Pad removal

[lobo]

Being a moderator on another forum I know how important the search function is in order to not ask redundant and newbie questions, but I did a search and came up empty...probably not calling the pad by the correct name.

My hard top replaces the targa bar pad and when I removed the hard top there is no hardware there to re-attach the long pad that goes from door to door. I have the pad and there is no metal hardware of any type on the mating surface either...just fiberglass and a bunch of holes and slots.

I stopped by my local Dodge dealer and looked at his schematics and it doesn't show any metal clips or hardware actually on the pad, but did show two studs that screw into the targa bar...I ordered those.

I also ordered a shop manual, but in it's absence, are there any pics on this board of the backside of that pad that shows what those studs attach to and how to attach the pad to the targa bar?

Any help would be appreciated and sorry if this has been covered somewhere else 1000 times before.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

What you're missing is some washer-assembled bolts (3-4 i think) that the "sports bar pad" slides down over, and then you tighten them up using a 1/2" wrench. The 2 studs are for the softtop to lock onto when you have the softtop on. (The pad only comes off if you have the softtop on.)

 

[lobo]

I'm probably doing a terrible job at describing this and I need to shoot a photo when I get home and post it. The pad has two slots built in on top for the soft top to "hook" into. That whole assembly is removed from the car and the hard top is held in place by two long bolts which screw into those stud holes. When I remove the hard top there is only the bare fiberglass frame left in place and no hardware to attach the pad/soft top hook assembly back onto the car frame. The Dodge schematic was rather sketchy on the details as to how that attaches. I'll get a photo up as soon as I can.

As an add...there were several small holes across there, maybe 1/4" dia...maybe that's what you're referring to for the washer/bolts to fit into. I'll check it when I get home and see if they line up with holes in the pad assembly and if there is access to get a wrench in there to tighten them.

Thx for the help.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

"As an add...there were several small holes across there, maybe 1/4" dia...maybe that's what you're referring to for the washer/bolts to fit into"

Yep it is.

"I'll check it when I get home and see if they line up with holes in the pad assembly and if there is access to get a wrench in there to tighten them."

Yep it is.

 

[lobo]

I think I understand now. Just gotta hit Ace Hardware for the right size bolts and washers. Thx V10speed for the guidance.

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[bth1]

I just figured this out on my car when I took the hardtop off for the first time.

There are three sets of threads on each sides of the sports bar and sports bar pad (as seen above). The middle hole on each side is for the metal stud that the soft top would latch onto (what I believe you ordered). Then on either side of this are the bolts (2 per-side) that hold the sports bar pad on.

What you will want to do is first put the 2 top pins in all the way and then start the 4 bolts most of the way. Then you slip the sports bar pad on and finish tightening it with a wrench.

I will look for a previous post where Tator outlines the bolt sizes that will work so you can just go to Home Deopt and buy them.

 

[bth1]

The picture is still in Tomas's profile (page 3 I think).

http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=355343&Forum=UBB14&Words=Save%20typing&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=355275&Search=true#Post355343

 

[Viper Wizard]

http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB14&Number=355343&Forum=UBB14&Words=Save%20typing&Match=And&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=355275&Search=true#Post355343

Yep that sounds right.

 

[lobo]

Yep, the hole designations and descriptions look right per your guys posts.

I have the long studs for the hard top and I matched the size with a standard bolt and it looks like the threads in the sport bar are metric. No standard coarse or fine thread bolt in my vast 35 year old collection fit...they would turn about two threads then tighten up. I'll take the correct thread stud to Ace and have them screw a nut on and ID the metric size and then buy four bolts, flat washers and fender washers. I'll grind the fender washers to the correct shape to fill in the damaged area on the pad where some fiber is missing.

I'll follow the installation sequence suggested above by inserting the bolts part way and then slide the pad down between the washer and sport bar and then tighten from underneath.

Thx to all for your input and response. I appreciate being welcomed as a neophite newbie with these machines.
lobo

 

[lobo]

Got the pad mounted. The bolts are 8mm. Bought 2" long bolts and used a fender washer ground down on two sides to make it flat oval in shape so it filled in the damaged area just fine.

Thx to all for the help.
lobo