How do your prepare/fit the hardtop?
- Thread starter 9designs
- Start date
Your car will be ready for it to fit. Just remove the two covers over the locking points, just behind the rear edges of the doors, look in your handbook for a pic.
Mike
Mike
Your car will need the hardtop preparation which I undertand is an option.Ducklakeview said:
As per Mike's advice and if you have them remove the two plastic covers, 1 either side, to reveal the receptacles for the locking pins on the hardtop.
Don't forget to hook up the window demist cables both sides too and be careful - theyre pretty flimsy affairs - spade connectors ffs!
All UK cars have hardtop preparation as standard so it's a straight fit.
There should be no need to touch the heated rear screen connectors when fitting or removing the hardtop.
Ranski's right - best to make sure the seal is clean and I wax the car panel too to avoid any scratches
If you have an issues fitting or wind noise I can send you fitting and adjustment guides
There should be no need to touch the heated rear screen connectors when fitting or removing the hardtop.
Ranski's right - best to make sure the seal is clean and I wax the car panel too to avoid any scratches
If you have an issues fitting or wind noise I can send you fitting and adjustment guides
This is quite poor and incorrect advice as obviously you need to touch the connectors to er, connect the spades to the receivers and enable the screen demist to work!!cj10jeeper said:
Also, leaving the cables connected on removal of the hardtop will also risk damaging the cables and connectors.
Could some kind soul post the official instructions for the OP as I do not have them to hand.
Chris, there aren't any connectors that you need to touch. The rear screen connects through the locking pins. There is no need to remove the cables from the locks when removing, as they are designed to stay connected to them.
Mike
Mike
Sorry but I beg to differ as my car, a pre-facelift E85 - same as the OP's, has two spade connectors, one on each side, next to the receptacle for the locking pins which have to be connected and disconnected manually.Ducklakeview said:
Can someone back me up here? Or is my car unique??
Thanks guys... sadly I don't appear to have my book (or service history) anymore, looks like it went walkies at Z fest when the roof was down!!! :evil:
I remember the online spec check saying it has hard top preparation, as all UK cars seem to.
What do you do at the front screen edge to fix/attach it?
I remember the online spec check saying it has hard top preparation, as all UK cars seem to.
What do you do at the front screen edge to fix/attach it?
You need the large tool to lock down the front edge. but i think a normal 5 or 6 mm allen key would suffice.9designs said:
Many owners, including myself seem to suffer a bit of windnoise from the front leading edge and around the sidewindow. You'll have to do a bit of experimentation to remedy this if you also experience it. the front seal can be augmented with either weatherstrip or as in my case an old bike tyre innertube. the side pins can be adjusted to raise or lower the roof on either side.
what model do you have? as there seems to be some debate about these rear window demist cable connectors.
Can you see spade connectors on your car?
Chris_D said:
I actually think in a way you are both right. I have the spade connectors you are talking about and when I lock the hardtop down one connector stays in place and the other one comes off and I have to manually reconnect it in which case I always take that one off first before I lock it down
Dav the wheel nut said:Chris_D said:
I actually think in a way you are both right. I have the spade connectors you are talking about and when I lock the hardtop down one connector stays in place and the other one comes off and I have to manually reconnect it in which case I always take that one off first before I lock it down
It's not an 'automatic' connection though is it? There's definitely a bit of faffing about to be done when manually connecting/reconnecting them....
If you forget to disconnect them before removing the hardtop theyre definitely gonna be susceptible to breaking/snapping! Sh!ty design much?
When I got my hardtop, all I had to do was revive the two covers, drop it on and lock it into place, reverse to remove. No connections at all and my heated rear window worked fine.
Mike
Mike
Chris_D said:
Mine had enough slack, maybe yours will pull down a bit?
Mike
Maybe this is where the misunderstanding lies as due to the length of run on both cables on my hardtop I was under the distinct impression that you're supposed to remove them from the spades before locking/unlocking the pin. I nearly forgot to disconnect once and saw the cable stretching but saw it just in time to rotate back and then remove the cable.Ducklakeview said:
I'd still suggest removing them as they're delicate, crappy little connectors imo.
Apologies CJ - we're coming in from different angles!
:roll:
Chris_D said:
Hi Chris.
Sorry to say it but there's no reference whatsoever in the hardtop manual that I got with my top instructing any tampering with the spade connectors.
Mine seem to have been designed to move freely with the rotation of the locking pins. Fair comment on them maybe suffering breakages during the on and off of the top but it's not referred to in the manual.
It gives 6 steps.
1. Wipe down area of car where hardtop rubber seal will sit.
2. Remove plastic caps and slot the hardtop pins into the connectors holes.
3. Rotate the connectors pins to lock in place.
4. Slide in lock mechanism covers
5. Lift hardtop sealing lip over the top of the covers.
6. Lock the top down at the windscreen and pop in plastic lock cover.
Taken from the BMW hardtop manual. Mines a pre facelift too. It's the only one they made properly. They obviously hadn't heard 'if it's not broke, don't try to fix it:fuelfire:
Job done.
Yer, as posted it's prob just mine that's different. Suspect it's had a new heater element/cable at some point and the replaced cable is very short - too short to NOT be stretched when the locking pin is rotated. Had assumed this was the design as theyre flimsy anyway.DMC63 said:Chris_D said:
Hi Chris.
Sorry to say it but there's no reference whatsoever in the hardtop manual that I got with my top instructing any tampering with the spade connectors.
Mine seem to have been designed to move freely with the rotation of the locking pins. Fair comment on them maybe suffering breakages during the on and off of the top but it's not referred to in the manual.
It gives 6 steps.
1. Wipe down area of car where hardtop rubber seal will sit.
2. Remove plastic caps and slot the hardtop pins into the connectors holes.
3. Rotate the connectors pins to lock in place.
4. Slide in lock mechanism covers
5. Lift hardtop sealing lip over the top of the covers.
6. Lock the top down at the windscreen and pop in plastic lock cover.
Taken from the BMW hardtop manual. Mines a pre facelift too. It's the only one they made properly. They obviously hadn't heard 'if it's not broke, don't try to fix it:fuelfire:
Job done.
[/quote]
Yer, as posted it's prob just mine that's different. Suspect it's had a new heater element/cable at some point and the replaced cable is very short - too short to NOT be stretched when the locking pin is rotated. Had assumed this was the design as theyre flimsy anyway.[/quote]
You've got a good point tho'. It's wise to keep a sharp eye on these wires when locking and unlocking the pins.
Yer, as posted it's prob just mine that's different. Suspect it's had a new heater element/cable at some point and the replaced cable is very short - too short to NOT be stretched when the locking pin is rotated. Had assumed this was the design as theyre flimsy anyway.[/quote]
You've got a good point tho'. It's wise to keep a sharp eye on these wires when locking and unlocking the pins.
Chris_D said:
I'll await your apology for such curt criticism when it s actually spot on.
oke: I've removed and fitted my prefacelift for years and never needed to touch the spade connectors, not once..
Circuit is completed automatically when the top is fitted and disconnected on removal
If the connectors are tight or not alighted then I suspect it's due to poor adjustment of the fitting at some point in the hardtops history.
I'll email anyone who pm's me an email address with fitting instructions and an adjustment guide
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