09 convertible top hard to put up

TrapperJ · Aug 24, 2009

Hi guys. The top on my 2009 convertible is very tight and difficult to attach to the windshield header. I can pull it close but the J hook doesn't stay put to hook under the small bar in the header.If I finagle it and contort my fingers I can get it to hook with extreme effort.It is then latchable.The owners manual says it will take time for the top to stretch and loosen up, but this is a bit ridiculous. Any ideas? Might there be a spring missing? I'd rather fix it myself than take it to my local dealer. At this point I probably know or will know more with your help than they do about Vipers. The shop manual was ordered today. John

OppositeLock · Aug 24, 2009

Possibly give it a bit of time and more up-down-up cycles. Much like yours, my '09s top was/is a ***** to get latched. It has progressively become easier to latch particularly when it's warm. I found that latching it from the passenger seat with my left hand on the "j" hook and guiding it to the mount while pulling the top towards the windshield header with my right hand in the hand grip makes it bearable. My top will likely not latch if this is performed from the driver's seat using the opposite hands in the same procedure. :dunno:

ViperGTS · Aug 24, 2009

Nope. It's the side windows.
Roll down - at least half an inch!

How do I know....

TrapperJ · Aug 24, 2009

Windows are all the way down.I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with a tight top and funky locking mechanism.

gb66gth · Aug 24, 2009

The same thing ahppened with my '08. Here's the solution I figured out.
1) roll the windows down a touch
2) keep the trunk lid open when closing the top. I found that if I close the trunk lid it makes it much harder
3) if 1 & 2 don't work, the have the dealer adjust it SLIGHTLY.

Art 138 · Aug 24, 2009

Mine was like that on the Mamba.....always leave the doors either cracked or windows down an inch as mentioned earlier....do not leave the car stored with the top down - keeping it attached will eventually give it some play....try to avoid washing the top with water,use many of the convertible top hand spray cleaners; if you do wash the top get it out of the sun as the heat will tend to draw it up....

viperdrummer · Aug 24, 2009

I have windows down and trunk up on my 09 and it is still hard as hell to fasten

Lee00blacksilverGTS · Aug 24, 2009

My 06 was hellish also. I know about the windows down trunk up and passenger seat things but I bet not keeping the top down all the time is a real key, my top was always down, for months on end and when I did try to get it up in a hurry, usually when rain started it was VERY hard to do.
Putting the top up when not using the car sounds like a great way to stretch it out.

wallbanger · Aug 24, 2009

IF your soft top is still hard to latch with the windows down and the trunk lid up then you MAY have a problem....MY problem turned out that the soft top was coming down on the passenger door and had over time removed the paint.....WOODHOUSE corrected the issue for me and also reported the issue to connor quality control....SO you might want to check that the soft top sides are sliding inside the doors okay...ONE way to check for this is to latch the top with the doors open and the trunk lid up...if it is much easier this way then you may have a similar problem

viperbilliam · Aug 25, 2009

Your top needs to be broken in - that will take a little time - maybe a month or so. Until then, here's what I did: Get the top and J hook positioned as best as you can, then push the J hook with your forehead while pulling down the top with both hands on each side.

KNG SNKE · Aug 30, 2009

viperbilliam said:
Your top needs to be broken in - that will take a little time - maybe a month or so. Until then, here's what I did: Get the top and J hook positioned as best as you can, then push the J hook with your forehead while pulling down the top with both hands on each side.

Just adding to what he said most vehicles are kept outside and exposed to weather. Soft tops need sunlight and heat to stretch into place.

TrapperJ · Aug 30, 2009

Silly as it sounds, I was using the forehead method until it was mentioned here to try the left seat approach. Sitting in the right seat to pull down the top is much easier. It seams there is more tension on the right side. This balances you strength and aligns the J-hook much better and closer. Thanks all for your help. John

czu · Oct 21, 2013

Does anyone know if Viper makes a hard top for convertibles? I drive a Gen IV but I live in AZ and the cabin gets extremely hot during the summer .. Aside, I think a hard top would make the car look so much nicer.

01sapphirebob · Oct 21, 2013

No factory hardtop for the GEN III/IV's. There are some aftermarkets out there though.

09 convertible top hard to put up

TrapperJ

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OppositeLock

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ViperGTS

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TrapperJ

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gb66gth

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Art 138

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viperdrummer

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Lee00blacksilverGTS

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wallbanger

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viperbilliam

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KNG SNKE

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TrapperJ

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czu

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