stretching your soft top

[jpinet]

I thought I would share this technique I used to stretch my new soft top, as I know many have difficulties getting new fabric to stretch.
I read all kinds of techniques to get the fabric to stretch; wet it then let it dry in the sun, heat lamps, clamps and bars. They can be a pain!
I had my fabric installed by Gernold at SLTech (a masterpiece!) last year and it stayed folded for the best parts of 6 months shortly after.
I know it's better to store your car with the soft top unfolded, but I could not do this for reasons too long to explain here.
When I tried to open it recently, I was missing close to 3 inches to get the rear latch to catch.
No super hard slamming was able to get it to close.
I used 2 adjustable support poles you find at hardware stores and sat one end on each corner of the frame over the fabric while the other end pressed on my garage's ceiling. (see photo)
I then expanded both bars to put a great deal of pressure on the top (suspension started to lower) and left the whole thing in place for 48 hours.
The top now closes perfectly. No marks were left on the fabric where the poles rested.
Simple and efficient!

[Garry]

You are a very game man.

Glad you had success and not a disaster.

[RobSirg]

Very creative I must say.

I still have to skillfully climb up on my car (by putting my foot on the rear tyre whilst holding the top) - then ever so carefully walking across the bottom rung of the soft top frame and give a gentle hop in the middle to close it.....then back track out of it.

One day driving home from work with the roof down I got caught in an unexpected rain shower (despite closely watching the weather radar on my phone). I'm sure it was a funny site for passers by seeing a guy in business attire slipping off his Italian shoes..... in the rain..... and climbing up on the back of his car in his socks......not to mention the gentle hop

(probably helps that I am only 5ft8 and 73kgs)

[pagoda113]

Much easier way lol, It is not so much the material shrinking, but in fact the rear plastic screen. Have had this problem couple of times on my Pagodas. You basically need to just get hair dryer and gently blow warm air on the rear screen but not to close. You will then see it becomes most plyable and giveness. This then allows it stretch easily and lock in place.

[jpinet]

Much easier way lol, It is not so much the material shrinking, but in fact the rear plastic screen. Have had this problem couple of times on my Pagodas. You basically need to just get hair dryer and gently blow warm air on the rear screen but not to close. You will then see it becomes most plyable and giveness. This then allows it stretch easily and lock in place.

Would that hair dryer method work for getting the kinks out of the rear window?

[jpinet]

Very creative I must say.

I still have to skillfully climb up on my car (by putting my foot on the rear tyre whilst holding the top) - then ever so carefully walking across the bottom rung of the soft top frame and give a gentle hop in the middle to close it.....then back track out of it.

One day driving home from work with the roof down I got caught in an unexpected rain shower (despite closely watching the weather radar on my phone). I'm sure it was a funny site for passers by seeing a guy in business attire slipping off his Italian shoes..... in the rain..... and climbing up on the back of his car in his socks......not to mention the gentle hop

(probably helps that I am only 5ft8 and 73kgs)

I laughed out loud reading your adventure! But that's not normal, to say the least.... You know you can adjust the latch that catches the hook of your soft top? Gernold from SLTech taught me that he always closes the top by slamming it very hard. Now, we can all do what we want with our cars, nothing wrong with that, but I'd be afraid that one day, with the method you use, I'll fall into the top, onto the trunk or off the car. None of these alternatives seem appealing to me!

[jpinet]

You are a very game man.

Glad you had success and not a disaster.

I tested it with gentle pressure before and could not see how I could damage something. My only worry was that because my garage ceiling is angled, a bar would slip off as the fabric extended. But strong pressure prevented that. The system really works fine.

[Rolf-Dieter ✝︎]

I had similar problems and found out that only engaging the two front pins partially (ie only about half way) then totally engaging the rear latch and finally closing the two front latches together works best for me.

The idea of letting the plastic warm up a bit (using the coefficient of expansion) seams like a great idea.

I too have been cut in the rain and got partially wet, in order not to get too wet I only engaged the two front pins and left the rear alone since it did not cooperate and it worked out fine too.

My plan for future long trips is to travel with my hardtop, after all it gives our Pagoda the classic look. I will disassemble my hardwood stand and take it along, assembly takes only minutes and it is light wait. So when the weather is nice I can always assemble the stand, ask someone tho give me a hand removing the hardtop, storing it in a safe place and enjoying a drive topless. Anyone ever did that?

[RobSirg]

I'm with you R-D, I prefer the roof-on Classic look followed by roofless so I don't often drive with the soft top up.

Some good suggestions above. I did figure there are some adjustments I, or someone, could make but I like the nice tight look of my new top as it has no ripples, and I expected it might stretch over time - but it hasn't. I also tried the wet top dried in the sun trick, but that didn't seem to work either.

I found if I leaned over and pushed very hard with both palms it could close - but I put my back out doing that once so I took climbing up and using my body weight. Given I usually drive with the hard top on or ST down I am usually climbing up in my garage. My biggest fear is losing balance and crashing down on to the trunk. (fearing damage to the trunk that is not me).

Maybe I try the hair-dryer method? Cant wait to see the look on my wife's face when I ask for her hair dryer (haven't had a need for a hair dryer or comb for about 10 years now

Rob

[jpinet]

I'm sure you all know that you can adjust the latch in the soft top compartment so that it catches the soft top pin. When it comes to tops, Gernold from SLTech is my guru and he showed me to slam it very hard to close it. He also told me that he had seen windshields crack from the frame bending under too much tension from the soft top.

[mbzse]

I thought I would share this technique I used to stretch my new soft top, as I know many have difficulties getting new fabric to stretch

As explained to me, the type of soft top fabric material being supplied today differs somewhat from what came with the car in the sixties. Albeit, you should only fit genuine "Sonnenland Klassik"material to your Pagoda soft Top. Todays fabric is stiffer, has less stretch, and thus it is hard to close the soft top after it has been renewed.  Store the SL with soft top up and closed the first year or so after renewing it. As per the tips in our Wiki
http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop#Stretching  I have water wetted the soft top and put the car in the sun as well as used hot air guns, eventually the soft top is better to close.

Beware also against the non-Klassik type Sonnenland fabric, this is for use in modern roadsters that often employ motorised soft top frames.

Long ago, I saw tips on the Forum to remove the soft top, and mount it onto a wooden frame with turnbuckles fitted (also briefly mentioned in our Wiki) - Then gradually tension these during the winter, and then re-fit the frame to the SL in the spring. Anyone who tried this approach?
/Hans in Sweden
.

[RobSirg]

I saw a friend use that slamming technique......scared the bejeezus out of me! (says he who climbs on his roof)

Think I might try some adjustments in spring.

[jpinet]

I saw a friend use that slamming technique......scared the bejeezus out of me! (says he who climbs on his roof)

Think I might try some adjustments in spring.

I know what you mean about the slamming! I never slam anything that hard on my car, let alone any car! But it works!

[glcg123]

According to the manual the proper way to latch the soft top is to latch the rear first and then the front locks. I have had my car for 10 years. It was a little tough at first to latch the front but now I have no issues at all. I would hate to think that someone could injure themselves by standing in the trunk to do this.

I have tried the method of latching the front first and then the rear. It is very difficult. I use the factory recommended method with no issues. My top is original as it has the chrome strip on the rear just above the rear window. Now the plastic window is a bit yellowed in a couple of spots but it does not affect my vision so it will stay.

George 1965 230 SL