What will it take to fix this?

Apparently the prior owner had the roof of my 95 Cherokee Sport replaced - or did it himself (no accident or other info that might account for this showed up on the VIN report I bought). Now the paint around the roof gutter is peeling - especially at areas that look like spot welding; rust is at all those spots (and growing). Something that looks like clear silicone sealant can be observed in the roof gutter.

Over the weekend I was in the back and happened to look up at the gap between the roof and the rear door (obviously it was up). Sunlight could be seen through a hole in what turned out to be some form of putty all across the rear "join" of the roof and door frame. Looks like a sawz-all job back there and that junk pushed up there to try to seal it back sure wasn't good quality bond-o!

Don't know how I missed this when I was looking to buy. Certainly explains where the water has been coming from when it rains - and causing dripping condensation now that the weather is cool.

I'd kinda like my Cherokee to be dry on the inside. How can I repair this and how much trouble is it going to be?

W Metro Atlanta

 

Hah I gave up on that one and am bed-lining the floor and putting rubber drain plugs in

but seriosly, your roof sounds f'd up lol. I don't think theres much you can do except find the crack and keep resealing.

Black jack is good stuff but it would look ugly unless your jeeps black!

I guess the other option i to properly weld it or put some kind of deal under the edge and rivit it down or something.

 

how long have u owned the truck?

 

To the poster who asked, not sure why it matters, but I bought my Cherokee in early June of last year (2012). Been working on stuff slowly but surely. I knew it leaked in the rain (but I though it was seals, not the roof!). Problem just became acute when I took down the headliner (to replace an antenna mount that was there). Now the heavy condensation occurs primarily there and drips everywhere. It's a royal pain.

For the other poster: I may end up needing to pull out the carpet and do something for the floor (had to do that on a Wrangler YJ I owned for a while). But, with the roof leak and the condensation, all surfaces are getting wet - the seats, of course, being especially problematic.

Does anybody know if the roof was originally attached with spot welds? Or was it continuous welded seam?

Is there any possibility I could re-weld the entire seam periphery of the roof using my 120V wire-feed welder? Anybody with any experience doing this?

Cheers!

 

I seen some advertisement for some rubber weather sealant in a can. What's it called? I forget. Maybe you could look into that. I've got leakage problems too, but that's just the weather stripping around the doors and windows being cracked and falling apart in my case.

 

In my experience in auto body these roofs have never been a continuous weld. They are spot welded into place and then seam sealer applied to seal the weld seam (inside the gutter). If you can take a wire wheel or spot sandblaster and clean up the inside of the gutter remove rust the best you can, check the welds re weld If needed then get a good quality seam sealer from 3m or Lord Fusor and re coat the seam. You can wipe the seam sealer smooth after it stars setting up with a little lacquer thinner to give it a cleaner appearance. If you can get pics it would making things easier to explain.