Roof issues 1991 300SL

[Majorbman]

This is Bill again, I got the 91 300SL running. Thanks to all your help!! I don't have a owners manual for the car. I am having an issue with the roof. the front is lock down but the rear barbs are seating about 3 inch in the air above the doors that are suppose to open up and grab the barbs. I don't know now to make it happen ???????? Can any one help me!
I am Sorry I just put the thread back on because i couldn't find it on the website. But I loggout and logged on again at it was there.

[Gilly]

If you have a helper you can start the car, and push the top switch towards the front of the car, and try to push the rear bow down (try to push the "barbs" down in to the holes)
If they won't go, like they are blocked or hitting something solid (even on one side), then report back.
Or just try raising the roof, again you will want the car running to do this.

Why wouldn't the car start???

[97 SL320]

Another way to do this:

Open the trunk, next to the trunk lid hinges locate rectangular plastic covers and remove them. Use the manual top tool to actuate the latching cylinders, the tabs might be painted red. ( the stock tool is a very thin 10mm open wrench , a crescent wrench will grab the wider portion of the lever. )

The front latches above the windshield require a torx bit and are accessed through small round covers.

PDF owners manuals are on web this web site, they show manual top operation. > The personal web page of Brian Clifton

[Gilly]

The stock tool has an allen bit attached to it that operate the latches on the windshield header. They are not torx. On your 97 they might be, but pretty sure the entire 129 production run used allen. Possibly replacement actuators are torx, which is fine if you want to carry your own tools around to try to operate the system manually. Most would rather rely on the tool that came with the car.
If the rear catches are not in the up position, even if one of them aren't, he is in for a bit of a struggle to get them into the up position. Had to do this a few times.
Gilly

PS usually the one that sticks in the down position is the right rear.

I have come to the conclusion that the rear actuators hate the front actuators guts.

And the rear bow microswitch hates the rest of the system in it's entirety.

And also the 2 switches in the bottom of the door that signal that the windows are down (in the original system) never took their job too seriously and they were both fired right around 1995.

And that's the truth.
Edith Ann - "And thats the truth" - YouTube