Soft top stuck!

[dseretakis]

I was trying to put down the soft top but the back end got stuck in the tonneau area leaving the top in a halfway retracted position. I'm unable to pull the back out as it is wedged inside the tonneau area. Any tips?

[69280sl]

This has been well covered in the forum. Sorry I don't have a specific post, but your search will be rewarded

Gus

[Peter van Es]

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop#StuckSofttop

In the technical manual

[jaymanek]

Oh the fun I had with this when i first got my car!

[dseretakis]

Thanks all. I checked it out in the technical manual. I'll tackle it when I can get a second person to help.

[thelews]

When it happened to me, I held the rear bow in the well in such a way as to be able to lower the top.  Then, with the top lowered, I pushed down hard enough on the front header, that the rear bow snapped into position as it should before lowering.  Then the top will lift out.

[J. Huber]

I'm with John on this -- it could be an easy remedy. If the back section gets "separated" from the rest of the top, the top will spread, leaving the back in the well. Try simply folding it all down again. It may engage the hinges, then lift as usual. I have had it go this way.

[dseretakis]

I spoke with Gernold this am and he alerted me to some chromed spring loaded levers which need to be pushed outward toward the quarter panels before being able to drop the rest of the top into the tonneau area. It is a two man job with one pushing on the levers while the other pushes the top into place.  I haven't done it yet as I'm waiting for an assistant. This technique differs from what's published in the technical manual. Perhaps it's different for later model cars like mine?

[Peter van Es]

No, it is actually the same as described in the Technical Manual... the "spring loaded levers" are the same as the  "L shaped brackets" which must be pushed outwards and up...

Peter

[dseretakis]

Ok so now I'm a bit confused. Do the L shaped brackets have an analogous function to the spring loaded levers or are they in fact the same exact thing? I pushed the levers out toward the quarter panel and was able to lower the top. I did not however push out and up.

[GTMSJ]

...same thing happened to me last year as I was rushing out of the office to meet someone. I pushed one of the spring-loaded L-levers "out" on one side while also putting slight pressure on the top so that the lever did not spring back into place. I then went around to the other side to do the same thing. The back of the top was released and I was on my way. I couldn't have done it w/o the technical manual. It sounds harder than it is...good luck!

[Peter van Es]

Ok so now I'm a bit confused. Do the L shaped brackets have an analogous function to the spring loaded levers or are they in fact the same exact thing? I pushed the levers out toward the quarter panel and was able to lower the top. I did not however push out and up.

Are they the same thing as the red levers in the diagram of the Tech Manual ? Then I mean the same. Otherwise, I'm also confused, and perhaps should update the description in the tech manual. Can you be precise as to what spring loaded levers you mean?

[mdsalemi]

In the well of the soft top, on either side, are these brackets.  They are large, they are spring loaded, and there is nothing anything like them in the same location.  So, it does not matter if you call them "L-Shaped" (which they sort of are) or "Spring Loaded Levers", (also which they are) or anything else--once you get in there it is pretty obvious.  While GTMSJ was able to do it solo, it is a lot easier with a helper and long screwdrivers as push-aids.

Nearly everyone has had this "soft top wedgie" before (except the coupe owners w/o the soft top...)

I should also note that (as I did somewhat sheepishly years ago) if you open and close the softtop following the directions in the owner's manual, this will not happen! 

Speaking of owner's manuals, when I visited with Paul Bracq in March he had a brand new Citroen C6 on loan to him for my visit.  This car had a peculiar electric parking brake.  The release of said brake was confounding M. Bracq on Monday and Tuesday, to the point of frustration.  On Wednesday when he arrived at my hotel to take me to the airport, he released the brake in one easy step.  I asked him what, finally, was the secret to releasing the brake?  He said, "Last night I read the owner's manual..."

[dseretakis]

I read the technical manual again and noticed that some people have reported that the levers get pushed outward rather than upward and outward. Here is that excerpt from the manual:

"Instead of levering the brackets upwards others report: In order to fully lower the soft-top into its well both upside-down L-shaped springloaded brackets need to be pushed to the outside of the car to allow the linkage to pass the brackets and lower themselves."

It is now my opinion that these are in fact the same but I'm not sure why some have different experiences regarding their operation.