Author Topic: Soft top attacked by spring-loaded pin.....Remedy?  (Read 1331 times)

Mike H

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Soft top attacked by spring-loaded pin.....Remedy?
« on: October 12, 2020, 10:41:16 »
When folding away the soft top I always seem to get the folding material jammed between the frame and the spring loaded pin which locks the bottom steel bow with the rest of the elevating frame.
The old top, with the previous  owner, must have suffered the same problem, with the sides of the top being chewed out.
Is there a simple procedure to fold the material out of the way before stowing the top.
I tried removing the pins,  but made retrieving the rear frame bow really difficult when lifting out to erect.
   Also trying to install the rubber strips to the canvas  over the windows, and can't see  how the centre bow (with the hooked ends) won't interfere  with gluing the the rubber strips to the canvas.
Any photos would give the best guide.
Thank You,
Mike.....64  230 SL.

Peter van Es

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1970 280SL. System Admin of the site. Please do not mail or PM me questions on Pagoda's... I'm not likely to know the answer.  Please post on the forum instead!

Pawel66

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Re: Soft top attacked by spring-loaded pin.....Remedy?
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2020, 12:23:37 »
Also these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcvG2HfMat4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6x_WN_xp8s


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsGrXPTM_ks

From my experience: there is this moment when you fold the soft top, when, after unhooking the middle rear hook, you raise the rear of the soft top and open the cover. This is the moment, when you install all the clear plastic protections and it is also the moment when you examine how the fabric is folding and you help it fold.
Pawel

280SL 1970 automatic 180G Silver
W128 220SE
W121 190SL
G-class

114015

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Re: Soft top attacked by spring-loaded pin.....Remedy?
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2020, 18:12:42 »
Mike,

Are the softtop wires in place?
A113 774 0365
left and right?

See second pic in the link Peter posted above:

https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop

Picture 26 in this link here:

https://www.sls-hh-shop.de/main/en/77-79-softtop-hardtop-77-a-softtop-frame-and-equipment-c-3_2345_93


Best,
Achim
Achim
(Germany)

Mike H

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Re: Soft top attacked by spring-loaded pin.....Remedy?
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2020, 09:55:24 »
Thanks guys,
I did read the whole tech manual on the soft top and watched all those videos  before posting, and none address my problem of jamming the material in the frame.
The Brabas video does show the guys place their forearms onto the canvas towards the window before the rear bow is clicked into position before stowing the top. It is the only thing that is different.
I will see if this makes a difference. Have to leave the top up, to heat in the sun for a few days, before folding down , as it's new.
  Achim, yes, the springy wires on the sides of the top are in place.
I thought their purpose was to place tension on the canvas to prevent flapping at speed. Or are they to aid folding?
Do the later model cars have a different system to locate and hold the rear bow to the frame?
  Pawel, I get that this is the critical moment when folding, but this is where you may need an assistant?

On the rubbers over the windows, does the centre steel bow simply compress the rubber at that point when the top is up?