RT/10 Hardtop Questions

[MAMBA]

There is a piece of weatherstrip on each rear side of my hardtop that sit on each rear door post when the doors are closed. This piece is about 4" long and has no weatherstrip adhesive or anything else holding it on but another piece of weatherstrip that it slips over and the door post itself. Shouldn't this be attached with weatherstrip adhesive? This is only the second time I've had the top on and I'm afraid at speed these two pieces will go flying. I can e-mail a picture to anyone that wants to see it.

I also have a problem with the drivers side front latch on the hardtop. It will turn half way but will not fully rotate and lock in like the passenger side. I have put as much pressure as I dare to without possibly breaking the latch. I have someone pushing down on the top above also but nothing seems to work. Both the latch and receptacle look in good shape but there is obviously a difference from one side to the other. Any ideas? By the way is there a special tool used to turn the latches?

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

There is a tool for my 98 latches. It's just a allen wrench used to give leverage. After a year or two of installing and removing the top I was able to latch it with just my fingers.

The screws that fasten the latches to the top tend to strip out. When they do they get wedged in the latch and keep it from locking. Do your latches move freely when the top is off the car?

 

[MAMBA]

Chuck,
I'm pretty sure the latch moved freely off the car but I will check it again. The latches on mine are about 2-1/2" long and in the shape of an elongated "C". Is that correct?

 

[Don Hiltz]

Rick,

My hardtop was made by Vmania and there is an adjustment you can make on the front latches to, in effect, lengthen or shorten the shafts.

If yours is a Vmania too, call Biff Brown. If it's not one of his, I don't know the answer.

Don

 

[ACELLR8]

On the top to my 95 the latches move freely off the car pretty easily. Once on the car it takes a little force to get them latched to the point my thumb hurts from pushing, but they do latch.
FYI this is pertainint to the Mopar top.

Ed