Hardtop adjustment - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bwheitman · #1 11-11-2004, 01:39 PM

Does anyone have instructions for adjusting a hardtop on a 96 SL? I have a lot of wind noise, no water leaks, just noise. Any help would be appreciated!
Best Regards,
Brian

Gilly · #2 11-11-2004, 08:09 PM

Problem is one thing affects another, hard to adjust just one thing without affecting something else, such as the gaps when you decide to use the soft top instead. Did it leak real bad with the soft top this past summer? Is it the original hard top? What area seems to be leaking?

Gilly

bwheitman · #3 11-11-2004, 08:18 PM

Gilly,
Thanks for the reply. I don't have any water leaks that I know of, I however have never had it in an automatic wash. I bought the car a little over a year ago and the soft top was replaced by the dealer. The hard top seems to be not mounted right, I get wind noise on the C-pillar on the drivers side. I can see where the mounts are adjustable when the hard top is off the car, but I am fearful that I might make it worse. The area where it mounts to the a-pillar on the front seems like the top is further back than it should be. The seals are tight except here too. The car had a clean car-fax and I even talked to the prior owner who told me it was the original top and the car was never in an accident. I think my hard top may be warped? Is that possible? He said his son had it in the garage and stored it on it's side? I use a stand now, but I am afraid it might be warped.
Best Regards,
Brian

SilverSL500 · #4 11-12-2004, 10:09 AM

I'm looking at this also on my '01. Although the soft top fits perfectly, the gap along the back on the hardtop is not the same. No leaks, but I'm afraid the uneven torgue will crack the top. It is totally unbelievable to me that the softtop and hardtop cannot be adjusted independantly of each other, so both will fit. When I get my DVD, I'll see what the manual says instead of only going by the dealer.

S

Gilly · #5 11-12-2004, 07:33 PM

Guys:
The deal is (and I don't think you 'll read this in the DVD), you have to adjust the windows to the hard top (there is no adjustment of for the hard top, except the rear lugs, and shims at the front lugs and also lateral/fore-aft adjustment of the front lugs (you'd adjust these to fit the chassis, then adjust windows to fit the hard top). THEN the hard top is removed and adjustments can be made to the soft top frame to fit THE WINDOWS. If you readjust the windows to fit the soft top, the hard top won't seal!
I am confused on the terminology you are using. Are you saying you have a wind leak at the rear of the hard top on the drivers side? Can you see air between the body and bottom of the hard top, in that gap? Does the seal look OK on the bottom of the hard top?
I doubt sincerely the top is warped, really.
Gilly

bwheitman · #6 11-14-2004, 09:56 AM

Gilly,
I got on to Star Tek and you are right, there are not any articles on Hard top adjustment, but a lot on Soft top adjustment and window adjustment. There is a lot of work in adjusting the windows. I don't have any leaking and I know my top is sealing in the rear because when I remove it I can see where the dust stops on the outside of the seal. The wind noise I am getting is the rear of the drivers side window. It just doesn't seem tight enough, adjusting the window makes sense. The article on this job is 8 pages and I can see that the side glass pretty much can be adjusted any way. I have my brake lines and fluid to change this weekend, next weekend is the wiring harness, it has not failed, but friends are telling me to get it before it gets me and takes any computers with it. So I am adding to my to-do list! Who needs a hobby when you have a Mercedes Benz? ha ha..