hard top removal 560 sl HELP

[ScottinSoCal]

Originally Posted by djm419

I think, I know what you said, but from the inside of the car, I can't get enough room to get anything under the rubber weather strip molding. Please explain? Also if any one has pix of the back latch, might help.

You're not trying to get anything under the weatherstrip on the hard top, you're trying to get under the soft top lid.

If you pop the latches at the windshield and on the sides, then use the large crank handle (it looks like a window handle on a car without power windows) to release the soft top lid, you'll get about 1 1/2" of space at the front of the soft top lid to work in. That's enough to get a large screwdriver (or something else long and stiff) in to hold down the soft top bows so you can see the hook and center post. Then come in with something else - I used another long screwdriver - to pull the hook out away from the center post.

If you just let it go at this point, it'll snap back and relatch the hard top. While you're pulling the hook away from the center post, use the window handle crank again and that lowers it. When you're putting the hard top on, this is what pulls the hard top tight against the rear of your car. For this purpose, it pulls the hook too low to catch on the center post. Then, at your convenience, have someone help you take the hard top off the car.

[nobby]

Originally Posted by sokoloff

Sometimes with a couple of helpers, you can get it to come off by lifting it and turning it at the same time.

Have you actually tried this? YOU WILL damage paint.

[nobby]

Originally Posted by djm419

I have a 1983 380 SL just bought it, never had the hard top off. I released the two front top latches, and the side two releases, but, the back center is stuck. How do I get the back latch loose? I tried the coat hanger trick, to no success. The crank on the driver side back makes a crack noise when moved to proper position. Please help!! Thanks, DJM

What do you mean by "stuck"?
Is the release handle working at all? When it is in release position, can you lift the back of the hard top at all?

[sokoloff]

Originally Posted by nobby

Have you actually tried this? YOU WILL damage paint.

Yep, it was suggested by someone else and it worked for me. You certainly don't want to twist it without lifting it up enough to clear the paint. Lift the front a bit and turn it a little to see if the latch pops free.

[GSMITH]

If the cable is out of adjustment or the pin sticks to the latch this can be a real pain to get unlatched. The previous posts explain how to get it to release. The latch is spring loaded and requires the top to pop up during the release or it will recatch.

I have had some luck with just reactiving the latch with the crank handle several times from lock to open postion to get past a sticky pin.

If the cable does not work your only choice is to either poke it from the top or if the soft top cover opens enough and you have a long enough screw driver it can be released that way but the lever takes a lot of force. It would be best to try to get between the pin and the latch. It the soft top is down that would be your only choice.

Once you get it open look at the plastic ends of the cable if there is any slack that you cannot adjust out replace it. It is pretty cheap and not hard to replace.

[meltedpanda]

one other cause is the pin itself, mine was bent which did not allow to pop off, not sure how it got bent, wish I would have noticed before I snapped it down. I am not in search of a better pin ( they are removeable)before I try it again