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SLK R172 Delaminated roof fix

17K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  fatfairy2005 
#1 · (Edited)
There' s a support bar that the roof panel attaches to and it is glued from the factory. Over time, this glue "lets go" and causes delamiation of the plastic roof from the front bar.
I have put together a guide on how to do this with the tools that you can get in the UK, but other countries just improvise!

Pictures show the roof before and clearly in hot conditions the roof rises! Pictures RR1-RR4
Pictures of the equipment and kit next. Picture EQ1
Pictures of the setting process. SP1-7
Pictures of the finally sealed roof. FS1-3

Equipment:
5 x deep-ish clamps (bought from toolstation: One handed quick clamp 73583 £6.23 each)
1 x UPol Tiger Seal (ordered off Amazon £11.99) Panel bonding adhesive.
Knife.
Dirty wipes (loads of).
Tape (required for sealing holes that are in the bar as tiger seal leaks through them!).


1. Remove the headliner - pull at one side - i did the front and it snaps away. There are approx 11 clips.
2. There is a solid metal frame and at the front of car there is approx a 3" bar that runs across the front of the roof - the roof release mechanisms are attached to it on each side and the Bar has a "honeycomb" design.
3. I raised the roof on packers (from the inside) so I could squeeze the Tiger seal and put a cloth on your seats.
4. at the front of the bar, raise the roof and get the noozle of the Tiger seal up in there and squeeze - do along the complete width.
4a - In the pictures it is coming down the front - be careful of drips.
5. On the inside - do the same - get the noozle in there and squeeze, ensuring you go the complete width. One complete tube of tiger seal did the entire job.
5a - You can see in the pictures i have the glue coming to the edge.
6. Remove packers and let the roof move down onto the bar.
7. Put cloth's on the roof and then get the clamps spaced evenly along the roof, starting in the middle. 5 clamps will do the job - apply pressure and leave for as long as you can or for the curing time of the Tiger seal (I left for 6 hours before the rain came!)

I have had to spread the photos over 2 posts.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
Photos continued.

Additional Notes:

Note 1:
In photos SP1 and SP2 (first post), you can see the Tiger seal coming through those holes, after it has skinned a bit, remove the excess in that hole. This is because the roof lining grommets, pop back in those holes! Trust me its easier now than later :)

Note2:
You need to have 2, wooden (?) props to hold up the roof, when you switch the engine off as the hydraulic fluid flows back.
 

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#5 ·
Fantastic, now all I have to do is see if I'm brave enough to do it at 75! My delamination is only across half the roof, so I'm wondering if I should force the other half apart and then fix the whole width or go with the old principle of 'if it ain't broke don't touch it'. Any thoughts on this?
 
#6 ·
Ummmmmm, so, open the hood to the position you see in my photos (you can keep the engine running) and then press down the roof all along (at the front) and watch at the front where the plastic roof lip, moves up and down on the bar. If you have movement all the way along then prise it off.
If you don't have movement - i wouldn't prise it off, just squirt the tiger seal in the gap (behind the stuckdown side) at least that would further secure that side - i'm sure the factory only put a little bit of glue along it, and at least there will be more surface area to stick roof to bar!

Did that make sense, as I had to re-read it twice!! :wink:
 
#8 ·
I found as soon as you hit about 70, the roof started to lift with quite a force, so i suspect tape would have not hold if you did it that way.

However, i used waterproof tape along the width of the roof that once closed connected the roof with the front of the car (for a while) thus producing a seal and although the roof rose up i got no draught / draught noise, being a black car with black tape it wasn't too bad!
 
#11 ·
Did so checking it looks like I have a leak at a different place. It is the panel over the driver's door that is separate from the actual roof panel. The picture shows where I have stuck screwdrivers where the panel is separating. The passenger side is tight. When water comes in it is near the front above the door. The curve of the roofline would let the water run to the front.
 

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#13 ·
These are also laminated with the roof structure and the rubber strip just fills the gap between the two parts. You can pull up the side panel which it should not pull up. One side of mine pulls up and leaks and the other side does not and does not leak. The silicon would fill the gap and cover the open space but do not think it will hold the panel down tight.
 
#14 ·
For those who wish to fill AND seal, UPol Tigerseal is the stuff to use. Make sure the rubber etc. is dry and then mask off anywhere that you don't want it to get to as it's a bear to remove once set though can be cleaned with white spirit whilst still wet.
Tape down and leave for 24hrs.
Sikaflex is a similar product.
 
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