oh dear

[khimani_mohiki]

So i recovered my headlining and sunroof lining with some faux suede stuff, turned out really good. Then putting the sunroof headlining back in both the left and right lifting mechanisms snapped as one of the lining tabs hadnt engaged properly and although it poped up fine something got caught up trying to close it.

So i need to get the panel off to get to the lifting mechanisms but obviosly it cant be retracted to get to the bolts holding it in place. So how can i retract the panel manually given that its not connected to anything, will i be able to just pull it back?

Also does anyone know where i can get the alignment tools to put it all back together p/n 124589172100 & 124589182100, both arent coming up on inchcape.

Any help appreciated, i would really like my sunrrof to be working for when it eventually stops raining

 

[jaymanek]

told you it wasnt easy... I went through at least a couple of sets of arms!

 

[khimani_mohiki]

i did manage to get it in but took it out to blow the dirt out of the recess where the panel retracts as it was leaving dirt on the lining everytime it retracted. So im doubly annoyed that if i had just left it after putting it in the first time it would have been fine!

I hear the mechanisms have been revised and strengthened. Did you use the alignment tools when you put yours in and how did you access the panel fixings to get to the mechanisms?

 

[jaymanek]

Hi,

no i didnt use any tools at all.

All i remember is taking the lid off a lot by removing the two nuts on each side with a ratchet spanner and then pulling the lid off from outside the car.

 

[neilrr]

The updated (post mid-1987) W201 & W124 angular sunroof arms both have a '124' number, A1247820512 for the NS & A1247820612 for the OS.

I have good used ones, tested & working, if you need any.

I don't know what number the W126 uses as I've never seen one before. Never seen anyone asking for one either, I guess they are (usually!) more durable.

 

[khimani_mohiki]

126 bits are different from 124&201, 126 SEC mechanisms are again different from SE and SEL, thanks anyway

 

[219]

The main difference is in the size of the roof : W126 ones are certainly wider , and maybe longer as well . However , the general design is similar and I have used W124 parts to fix my W126 sunroof ( just the hinges for the pop up windshield ) . I'd expect a lot of the smaller component parts will be interchangeable , even if they have slightly different part numbers .

Pre-facelift W126's have a slide only sunroof , whereas post facelift ones have the tilt & slide roof . I expect the slide only roof on earlier 126's will also be similar to that used on a W123 , apart from the dimensions .

There are both pre and post facelift 126's in breakers near me .

 

[khimani_mohiki]

ok, managed to get some space to work undercover in a local bodyshop, got the lid off without much hassle, removed the transport bridge from the cable and slide mechanisms and managed to get the broken bits of the mechanisms out. Ive put the lid back on but theres nothing to stop it lifting or falling in as i found out on my way home when it popped open at 70mph! Fortunatly its not that easy for it to come out of the tracks and fly off down the road so im going to rig something up to hold it in place until i cant get some new slide mechanisms.

Im looking at £65 per side for the new mechanisms plus now i have to fix the sunroof headliner as well

 

[219]

Dave Collins is breaking a 560SEC

 

[jaymanek]

I have a cream headliner..

 

[khimani_mohiki]

cool ill keep it in mind if i cant bend mines frame back into shape

 

[swannymere]

Do you still need the alignment tools?

 

[ianrandom]

Are these needed for assembly? The more i hear about the sunroof the scarier it gets..

 

[khimani_mohiki]

im assuming i will need them when i get the new mechanisms, they are shown in the service manual and on this link SlideLift Roof Repair although im not sure what they align with what?

 

[jaymanek]

those tools are just to align the two sides so that the runers dont snag when pulled back... Dont think they are that necessary..

 

[khimani_mohiki]

got the broken mechanisms out of the boot today to get the part numbers and they arent matching anything on the EPC.

The left one is 126 782 14 12 and the right one 126 782 13 12, which are different from those shown on the russian parts site, they arent coming up on inchcape either. The little arms which lift the liner have their own 124 part numbers which also dont come up on inchcape or the EPC.

(Not shown is the bit that attaches to and lifts the lid)

 

[neilrr]

There's something up with EPC & sunroof arms.

In post #5 I quoted 2 part numbers which I know to be correct - I'm looking at them & have 6 per side all with the quoted numbers - & yet it comes back as 'Nothing found'

However, if I change A124 782 05 12 to A124 780 05 12 it comes up with the right part but lists no other follow or or preceding numbers.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work for your part numbers.

 

[khimani_mohiki]

while im sure the 126 bits are probably different from the 124 bits, i dont see why there would be a difference between the coupe and saloon bits, this one on german ebay Mercedes W126 500SEL Hubwinkel Schiebedach rechts W 126 bei eBay.de: Karosserieteile (endet 10.04.10 18:56:42 MESZ) has 6 bolt holes instead of the 3 like on mine, ill ask him what the part number is as i have a feeling they may be interchangable

 

[jaymanek]

There are huge differences between saloon and coupe and also Gen 1 and Gen 2...

 

[khimani_mohiki]

I realise that, its just why is there a difference between the saloon and coupe sunroof mechanisms?

i think maybe the coupe had a slightly smaller sunroof i guess because its shorter than the saloon and would have less roof space? Leading to different lift/slide mechanisms to accomodate for the difference in travel and panel tilt.