soft top help!

[Buzzzz]

Hi- I have to leave in a few hours and it's scheduled to rain. This soft top is giving me so much trouble. I've been trying for 30 minutes to assemble the thing. What is the trick? It feels like the 3 support rods are too long, but I know that's not the case cause this top was on the car when I got it. Obviously this is my first time trying to get this thing together. Any tips? Thanks.

 

[Bad_Byte]

Relax...take a deep breath...

It's not that hard. The most critical is getting the pins in the slots on the side bars and the sliding keeper to slide.

Just do one side at a time and put the three cross members in their slot before you do the opposite side.

Look for a slot on the cross member that will slide over the post the keeper locks down on. Guide the slot to the post while keeping an eye on the round cross members, they try to pop out once in a while.

Good Luck

If all else fails....drink a beer....and think about the trip.

 

[Buzzzz]

Ok, I'm hooking the 3 ends of the 3 suppoort rods into their slots, and I can get one side securely in place. I try to do the same on the other side, and the rods always stick out way too far. So if I secure the second side, the rods are all sloppy. Gotta take a break for a while- It's been an hour now and I just can't get this thing together. I think a nice hard top is what I need. This soft top is awful.

 

[GATOR SERPENT]

You may be trying to stick the bars in the wrong slots. It is easy to put them in "what looks like the right slots". Make sure you put them in the black grooves farthest out. Then the other side. They look kind of like waffle cones.

 

[V10 MOJO]

I agree, its definitely not an easy task at first. make sure you have the plastic ends completely on the rods, if not they will be longer, just like your saying they appear to be. Dont forget to insert the thin plastic strip into the slot along the length of the side arms. also, the beer suggestion, i disagree, have several not one and also consider a shot or two of tequila! Ive got the top assemble/disassemble routine down to a pitstop minute, MY biggest challenge is getting the F*ck*in thing into the trunk! LOL. ahh the prices we must pay to have a bad*ss machine. BTW, yesterday i finally tried dielectric grease to stop my top leaking at high speeds/hvy rains, well, it rained all night here last night and i drove all night>>>it worked, no leaks! i cant remember who gave me the advice and thnx whoever it was.

 

[King RT10]

I can not believe that someone has not come out with an easier aftermarket soft top! Who wants to play origami when it starts to rain? 5 minutes trying to put that thing together with bars falling all over the place, I was ready to stroke out!

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Like anything--it gets easier with practice. After a few times, you'll be down to 5 minutes or less. I leave ours assembled for most of the summer and all of the winter. I think it's better for it to be assembled for longevity. Assembled, it only takes a minute or less to put on.

Steve

 

[Buzzzz]

Thanks for the help guys. I made it to where I was going, and got the nice little interior shower from the leaky soft top. I brought a towel along in case that happened. For 3 hours it dripped onto both driver and passenger seats... I just spread the towel out and it caught most of it.

I see a hard top purchase in my future!

 

[Viper99]

Buzzz,
I got news for ya...the hard top ain't no picnic either.
The best thing (and maybe the only) in the 2003 is that it's a true center-line convertible. Welcome to the the "double edge sword" world of roadsters!

 

[paul]

I feel your pain Buzzz, but once you do it a couple of times it gets alot easier, especially with two people. I can do mine in about 3-4 min and be back on the road. But I would have to agree with others that it is easier if you just set it out of the way and leave it assembled. But if you do that you won't get the practice for when a freak shower starts up and you have them top off. The hard top leaks too, unfortunately, but it looks better and you don't have to put it together before you drive. Both my tops leak on both sides and I do the same thing, I take rags in the trunk incase it starts to rain. The soft top can work well for you thow you just have to trust it a little and get used to it. Good luck

 

[Buzzzz]

When you guys say the hard top leaks, which hard top do you mean? I've heard great things about the V-mania tops. Do they leak too?

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

I must be lucky. Our soft top only leaks in a down pour. A regular normal rain, I might be able to wipe a little moisture from the front pillar areas after an extended period, but it very seldom drips. The hard top is better. I can wash the car in a self serve car wash and have just a couple drops make it in.
I have never had the hard top in a heavy rain, but a car wash is a lot of pressure.

Also, Our hard top is a breeze to put on. With 2 people, it only takes a minute or two. I have put it on myself, but it is much safer with 2.

Steve

 

[jimandela]

I would gladly purchase an after market softop.
I too have a heck of a time getting back in the trunk,
what I would like to see is a roll up and roll out top.
sort of like the bikini tops for jeeps.
don't expect to stay bone dry in it but at least it would be something incase of the out of the blue storm!!

some thing quick and easy.

any sponsors of the board have any ideas for a product like this?
JIM

 

[paul]

Buzzz, I have the Northwind hard top, I have also heard some good things about the V-Mania top. The people at Northwind are very friendly though!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

30 minutes and you still haven't got it assembled? Relax, your 2/3 of the way there.