Salinger

Hi guys,
Did somebody here tried to replace a rooftop skin from a 2011 F150?
I'm trying to replace my damaged rooftop skin with another one that I got from a salvage yard. I didn't found anything on the web showing on how and IF this can be done?
I have drilled all spot-welds and removed the sealant from the top rails & still, roof skin remain unmovable... I tried to pull harder and bent the driver side front corner... I'm getting out of patience and this Day is starting like a bad one for me... AND I really don't like the mess I'm doing at this time. I know body shop prefer to replace the whole rooftop by welding it to the existing pillars. I just don't want to get involve in this option by removing all the interior for welding. There must be a way since rooftop panel can be purchased from dealer separately.
Any clues will be greatly appreciated. Thank's!

Damn Dirty Ape

iTrader: (1)

Wow. good luck, haven't seen this one done yet.

TwoBlackJeeps

We used to take the roofs off of vans, to install raised roofs for wheel chair lifts. The skins are usually glued to the supports for strength, and to prevent rattles. We would take a knife, or hack saw blade, and separate the sections. Just a thought.

Macman12

Perhaps try putting some heat to the seams to melt the glue or adhesive if there is any.

Salinger

Yes there is some kind of structural adhesive on the seams. Didn't taught about applying heat!
Will try and let you know,

Thank's!

Salinger

NOP!
Definitively not a structural glue...
After burning to red Hot the rooftop skin joints it still remain intact!!

So:
- It's not spot welded,
- It's not glued (structural glue) between joints.
AND
- It's not brazed ...

I'm more thinking that it's a kind or Seam or Zip welder that performed this solid permanent joint.
Kind of similar process that we often see on steel can.

I have no other choice that to Cut the donor rooftop skin and do the same on the other top to remove.

Macman12

Seems funny it would be that hard to remove, normally they are pretty straight forward to remove for the reason alone of replacement. Let us know what you find when you cut it.

Salinger

I finally went through this last weekend for this top removal.
Wasn't easy to figure out where to start since I didn't had a clue on how this could be done. Seem quite a different assembly of what I have heard about older rooftop models, this 2011 skin top has like a thin laser welded seams (about 1/16'' wide) with a very smooth finish from the inside and you just can't guess this is a welded joint from outside. Everything was revealed and came clear when I cutted the top rear left outside corner to give a better view of how it was inside.
Finally zip cutted the two sides rooftop skin, and letting enough gap to it to be sealed back to the next top structure for its replacement.

If only I could have seen those steps-by-steps prior doing this job...
It was a part time 8 hours on figuring this out and how this can be done, for a half hour job to doing this!
Now next top to be removed will be quite easy, knowing now what has to be done!
Below are the whole part sequence roof removal; perhaps, pictures aren't in order sequence.

Macman12

Good to know, thanks for the info.

howie2092

I had the roof replaced on my 2003 Supercrew last year. I hit a pole that sheared off at the base, and smashed onto the roof.

The shop cut all 6 pillars in the middle (about halfway up the windows), and welded a whole new roof on. Mine had structural damage so they couldn't replace just the skin.

New panels and supports were not available for the 2003, so the shop sourced a used roof, very similar to the donor roof pictured above.

Not quite the same process (your truck is much newer), but I thought this info might help someone trying to fix a 10th gen.