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soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:50 +0000
by jack
Hi All
I'm having trouble getting the soft top to sit right back. It goes about three quaters of the way and then gets realy tight. I think if I push too hard I may break the glass. Ive used auto glym soft top maintenance kit ( the stuff you scrub on then water off), but nothing else.
It might be my imagination but it looks like the top has shrunk ! Can that happen ? It doesn't seem to reach the side windows
Any advise please
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 1:17 +0000
by johnc55
hi
is it a mk1 with plastic rear screen or mk2 with glass?
I thought my mk2 1999 with glass had a problem like this when I got it first. But it was just that the glass panel was not sitting / folding down the way it should. First few times, I had to 'tuck it in' a little when folding it down to get it to remember how to 'lie' properly. Folds back neatly and smoothly now.
Not sure if this helps?
JohnC
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 2:58 +0000
by jack
Thanks John
Its a mk2 with glass. I have tried pushing a bit on the glass but I don't want to force it !
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 9:10 +0000
by sabik
Hi Jack, I think it's a little to do with the damp in it over the winter. I've put mine down a few times this year and the first few time had the same problem.
Maybe try it on a warm day or gentle move the window and allow fold slowly. My is now going up and down ok and this week looking at the forcast I'm looking forward to it been down quite a bit.
If that doesn't help you might need to look at the folding joints this I'm not sure on. But your in the right place to get that info!
Glen
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:56 +0000
by johnc55
Jack,
It shouldn't be about forcing the glass, more about showing the glass the way to fold as the hood is starting to fold down.
I will try to get a pic of what I mean but what sorted it for me was to stand beside the hood (not from the driver seat) and just as you start to lift the hood back, make sure the top of the glass is tucking underneath first before the rest of the hood starts to move down. I think if you do this slowly, you will see what I mean. It should not need any force, just a 'tucking' in the right direction at the very beginning of the folding.
It drove me crazy the first time until I figured out what was going on... Much harder to describe than to do.
JohnC
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:57 +0000
by jack
Thanks Glen,,,,sabik wrote:Hi Jack, I think it's a little to do with the damp in it over the winter. I've put mine down a few times this year and the first few time had the same problem.
Maybe try it on a warm day or gentle move the window and allow fold slowly. My is now going up and down ok and this week looking at the forcast I'm looking forward to it been down quite a bit.
If that doesn't help you might need to look at the folding joints this I'm not sure on. But your in the right place to get that info!
Glen
Re: soft top trouble

Posted:
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:05 +0000
by jack
sabik wrote:Thanks Glen ...... Does any one know if I should treat the hood with anything to make it supple ?
Hi Jack, I think it's a little to do with the damp in it over the winter. I've put mine down a few times this year and the first few time had the same problem.
Maybe try it on a warm day or gentle move the window and allow fold slowly. My is now going up and down ok and this week looking at the forcast I'm looking forward to it been down quite a bit.
If that doesn't help you might need to look at the folding joints this I'm not sure on. But your in the right place to get that info!
Glen