HELP: Right folding top lock
- Thread starter johnfrazer83
- Start date
Just had a quick look on realoem.com and the 'centering pin' you have circled is threaded. Can you get hold of what's left with some ViceGrips or similar and unwind it ? Then you just need to screw in a new one, number 26 in this diagram (part no.54317043550. You also need o-ring 54317043551) 
thank you ! , i'll look into this and let you know how it works out
Sadly i have to take out the old and replace it, the part that #26 centering pin screws into is what has snapped 
not a clue how it snapped , but i have the part to replace it but it looks like a ball ache to open up where the latch is enclosed. I can open the roof manually but i'd prefer it to be fully working. any tips opening it up would be greatly appreciated.
You have to remove the big plastic headliner cover...be very careful. By now,plastic is really brittle. The mere over tightening of the small screws holding it in place would crack it. My z4 had that part cracked in some places until eventually it just fell off. 
I had a choice of buying a new one at $300 or a used whole soft top at the same price. Decided to buy the used working roof instead and swapped that whole roof on my car. Not an easy thing to do if you ask me. :rofl:
It has small screws on the front side near the windshield and one beside the motor. You can see the motor and screw if you remove the cover in the middle.
I had a choice of buying a new one at $300 or a used whole soft top at the same price. Decided to buy the used working roof instead and swapped that whole roof on my car. Not an easy thing to do if you ask me. :rofl:
It has small screws on the front side near the windshield and one beside the motor. You can see the motor and screw if you remove the cover in the middle.
Part open the roof and remove the screws from the front edge, the one near the manual crank for the front motor and the two hidden ones (one on either side) to drop the front plastic part of the headlining. Once you've done that you should be able to see how the broken part is removed. I remember the mech and motor looking fairly easy/self explanatory to take apart when I had my headlining and cover dropped to fix my wiring loom a few years ago.
carlsson said:You have to remove the big plastic headliner cover...be very careful. By now,plastic is really brittle. The mere over tightening of the small screws holding it in place would crack it. My z4 had that part cracked in some places until eventually it just fell off.
I had a choice of buying a new one at $300 or a used whole soft top at the same price. Decided to buy the used working roof instead and swapped that whole roof on my car. Not an easy thing to do if you ask me. :rofl:
It has small screws on the front side near the windshield and one beside the motor. You can see the motor and screw if you remove the cover in the middle.
Oh dear ... you did warn me , I gently removed the T20 screws and low and behold the plastic was brittle and most of the holes snapped . ( I cursed a lot!) :headbang: Looks like there is another large plastic mould i need to remove to get at the latch and now Ive found the roof doesn't even sit straight so Im guessing it was just slamming down hence causing the damage to the pin.
Ive called on the assistance of a friend now as I don't have the tools to continue. I'll try and get some pictures taken so You guys have a reference to come back to in future.
Yup...told you so. BMW interior plastics become brittle as they age...i was thinking of fixing mine before by adding a thin layer of fiber glass to attach the parts together and make it a bit stronger but it would be tedious. But then again...at $300++ for that part why not give it a try. So there’s probably a bent part on your roof mechanism thatks why it’s not straight and the pin hits on something. It’s a good thing to check that first...so that your new pin wouldn’t hit anything.
yeah I've got the headliner dropped but the casing that covers the latches have star bolts I don't have so I'm seeking assistance from a friend who is mechanically minded and has the tools to get stuck in. As the for the roof being offset , it just wobbles and not as sturdy as when I got it 3yr ago. Problem is I only do 1000 mile a year in her so probably wouldn't have had this issue had I made a use of it.
