roddy21t
Well-Known Member
Hi,
After not having a sunroof that worked on ma 21t since iv owned it, i decided to get off ma bum and do something about it, problem was that finding a R21t with a sunroof that worked was proving near impossoible, and with ma R21t being a tilt and slide it had to be replaced by the same, so ma local breakers had a few "K" registration R19's that if you dont know are ALL tilt and slide, so after making sure that it worked and ?20 later it was in ma garage.
Now just to make things more akward the 2 rear bolts that hold the sunroof frame up on the roof are in a different postion so that rules out a straight swap, but us R21t owners are not one's for giving up and we love a challenge :| ......dont we ???
Do not fear though, cause i have a cunning plan :idea:
Now Renault are not going to make different mechanisisms for each and every car, it just would not be "cost productive" :wink: so all you have to do is swap the mechanisism from the R19 to R21t, so if you look at the R19 and R21t sunroof you will notice that at the end of the "runners" (rear) there is a T20 Torx screw that holds the rear of the slider in place but also holds the cable housing in its correct place too via a small plate, undo that screw and put it and the plate that came off aswell to the side,(also undue the motor and the cable plates that are at the rear aswell) then go further down the "sliders" and you will notice that there are 2 "weird" looking nuts that have plastic round them, grab the pliers and rip the plastic off, then using the pliers turn the "weird" looking nuts so that they will go through the hole, dont unscrew them off, just enough to get them through the hole (dont worry, you will see what i mean when its in front of you
) there are 4 of these "weird" looking nuts to undo.
Now the mechanisism is now NEARLY ready to remove from the frame, but you still need to get the rear cable housing out from the frame, now what i did was grab a hack saw and saw a slit at each end, this then allowed the cable housing to slide through the slit (the metal is really soft so sawing is not a problem, takes seconds) you will need to do this with the R21t's too. NOW the mechanisism is ready just to lift up and place to the side, just be carefull with it, remember it no longer has the support of the frame to stop it flexing all over the place and snapping.
Do this to the 2 frames, the nuts and bolts are all exactly in the same place (we would'nt be doing it if they were'nt eh!!)
You are now going to do the reverse of what you have just done, so dont worry, its easy
Now put the R19's mechanisism on the R21t's frame, and slide the cable housing through the slits you made, then starting with the 2 TORX T20 bolts at the rear, put the plates in there place, you will notice the plates have a groove in them, make sure that the cable housing sits in this groove, then put the TORX T20 bolts in and tighten...see..easy as pie aint it ??? then go further down the slider again and line up that "weird" looking bolts and push through and turn, the difficulty you might have here is that trying to turn the bolts can be awkward, but once again i have a cunning plan :wink: if you get a small pliers and turn the "threaded" bit that is poking through the bottom of the "weird" nut so that it is going into the thread, it gives the nut more play, thus making it sooo easy for the nut to be turned into its place, just dont turn the thread to far in eh!! :wink:
Just to double check, you have done up the 2 TORX T20 bolts at the rear with the plates in there correct place, the four "weird" nuts at the front of the sliders, and also the 2 plates that hold the cable housings in place at the rear, is that a yes .....good
Now is also a good time to get the WD40 and sqiurt it down that cable housings and anywhere that cable can be seen, also the rollers at the front, also give the small metal wheel on the electric motor a good clean, i found mine had alot of black muck on the teeth, abit like some of my ex girlfriends :roll:
I removed the glass when i done mine, it just makes everthing lighter and easier, its only held on by 4 TORX T20 bolts.
Now your sunroof should be ready for fitting
iv just done this system to mine and it is working an absolute treat, well chuffed, and although when you see it in writing it looks alot to do, but trust me in practicle form is does not take long, to actually swap over the 2 systems took me roughly 3 1/2 hrs, and becuase i also soaked the cable's in WD40 the sunroof moves a treat but i suppouse it boils down to how much you want a sunroof ???? so what you waiting for....summers a cumming and there is a R19 at you're local breakers with a sunroof that crying to be fitted to your polished R21t....go do it, its easy peazy japaneaze
After not having a sunroof that worked on ma 21t since iv owned it, i decided to get off ma bum and do something about it, problem was that finding a R21t with a sunroof that worked was proving near impossoible, and with ma R21t being a tilt and slide it had to be replaced by the same, so ma local breakers had a few "K" registration R19's that if you dont know are ALL tilt and slide, so after making sure that it worked and ?20 later it was in ma garage.
Now just to make things more akward the 2 rear bolts that hold the sunroof frame up on the roof are in a different postion so that rules out a straight swap, but us R21t owners are not one's for giving up and we love a challenge :| ......dont we ???
Do not fear though, cause i have a cunning plan :idea:
Now Renault are not going to make different mechanisisms for each and every car, it just would not be "cost productive" :wink: so all you have to do is swap the mechanisism from the R19 to R21t, so if you look at the R19 and R21t sunroof you will notice that at the end of the "runners" (rear) there is a T20 Torx screw that holds the rear of the slider in place but also holds the cable housing in its correct place too via a small plate, undo that screw and put it and the plate that came off aswell to the side,(also undue the motor and the cable plates that are at the rear aswell) then go further down the "sliders" and you will notice that there are 2 "weird" looking nuts that have plastic round them, grab the pliers and rip the plastic off, then using the pliers turn the "weird" looking nuts so that they will go through the hole, dont unscrew them off, just enough to get them through the hole (dont worry, you will see what i mean when its in front of you
) there are 4 of these "weird" looking nuts to undo.Now the mechanisism is now NEARLY ready to remove from the frame, but you still need to get the rear cable housing out from the frame, now what i did was grab a hack saw and saw a slit at each end, this then allowed the cable housing to slide through the slit (the metal is really soft so sawing is not a problem, takes seconds) you will need to do this with the R21t's too. NOW the mechanisism is ready just to lift up and place to the side, just be carefull with it, remember it no longer has the support of the frame to stop it flexing all over the place and snapping.
Do this to the 2 frames, the nuts and bolts are all exactly in the same place (we would'nt be doing it if they were'nt eh!!)
You are now going to do the reverse of what you have just done, so dont worry, its easy
Now put the R19's mechanisism on the R21t's frame, and slide the cable housing through the slits you made, then starting with the 2 TORX T20 bolts at the rear, put the plates in there place, you will notice the plates have a groove in them, make sure that the cable housing sits in this groove, then put the TORX T20 bolts in and tighten...see..easy as pie aint it ??? then go further down the slider again and line up that "weird" looking bolts and push through and turn, the difficulty you might have here is that trying to turn the bolts can be awkward, but once again i have a cunning plan :wink: if you get a small pliers and turn the "threaded" bit that is poking through the bottom of the "weird" nut so that it is going into the thread, it gives the nut more play, thus making it sooo easy for the nut to be turned into its place, just dont turn the thread to far in eh!! :wink:
Just to double check, you have done up the 2 TORX T20 bolts at the rear with the plates in there correct place, the four "weird" nuts at the front of the sliders, and also the 2 plates that hold the cable housings in place at the rear, is that a yes .....good
Now is also a good time to get the WD40 and sqiurt it down that cable housings and anywhere that cable can be seen, also the rollers at the front, also give the small metal wheel on the electric motor a good clean, i found mine had alot of black muck on the teeth, abit like some of my ex girlfriends :roll:
I removed the glass when i done mine, it just makes everthing lighter and easier, its only held on by 4 TORX T20 bolts.
Now your sunroof should be ready for fitting
iv just done this system to mine and it is working an absolute treat, well chuffed, and although when you see it in writing it looks alot to do, but trust me in practicle form is does not take long, to actually swap over the 2 systems took me roughly 3 1/2 hrs, and becuase i also soaked the cable's in WD40 the sunroof moves a treat but i suppouse it boils down to how much you want a sunroof ???? so what you waiting for....summers a cumming and there is a R19 at you're local breakers with a sunroof that crying to be fitted to your polished R21t....go do it, its easy peazy japaneaze 
