107 soft top window plastic wrinkle - anyone tried this cure?

[donbryce]

We folded down the new top on my 560SL last week, for the first time, and it was so nice out, it stayed down for about 4 days. On putting it up, I was very disappointed to find a nasty wrinkle/pucker in the back window plastic. We did everything 'by the book (Mercedes that is)" putting it down, very careful to avoid creases, and still it didn't avoid a wrinkle. Even being up in the sun for days hasn't gotten it out.

I was wondering if anyone had tried heating the plastic with a hair dryer, or heat gun on low, then, with a partner inside, sandwiching the wrinkle with a flat ice cube to 'set' the plastic again?

[neds380sl]

No, I've never tried that, but I would recommend simply leaving it alone. Let it sit in the sun, and I suspect it will pretty much fix itself. Too risky to mess with it! Just my $.02. Ned

[johnathan1]

I would just leave it alone.

[gswartzfager]

I would leave it alone and let it sit in the sun longer. In the future to avoid the problem, try putting two rolled up dish towels on the back of the window as it folds down. Keeps it the window from rubbing on itself.

Glenn

[Strife]

I think that this just goes with the territory. I put a new top on my 380SL and I was very pleased with how tight the back plastic was. But if I leave it folded and put it up in the morning, it will be puckered and loose until it gets hot outside. In spite of my best efforts, I already have a pucker/fold mark or two that are just "there" and won't go away. One problem is that when the top is warm and flexible, the plastic doesn't like to "roll" as much as it likes to "fold". This another good reason to put a pillow case/towel into the window fold - to keep it in a nice even roll instead of pinching and folding.

I felt better about my top when I saw a "time capsule" SL with 3K or so on it, with probably (for real) air in the tires, never mind the original top. That top has wrinkles!

[bcouch]

I also put my soft top up and it was wrinkled. My top was folded for 4-5 months, but if left alone and let the sun do it's thing it will look like new in no time.

[aublutiger]

I had my top folded while at the body shop for 11 months...when it came home, the plastic had that crease on it...and some stains. After about a week of sitting out in the sun, the crease disappeared...however..the stain is still there. Any ideas on a good cleaner? I tried windex already and it helped...is this something a plastic polish would help with..was afraid by using that at this point, it would scratch it and not clean it. Is CLR or something like that too strong...the stain looks like rust (in fact, I changed out the boot gasket just to make sure it doesn't happen again)....

[edsl94]

i just cleaned the plastic on my 94 sl top with a product called Plastx from maguires. around $7 for a ten oz. bottle. i dont think my top had ever been cleaned and it took about two hours but the windows came out pretty good. you could actually see into the car with detail. before all you saw was yellow and stained plastic. for the first few apps, keep cleaning the applicator. you'll be amazed at how much dirt comes off. good luck.

[GSMITH]

You might be able to fix the wrinkles with a hair dryer but the next time you put it away they will come back. I am not sure if you can heat a large enough area to get it to work.

Your problem may be that it just is not hot enough yet in Canada for it to fix itself. I had the same thing with my new top but the hot Florida sun fixed it until I stored it the next time. I have found a towel in the fold helps but it is not perfect. I store mine in the summer because of the heat and rain. It takes a couple of days when I take it out in the fall with the top up to get rid of everything.

The first fall I took it out it had marks from the felt ribs and the fold and I thought damn I messed up my new Robbins top. But after cleaning it up with PlastX and leaving it up in the sun for a couple of day all was fine. I tried to use a plastic pipe insulation tube but the PlastX reacted to it and started melting the tube. This summer I wrapped the tube with a towel before I stored it. I will have to wait till fall to see how it worked. I use the towel without the tube when I use it daily. I glued some thin ridged plastic inside the cover that I flip out to make the top go down over the cover seal easier since I raise and lower it a lot. This fall I will need to repair the worn felt on the inside of the cover where the back plastic rubs. I might even try to cover a insulation tube with felt for daily use.

By the "BOOK" it says to keep the soft top up whenever it is not in use.

For me I drive mine daily year round. That means I either live with the heat in the summer since the soft top does not provide any insulation or store it for 3 months of the year. Since I have a dark blue top the heat is too much me. No insulation and +90 degree heat in the summer makes the AC a joke with the soft top up. But it works fine with my white hard top. But every fall I hope the window fixes itself. So far it has but who know what will happen in few years.

[coleyjf]

Just looked at the ad at the foot of the page (anti wrinkle cream) made me smile -

Use some of that then - Ha Ha

Jim

[Master_Axe]

Hey,

I got a brand new soft top, it looked so great new ^^. But the wrinkle is inevitable, I think, and the lesser problem. My plastic now has like a some sort of stain on it... as though from moisture inbetween the plastic? And a few scratched- it stood in the body shop for 9 months .

Is there any soft top cleaner for the plastic anyone can recommend? Thanks

Franz

[donbryce]

Originally Posted by Master_Axe

Is there any soft top cleaner for the plastic anyone can recommend? Thanks

Franz

I bought a Novus Plastic Cleaning kit off EBay a few months ago. It comes with 3 grades of compound/polish and a cloth for around $25.00. Highly recommened by a MG/Miata friend for use on convertible plastic windows.

Just to see what it could do in an exteme case, I used some of the most aggressive compound on my buddy's wife's new-to-her SUV with yellowed/sandblasted headlight covers (Lexan?) and it instantly removed 90% of the scratches/pits. I cleaned several marks off my SL back window with the 2nd most aggresive grade, and followed up with the polish.

Novus might be available locally if you live in the U.S.

[Chad300tdt]

I would not use a heat gun to try and ease the wrinkle out.

Years ago I put a new top on my MGB. I used a heat gun to shrink (and stretch in some places) and shape the top to the frame. The windows are a thicker plastic, but they will get distorted from a heat gun too. It's too easy to go too far.

I also used 3M wet spray silicone to keep the window soft so it wouldn't crack like the old one that I replaced the top for did.

[karburn]

When I retrieved my hardtop from the dealer (they were storing it for the previous owner) they put the brand new softop down...and not too carefully. When I took off the hard top for storage, the new window had several creases and puckered areas. Time and a periodic treatment/cleaning with Plexus has helped tremendously. After a few days in the sun off and on, you have to really look for the defects. I have also heard of using 303 Aerospace spray, followed by a cleaning with Plexus, to keep the soft windows soft. Time will tell.