. It fit perfectly! Thank you so much! These are going to last the life of the car. Where the Fiero Store tracks did not last me barely a year
I do not know if anyone else has had problems with the tracks or not, but I had a chance to install them a few weeks ago. The gasket was EXTREMELY difficult to get into the stainless track, as it appears the stainless tracks have a smaller channel. It took me over an hour to get the gasket just halfway across the rear track using plastic tools, screwdrivers ect. When I finally got the gasket all installed a few hours later, the gasket is being "squeezed" into a "U-Shape" and it does not seal as it should. I can actually see into the car through gaps between the glass and the gasket. I put a shim behind the pull down hinge in the car, so it would pull down more/tighter on the glass, making it quite difficult to latch it closed. Even that did not help, and water pours into the car like a waterfall.
A few notes:
I am using the Fiero Store gasket, as I was in my old original tracks. The gasket did not leak using the gasket with the original tracks. The originals rusted out, and I replaced them with the Fiero Store tracks, and again, no leaks. Those tracks in turn rusted out in just a year, and why I purchased these Stainless ones.
I have the holes drilled in the corners to allow the area to drain. I also put sealant in every hole before putting the bolts through to ensure that there was no chance of leaking around the bolts and studs. There are absolutely no leaks around the nuts/bolts/studs, only around the gasket.
I do not know if anyone else has had problems with the tracks or not, but I had a chance to install them a few weeks ago. The gasket was EXTREMELY difficult to get into the stainless track, as it appears the stainless tracks have a smaller channel. It took me over an hour to get the gasket just halfway across the rear track using plastic tools, screwdrivers ect. When I finally got the gasket all installed a few hours later, the gasket is being "squeezed" into a "U-Shape" and it does not seal as it should. I can actually see into the car through gaps between the glass and the gasket. I put a shim behind the pull down hinge in the car, so it would pull down more/tighter on the glass, making it quite difficult to latch it closed. Even that did not help, and water pours into the car like a waterfall.
A few notes:
I am using the Fiero Store gasket, as I was in my old original tracks. The gasket did not leak using the gasket with the original tracks. The originals rusted out, and I replaced them with the Fiero Store tracks, and again, no leaks. Those tracks in turn rusted out in just a year, and why I purchased these Stainless ones.
I have the holes drilled in the corners to allow the area to drain. I also put sealant in every hole before putting the bolts through to ensure that there was no chance of leaking around the bolts and studs. There are absolutely no leaks around the nuts/bolts/studs, only around the gasket.
I thought I sent you a replacement. Was that bad too?
Rich
[This message has been edited by silver 85 sc (edited 08-29-2015).]
You sent a replacement, as the first one the gasket would not fit in at all. The replacement unfortunately is not quite right either. It seems to squeeze the gasket too tightly. I was trying to see if anyone else is having the same problem, or if it is just me, or if I am doing something wrong.
Dean Miller came over to have a look at it a while back, and told me the gasket should be completely flat up against the sunroof glass. I personally did not know that, so there in lies the possible problem I am having.
Here is a photo that shows what I mean, the gasket is being forced into almost a "V" by the track:
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 08-29-2015).]
When I did the '86 the gasket was loose in both the stock tracks and the tracks I made. I did not order a new gasket since the old one I pulled out seemed to be in good condition. I do not know how these gaskets are supposed to fit, but accepted the way they were. I have installed 3 sets and have not seen any leaks. So I do not have an answer as to how things should be. This is the first time an issue has been brought to light. I have sold over 100 sets since starting this. So if anyone has any comments please chime in. I know that they are not perfect, but I am shooting for functional.
