I need a little help in understanding this. This is my first time removing the soft top. I checked and it looks like the aluminum frame is sitting OK. The two T40 bolts on each side went in fine and seem to be in the right place. All 7 screws went in fine to mount the u-shaped frame. It appears I have the ends of the u-frame sitting properly in the 2 metal clips although it's rather hard to get pictures of it now that I put the top all back together including the shelf. I am adding some pictures I took of how it sits when fully open as well as what I could get of the u-frame in at least one of the clips. Does this look right? I hate to have to pull it all out again and would appreciate some advice. Opening and closing seem to be working normally as well. Just doesn't look right when it's fully down. And yes, the red light goes out and the motor shuts off when it is in the down position. So I'm looking for assistance on what I may have done wrong on the reinstallation. Is there any way to avoid pulling it all the way out again to get it to seat perfectly again?
Soft top sitting high after reinstall
- Thread starter jabramson
- Start date
Sth. Manchester/Cheshire border
Have you fitted a replacement roof, or had yours off and back on again?
Its hard to tell from pictures but it doesnt look far off to me
I took the roof off to inspect the motor and I also decided to relocate it in the trunk. It's possible it's just me and I thought it recessed a little more into the trunk than it did. I may have to remove it again in the future because I am seeing a slight leak in the actuators of fluid. I moved the motor to the trunk for access to refill it until I decide to redo the actuators. Those actuator hinges are quite expensive. Although I did find a company that will rebuild them both for $400. Just have to decide when I can take the car down and not be able to drive it for a week. Well, it's drivable without the top as long as it doesn't rain. 
One other thing, I busted one of those wing things that fold out of the way in the rear storage area on the bottom panel. I think it's part # 54-31-7-189-233 for the entire panel. The one on the passenger side. Any idea of an inexpensive source for it? The compartment floor is fine. Just need the folding wing.
One other thing, I busted one of those wing things that fold out of the way in the rear storage area on the bottom panel. I think it's part # 54-31-7-189-233 for the entire panel. The one on the passenger side. Any idea of an inexpensive source for it? The compartment floor is fine. Just need the folding wing.
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Ah I had this EXACT issue with the U clips when I replaced my roof the other week (assuming I've understood you correctly).
From your last pic, your bow is not seated all the way into the clip.
Dad and I felt things didn't sit right and turned out we didn't even seat it in at all. This was realised right after setting in the weatherstrip and we were about to continue with the rest of the install.
I'm hoping you can do the following:
- remove the parcel shelf (can't be avoided)
- remove all the bolts inside the bow (so the hidden ones you get to from inside the boot). 8 or 10mm iirc.
- have someone from the outside reach between the gap on that corner where the U clip is and try to get a grip that can wriggle/push it downwards.
- grab something long and hard (ha) and from the boot, push HARD against the bow itself.
- as you are pushing, have the person outside push DOWN O. The bow.
The issue from what we gathered is the bow is kinda bent inwards from the removal so it's unable to seat properly onto the U clamp without having it stretched back open - hence pushing it hard outward from the inside.
Once you have one side in, you can then do the other side the same way, then put the bolts back in.
If I'm unclear let me know and I'll try to illustrate better in the morning - typing this the best I can on the phone.
From your last pic, your bow is not seated all the way into the clip.
Dad and I felt things didn't sit right and turned out we didn't even seat it in at all. This was realised right after setting in the weatherstrip and we were about to continue with the rest of the install.
I'm hoping you can do the following:
- remove the parcel shelf (can't be avoided)
- remove all the bolts inside the bow (so the hidden ones you get to from inside the boot). 8 or 10mm iirc.
- have someone from the outside reach between the gap on that corner where the U clip is and try to get a grip that can wriggle/push it downwards.
- grab something long and hard (ha) and from the boot, push HARD against the bow itself.
- as you are pushing, have the person outside push DOWN O. The bow.
The issue from what we gathered is the bow is kinda bent inwards from the removal so it's unable to seat properly onto the U clamp without having it stretched back open - hence pushing it hard outward from the inside.
Once you have one side in, you can then do the other side the same way, then put the bolts back in.
If I'm unclear let me know and I'll try to illustrate better in the morning - typing this the best I can on the phone.
Ok I re-read what I wrote last night and it was a bit of a ramble. Hopefully this is a better explanation!
From the last pic in your original post, your rear bow (where you screwed the top into) does not appear to be seated correctly into the U shaped clamp. If you look, you'll see that it has not fully slotted downwards into it.
Here is a diagram:
GREEN - The rear bow (or "frame"). Note the bottom green line.
PINK - This is the U shaped CLAMP that it needs to be seated downwards into. Note that there is a fair distance between the bow and the YELLOW line which is roughly where it should sit.
This difference is likely why your top is sitting too high when closed. I should add that it looks like the cable ties may be catching the tapered tip of the clamp on one side
For reference, this is how mine sat. Note the way that none of the U clamp is visible underneath the bow and where the ends of the clamps sit relative to the holes.
You'll need to get something to push HARD against the areas I've marked in RED, and at the same time, have someone from the outside of the car push the rear bow/frame DOWN. I believe you will unfortunately need to pull the rear weatherstrip off for the outside person to be able to move it.
OR, you could try since you have your headliner all fitted up again, have the person go from inside the car and stick there arm behind the headrest and around the roll hoops - but the force needed (at least for us) was not small so awkward arm/hand positions may not be able to do enough.
From the last pic in your original post, your rear bow (where you screwed the top into) does not appear to be seated correctly into the U shaped clamp. If you look, you'll see that it has not fully slotted downwards into it.
Here is a diagram:
GREEN - The rear bow (or "frame"). Note the bottom green line.
PINK - This is the U shaped CLAMP that it needs to be seated downwards into. Note that there is a fair distance between the bow and the YELLOW line which is roughly where it should sit.
This difference is likely why your top is sitting too high when closed. I should add that it looks like the cable ties may be catching the tapered tip of the clamp on one side
For reference, this is how mine sat. Note the way that none of the U clamp is visible underneath the bow and where the ends of the clamps sit relative to the holes.
You'll need to get something to push HARD against the areas I've marked in RED, and at the same time, have someone from the outside of the car push the rear bow/frame DOWN. I believe you will unfortunately need to pull the rear weatherstrip off for the outside person to be able to move it.
OR, you could try since you have your headliner all fitted up again, have the person go from inside the car and stick there arm behind the headrest and around the roll hoops - but the force needed (at least for us) was not small so awkward arm/hand positions may not be able to do enough.
Looks fine - mine has never been removed and sits higher than that when down - which is almost all the time the cars moving 
I think the prefacelift cars had a mechanical lock when the roof was down but the later cars didn't if I'm right (and I may well be wrong but someone will be along to tell me!) this could present an issue depending on year of manufacture.
I think the prefacelift cars had a mechanical lock when the roof was down but the later cars didn't if I'm right (and I may well be wrong but someone will be along to tell me!) this could present an issue depending on year of manufacture.