Hey guys,

I have what I think is probably an unusual idea. When I was looking for a 4Runner I didn't want a moonroof for a couple reasons. I didn't want to deal with another thing that could break in the future, and the decreased headroom isn't worth it for me. I'm 6'3" tall.

The headroom has been slightly annoying for me since I bought the truck, I probably have a maximum of 3 inches above my head, but it hasn't really bothered me a whole lot. What really bothers me is what the moonroof did after a recent trip in my truck out to Barstow, CA . I went to open it and it was opening smoothly until the end when it made several loud clicking noises. It was as if it got to the end of the track and the motor kept pulling on it. After that it wouldn't close more than an inch before it stopped and returned. Exactly why I didn't want a moonroof, another expensive repair. Eventually, it closed very slowly. Since then, it rattles like crazy over every bump in the road, and I don't even try to open it.

So this is what I want to do, and where I need some advice. I'm thinking about taking it somewhere (I don't know where, or if this is even possible) to have the entire moonroof assembly removed and replaced with a solid mounted piece of glass for a window. It would get rid of the moonroof I didn't even want and I would also have to replace the headliner for more headroom. Win win?

So these are my questions...

Is it possible to mount a piece of glass up there that will not open? Is there even a solid mounting surface?

If so, does anybody have any ideas on where to get this done?

If not, has anybody with a similar problem had their moonroof fixed at the dealership? And how much did you end up paying?

Thank you guys in advance, I'll contribute a picture to the thread.

When mine failed... snow and ice the culprit. I simply closed it manually. Then disconnected the switch in the overhead console so that it would not inadvertently be opened.

Mine failed, and through this forum I found the t.s.b. to fix it. I had to open the little storage unit that holds the switch and the motor for the moonroof to get the screw drive back on track, and I cleaned all of the contaminated crusty grease from the tracks the glass rides in and relubed them. The little clumps of hardened grease binds up the tracks Put it all back together and it has been fine ever since. Kind of a pain in the ass but cost me nothing to fix.

There are companies making aftermarket sunroofs for cars that you can buy at speed shops and places like Pep Boys that might work. It's just a piece of glass that fits in a rubber gasket you put around the edge of a hole cut in the roof. They hinge at the front and have a latch at the back so you can release them and raise them up a little for circulation if you want but it doesn't take up any head room. I don't know if one could be found that would fit in place of the factory sun roof or not but it might be worth taking a look. I had one like that on a used car I bought once. It tended to leak and let sunlight shine on my head even though it was tinted so it wasn't as good as the factory sunroof but that's what came with the car.

Do you live in OC? Where is that picture taken?

OMG! Black Bear Pass!

I took my BMW R1200GSA moto down that a couple years ago fully loaded...good stuff!

Can't help you on the moon-roof-ectomy....