230 sl Pagoda Soft top stuck - help

[keith]

Is there anybody in the area of Milton Keynes in England that can help me with my soft top roof. It was stored away incorrectly and I would appreciate some help from someone who knows what they are doing.

[jameshoward]

SW London.

It happens quite a bit, usually when trying to get the top out if the top is worn and the catches that hold the various bars in place don't function as intended, ie they allow things to release too soon before the top is out of the box. Do a search on the site and you'll see how many folk have been caught out.

If you can, push the top back in to the box fully. When correctly stowed, and with the help of another who's prepared to get their knuckles grazed, lift the top out again by the lowest bow, ie the one with the stud that locates into the hole on the soft top box lid when the top is up. It will be pretty hard to pull the top out this way, and as you do it the top will start to unfold as the various levers do their thing, but it should come out. It is a tight fit to get your hand in there, but with one person on each side, and providing the top has been pressed back into its proper stowage position, it should come out fine.

Let us know how you get on.

JH

[Bryn Jones]

Hi Keith
Mine does this occasionally so I'm experienced in the "recovery technique". I'm east of Bedford, so not too far away but another forum member is northwest of Bedford and only a few miles from you. If you can't sort it out yourself don't panic, one of us will meet up with you and help. Whatever you do don't blindly tug it as you will rip the lower edge of the soft top on the peg in the storage compartment. (a common sight!)

[keith]

I think that I will need some help to sort out this problem. my mobile number is 07956 548547.

Regards

Keith

[Bryn Jones]

I tried to call you but no answer. Out now for for the evening: will try you tomorrow.


Bryn

[douglas dees]

SW London.

It happens quite a bit, usually when trying to get the top out if the top is worn and the catches that hold the various bars in place don't function as intended, ie they allow things to release too soon before the top is out of the box. Do a search on the site and you'll see how many folk have been caught out.

If you can, push the top back in to the box fully. When correctly stowed, and with the help of another who's prepared to get their knuckles grazed, lift the top out again by the lowest bow, ie the one with the stud that locates into the hole on the soft top box lid when the top is up. It will be pretty hard to pull the top out this way, and as you do it the top will start to unfold as the various levers do their thing, but it should come out. It is a tight fit to get your hand in there, but with one person on each side, and providing the top has been pressed back into its proper stowage position, it should come out fine.
JH

If your top is binding there are 2 chrome flipper bars that need to be pulled outward using a flat blade screwdriver and that will allow the top to scissor closed and go in to the well . Do not try to force the top into the well. If the bows are not bent, it should drop down into the well
I use a thin wire coat hanger  to loop around the  bars and then pull it upward, thus preventing skinned knuckles if you try to put your hand down and grab the lower bar.
Tops should be be scissored closed  by hearing the "click"when you raise the rear portion and then when you raise the front portion.
The entire unit should be scissored closed and then lowered together into the storage well.
Hope that helps
 
Doug Dees

[scoot]

I recently went through the hell of getting the soft top wedged in the storage area with the front partially deployed and tried for hours with a friend to un-jam things following the instructions in the techinal manual.  It didn't work for us.  We ended up unbolting the 4 bolts that hold the frame in place and moving it outside of the storage area and then re-connecting it to the car.

At some point it would be great for someone to video the un-jamming of a softtop for those of us who can't get it to happen from the instructions...

[kayemoxon]

My car is a 250sl 1967
My top sometimes refuses to pull out of the well. The reason is that the lower bow is not being retained in the frame as you try to lift the main assembly. My short term fix is to insert a 5mm dia bar about 24" long with the end turned up to form a simple hook. The other end of the bar  is bent 90 degrees to give you some thing to pull on.

Carefully insert the tool under the lower bow back edge and slowly lift it  whilst also easing the top bow upwards at the same time. Works fine for me!
Regards Kaye

[stickandrudderman]

In one extreme case where a German customer was in a hurry to catch his ferry home I used ratchet straps around the bow and attached to a ramp post.
(Over the top of the windscreen) It worked a treat with no damage to any part.
The likely real cause of your trouble is a worn out cam on the hinge mechanism. This can be built up by welding and re-profiling but you need to know what you're doing!

[naniroma0]

hola,
yo tambien tengo este problema y no puedo sacar el sofftop,
¿alguien que ponga un video de la solucion?
gracias.

hello,
I also I have this problem and I can not get the sofftop,
Has anyone put a video of the solution?
Thank you.

hello,I also I have this problem and I can not get the sofftop,Has anyone put a video of the solution?Thank you.

[Peter van Es]

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop#StuckSofttop is the description. There's no video yet. Read carefully and try it. Use more force than you think sensible when pushing against the frame whilst levering the L brackets and it will work.

I've had to do it a couple of times (only once on my car though!)

Peter