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Hopefully the pics below are good enough to show a thin rusty gap/line running the length of my nearside roof channel. I have already searched on here and unless I misunderstand it looks like this part is more filler than bodywork, hence why it's a little spongy to the touch. Anyway, my main concern is that the 'rusy gap' means water is able to pour straight into the cab. Is that the case, or is there actual bodywork underneath still? I'm hoping that the 'gap' is a case of 15 year old filler contracting, rather than the actual welds splitting. I know I'll need to fix it, but if you could confirm that the rain we're getting at the moment ISN'T pouring into my cab, that would be rather super.

Temp fix: silicone grease
Summertime fix: follow the advice on here!

And while I'm here, water runs down the channels and UNDERNEATH the foamy rubber around the windscreen (last 2 pics). Is that right, or should the foam/rubber be firmly glued against the bodywork? Currently, I can depress it and pick at it with my fingers and the channel seems to want that to happen, so I'm hoping that's normal! My last car had the rubbers firmly glued to the frame.

 

[Floss Regularly]

Thanks for that! So, there's something underneath the rusty 'gap', meaning rainwater won't go anywhere too significant?

 

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There isn't anything underneath, but it is unlikely to rust right through.

Appreciate the quick reply! I didn't make it too clear, so my apologies. Are you saying that I need to either remove the channel filler stuff and reseal it all, or at least apply some form of sealant to the gap? If there's nothing underneath, surely the rainwater is just going to soak straight through to my headlining?

 

[Floss Regularly]

Ok. The roof is all one piece with those roof channels just part of the panel. So no gap for the water to leak into the cab.

It does look like somebody has put a sponge seal along the channel, probably to cover the rust.

So I would just leave it alone for now and when the weather gets better pull out the rubber seal, rub it down and paint it up.

Top man, thanks very much. As it happens, my headlining is now wet at the top of the A pillar, so I'm guessing it's not watertight underneath and the tinworm has got to it. I'll seal it for now with silicone grease and tackle it in the summer.

Really grateful for the replies....last thing I wanted to do was lift up the channel and cause a royal mess!!

 

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The wet headlining is something else. It is the foot of the roof rack.

If you look at the front of the front support at roof level there is a tiny weep hole, you might have to push the rubber down to see the hole. Normally it just gets blocked.

Can I marry you? You're actually amazing

I've done a whole bunch of jobs on the truck as well so I won't just 'take' from this forum...I'll share my DIY jobs as I go.

Just need to establish whether it's normal for my windscreen rubber to allow water to run under it, or if they're meant to be glued watertight to the bodywork. If it's the latter, boy is there a lot of water running under them!

 

[Floss Regularly]

Sorry, thats not 100% correct. underneath the significant bead of seam sealer, there's a spot welded join. see the bottom of page 3 here, you'll see how its made up: Al's D40 project | Page 3 | Nissan-Navara.net

As part of a respray, i dug out the seam sealer and redone, also windscreen out to get to all the rust and blast/treat fully. I would say unless you remove the seam sealer completely and the front windscreen, you'll struggle to fully address. (arguably you'll never fully cure rust on spot welded joins)

Wow! What a read. Particularly thanks for the roof channel info, but I'm sure the other bits will be just as helpful over the years!