sunroof gate cracked - can it be repaired or should i just delete panel?

[JonsE30]

the right side sunroof gate (part number 54121941322) cracked. this part feels like it is metal. is there anyway to repair this? this part is expensive. can it be welded? is the metal hard enough to be welded or will it deform under the heat? i attached a pic. my sunroof panel rusted at the 6 torx bolt areas and was considering doing the delete panel but i see it online at s2rtuning for $300 shipped or maybe dtmfiberwerkz for $250 picked up since they are local to me.

other alternatives were doing the DIY plexi/lexan riveted and sealed panel, but if it can be repaired for not so much money, i'd rather do the repair.

[EbzyyE30]

I Got the DTMFiberworks delete panel cuz of the rarity of sunroof parts, honestly its pretty good obviously with fibreglass it does require a fair amount of sanding and paint prep to fit perfectly in the car However, I have family in the Middle East where these parts are like 50$ to replace every piece in the roof (getting these parts shipped out to me soon). If your set on deleting it its up to you, but if its not a daily driver and can sit for a while I would try to find a part out vehicle to pull those parts off to retain your sunroof because no matter how good you try to seal your fibreglass panel it will leak.

[Zambuzan]

I Got the DTMFiberworks delete panel

Do those have the 6 mounting tabs, similar to the OEM metal sunroof panel? Or do you have to apply silicone on the perimeter in order to install it?

[EbzyyE30]

Do those have the 6 mounting tabs, similar to the OEM metal sunroof panel? Or do you have to apply silicone on the perimeter in order to install it?

doesn't come with any mounting tabs so I had to come up with my ways of mounting, leaving just the silicone holding it would be a disaster. my mounting is solid and hasn't budged but silicones are bound to crack, every-time you open and close the door the air pressure will slightly disturb it. I used a polyurethane based silicone similar to uses on windshields and it still caused some sort of cracking resulting in small waterleaks. that being said the E30 does have drainage holes in the sunroof but I found it unsettling that water was getting in. Even then I am pretty sure those drainage holes are there for a reason and the stock sunroofs leak a bit too but not noticeable if the drainage ducts are not clogged.

[JonsE30]

i called dtm and they said you would drill self tapping screws to the body of the car and then silicone to prevent water coming in. but i assume fiberglass molds by nature would need some sort of fitment finessing. that part would be $250 (fiberglass) or more for the CF variant. i was thinking of the work needed to fully refurbish the sunroof. i'd have to repair or replace the sunroof gate ($150 from fcp/ecs) plus my sunroof panel needs some work.

a couple of the 6 mounting points to the panel has rust, which i see is a common issue. plus i'd prolly would just refinish it with gloss black and get new weather stripping.

i just don't know how easily those gates are to break, even if i replaced it with an oem part. the alternative is to just do the CF panel as a more permanent fix 1 time and forget it, but the purist in me says to fix the oem gate and panel.

[EbzyyE30]

i called dtm and they said you would drill self tapping screws to the body of the car and then silicone to prevent water coming in. but i assume fiberglass molds by nature would need some sort of fitment finessing. that part would be $250 (fiberglass) or more for the CF variant. i was thinking of the work needed to fully refurbish the sunroof. i'd have to repair or replace the sunroof gate ($150 from fcp/ecs) plus my sunroof panel needs some work.

a couple of the 6 mounting points to the panel has rust, which i see is a common issue. plus i'd prolly would just refinish it with gloss black and get new weather stripping.

i just don't know how easily those gates are to break, even if i replaced it with an oem part. the alternative is to just do the CF panel as a more permanent fix 1 time and forget it, but the purist in me says to fix the oem gate and panel.

If I could go back in time and find parts I would. stay OEM just much cleaner that way. if you can't and decide to go to DTM then u gotta do what u gotta do, like I said mine came out pretty clean but I just know that OEM would be way better hence why im definitely going to fix it.

[JonsE30]

If I could go back in time and find parts I would. stay OEM just much cleaner that way. if you can't and decide to go to DTM then u gotta do what u gotta do, like I said mine came out pretty clean but I just know that OEM would be way better hence why im definitely going to fix it.

Yep I agree. I am keeping an eye on Craigslist and eBay for parts to save some money. I think the delete panel is my last resort. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk