Help! - R129 soft top not folding correctly - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Momo · #16 04-01-2004, 01:52 PM

Finally took the hard top off today. Unfortunately the problem is back. Careful inspection shows that it is indeed the issue of the elastic strips that are supposed to provide tension not providing any. (Age, I suppose. Starting to run into that problem with parts of my own body.)

It's all covered in Technical Service Bulletin 77-026A. The change looks easy to do, so I suppose I can order the parts tomorrow and do the work myself. The only trick seems to be that you have to "note the installation depth of the old rod in the ball socket, and screw the new one in to exactly the same depth." If anyone has done this and found it difficult, please let me know.

Anyway, before doing it, has anyone just simply found a way to put a bit more tension into the existing assembly? I have seen the suggestion about adding a coil spring. The mega-gigantic hardware store near here does not seem to have anything appropriate. Shortening the existing elastic does not seem possible, as it is sewn in at the ends, and is pretty fully stretched when the roof is closed. Any ideas?

Momo

r129 300sl · #17 04-07-2004, 07:01 PM

Hi Momo

As mentioned in my earlier posts on this thread, there are genuine Mercedes parts available to remedy the situation. I have listed the part no.s. I think this is preferable to aftermarket springs etc. which may have too much or too little tension.

They are not too pricey either

Regards

Momo · #18 04-18-2004, 12:14 PM

Have ordered the MB parts using your list. Will pick them up tomorrow and let you know how easy (or not) it is as a DIY job.

Probably the last intervention with the car. The stock market has not improved enough for me to pay for the CLK that is due in two weeks and keep the SL. Have to trade in or sell.

Momo

Momo · #19 04-19-2004, 11:07 AM

It took 20 minutes and everything folds correctly now. This is Switzerland, so the parts, despite much lower VAT, were more expensive. They were 220 Sfr., which is about $160. Here is my advice on the procedure:

First - The front part of the roof has to be vertical for you to be able to change the assmbly, both for access and for spring tension. Further forward, and access is difficult. Further back, and you won't be able to screw it in because the spring tension is too great.

Second - cover the "hole" where the soft top goes, so that when you drop anything, it does not go where you will never see it again.

Third - As per the MB instructions, you have to "observe the depth of insertion of the rod you remove and replace. I counted the number of turns it took to remove it, and inserted the new one the same number of turns.

Thanks for all the advice...

Momo

Momo · #20 04-19-2004, 12:09 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot the slight gotcha...

At least in my case, where I have not used the car for two weeks, the pneumatics will hold the roof in the vertical position for a few minutes, but then it will start to go down. On the first side, I had just screwed everything in, but was just getting a scissors to cut away the old elastic when this happened. I worked faster on the second side, so it was not an issue.

BTW, this is the MB-recommended fix if you get chafing on the side-most seams, about half way along the flat part of the soft top. Of course, the MB instruction has as its first step "replace the soft top", then replace old rod system by the new rod/spring system.

Momo

r129 300sl · #21 04-19-2004, 06:59 PM

Good news.

I'm glad you sorted the problem. Happy to be of assistance.

It will be interesting to compare the mechanism of your SL with your new CLK to see what if any improvements have been made.

Regards

kknudson · #22 06-07-2004, 11:15 PM

momo, I'm working with Phil to get the parts to fix my softtop.

There's been some problem with the order, but that's another story.

His list didn't include the 35/36 14 Bracket, or the Bushings. Are they needed.

Finally any way I can get the instructions. I'm handy, but I believe in RTFM. I looked at it, and couldn't figure it out for sure.

Momo · #23 06-10-2004, 04:38 PM

Yes, absolutely all the parts are essential. There are also rubber rings that have to be replaced if in bad condition. They are not on the list, and mine were fine.

The instructions on the Alldata CD are not very helpful, except that they show that you have to have the roof in a vertical position to be able to do the job at all. I will see whether I can find a way to copy and paste the relevant parts here, if I can find the CD... Personally, I had to use trial and error to figure out which side was left and which was right.

Momo

kknudson · #24 06-10-2004, 08:09 PM

Thanks Momo

Phil is working on getting the rest of the parts, says I may get them next week :-}.

I have been considering an Aldata subscription, what do you mean Alldata CD ???

Momo · #25 06-11-2004, 01:34 AM

Well, it's actually a Popular Mechanics CD-ROM. Someone mentioned that the information may be from Alldata.

Momo

Momo · #26 06-11-2004, 02:08 AM

Before you rush out to buy it, I forgot to mention that the quality of the CD-ROM is very poor. It is better than nothing, but that is about it.

Momo

kknudson · #27 06-11-2004, 10:59 PM

Thank Momo, I rushed out and bought the MB CD, and at best think it wasn't worth it.

But generally I've heard good about AllData, so if I think I need it .....

kknudson · #28 06-16-2004, 10:48 PM

Got the parts, put them in

IT WORKS....

Had a really, really bad day at work, the brain candy of figuring out how to put the parts together and make it work made my day.

Getting the top to stay up was a problem, well as we get older keeping it up can be a problem, I digress.

I found doing most of the work with the top at the 11 / 11:30 (drivers side, invert for passenger side) just forward of vertical, it seemed to stay there well. Then for that all importanty part dealing with the spring tension had to drop it back to 2ish and work quickly.

Reused the little nylon washers, did not reuse the O rings.

I got some pics of the finished setup. If anyone wants to see them, and they turned out, I'm no photographer. I can post them.

Momo · #29 06-17-2004, 01:31 AM

A tip I got from the garage is the following:

Even though you may have screwed the new rods in "to the same depth", it may still not be perfect. One check is to make sure that the roof edge is perfectly straight, with the windows closed, at the point the rods screw in. If there is a tiny little ridge, you need to screw them in or out (I forget which) one turn.

Posting a picture would probably be a good idea. I don't have the car any more and can't do so.

Momo

kknudson · #30 06-17-2004, 08:06 AM

Thanks Momo,

I'll have to check, I remember seeing this funny dimple in the edge of the top when we test closed it.

Problem was both of the rods were bent badly at the screw end, so I had to guess at the turns.

That will be a pain having to remove it all to adjust those, oh well the price of perfection.