Vinyl Application on Soft Top Front Cross Member

[Pawel66]

Kindly requesting support: any practical hints/tips on application of a new vinyl covering on soft top front cross-member?

Need to do it myself as it seems - lead-times with upholsterers in the area are 12-18 months to do any job... I have some experience in leather or MB tex fitting, but not vinyl.

I decided to go ahead with some work on the soft top to try to eliminate the V-shaped elbows above the side windows. Replacing the vinyl will be a part of that effort (also: it looks quite worn). I will also need to replace the straps, tensioning wires and side seals.

I wish I bought the straps form mrfatboy - I simply did not realize I needed them when they were available.

[cfm65@me.com]

Hi Pawel,
Your experience working with leather and MB Tex, will stand you in good stead.
Vinal is much easier because it stretches easily and it is much cheaper, if you make a mistake.
Cheers
Chris
Cape Town

[Pawel66]

Thank you!

You use the same type of glue as for leather or MB tex?
Does using of the hot air blower help if need be?

[Shvegel]

I didn't replace mine I simply painted it with vinyl paint.  However, I have a trick you can experiment with. Take a small scrap of vinyl and wet the back with acetone using a fairly we rag.  When the entire piece is wet peel the cloth backing off.  This leaves a thin very flexible sheet of vinyl.  Now use a little heat on the scrap and see how much heat you can apply and how it affects it.  I did my dash top over this way and it worked really well.

[Shvegel]

Here is the paint I used. Really bizarre spay pattern from the can but it worked well.  For reference I masked off the wire that runs through the visor.  Pretty much a dead on color match.

[Shvegel]

Knowing you really chase the details The rivets that hold the front bow to the top I found by ordering a stud kit on Amazon.  I now have hundreds of rivets because I needed 2.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085TDKF68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Pawel66]

Shvegel,

Thank you so much for your kind attention and advise!

I removed the old vinyl, so painting it no longer works. Besides, it had a couple of scratches and holes. There are ways to fix that, but I decided to go for the new vinyl - you can repeat application a many times as required, so sooner or later I will get there. But the paints such as the one you used are just great - I also used them a couple of times, not on the Pagoda.

Rivets - thank you, I found very similar ones, good you are confirming how they should look like. Yes, you need 2 pieces, but you find a bag of 1000 and it is for $2 - what do you do? I think I need pliers for crimping the rivet. I have the front bow glued to fabric, will need to set the rivets somehow, probably easier with pliers than punch.

I found the screw and its washer (the one that is visible outside) at Mercedes - they are still there for a reasonable price.

Where I am at: I have the front cross member removed, cleaned and re-painted. I have fabricated shims that go between this cross-member and the lateral frame members (it is all held by 3 screws on each side) - to gain some reduction of distance to the window frame (I do not want to move the soft top too much forward as I will run into trouble with the rear bow anchor stud, I am at maximum of adjustment there). When I tried the assembled frame, the V elbows over the windows disappeared, so I guess I am on the right track.

I am also replacing the straps and side rubbers. For strap replacement I had to detach soft top cloth form frame, but I will try to do it with just ungluing one cross bow, the front one.

So now - I need to clean the fabric after old side rubbers, fix a couple of mechanical topics with the frame, lubricate hinges a bit (dry lube, I guess), attach front cross member, apply vinyl, attach the straps, glue the rubbers and re-fit the fabric. I am waiting for the vinyl from cabrio.de.

I will try to glue on the side rubbers folding a bit the soft top cloth as it is folding while the soft top is put in its bay - maybe this way I will avoid that the rubbers (no matter from which supplier) will crack in places where they fold outwards.

In bold just to call out the question form the body of the post: Do you know the type of nut that is used for holding the side wires? I have the big washer from Mercedes, I have the washer with claws, I do not have the nuts. They have A 113... PN, so they may not be just regular hex nuts....

Any chance for a picture? (I know the pictures we have on forum, but they show a regular nut - not sure if it is correct)

[Pawel66]

I am enclosing two pictures of a nut I found on one side that is holding the soft top cable. Looks like it has plastic thread. the hex part of the nut moves independently vs. the washer part of the nut (do not pay attention to the washer next to it).

I am also enclosing a picture from Forum. At Mercedes you can buy the big washer and the washer with claws. Cannot get the nut. It is described as a hexagon nut, but has a 113... part number, so it is not an ordinary nut, I suppose.

[Shvegel]

Your bottom photo is correct.  Special cup washer, toothed lock washer then regular hex nut.  All type 1 silver zinc plate.  If you can't get the cup washers they are an easy part to make on a lathe.  The design allows the cable to flex under the ridge of the washer without shearing the cable off. 

[Pawel66]

The bottom picture (forum picture) is the solution coming out of the Mercedes parts list. The cup washer and the toothed lock washer (I called claw washer, directly translated form my language) are available from Mercedes.

Thank you!

Where this strange nut I found came from?

[Pawel66]

I think perhaps there might have been some kind of evolution of fastening of the soft top cables, based on what i found in the car. Or simply this strange nut was someone's creative idea. Net net it is the washer, toothed washer and nut scenario.