HELP PLEASE: Soft roof compartment latch broken.

[toml]

So my soft top is up, and I went to to pull the latch to pop open the comparment in order to take the top down and stowe it away but I've found the latch is 'free' instead. It is not releasing at all. As if a cable or spring is broken.

Now I can't open the latch/compartment. How do I repair this?

TomL, Portland, OR
1964 230SL Euro 4-speed Silver+Black w/ Red Interior
1973 280C DOHC Metalic Blue w/ Tan interior

[jeffc280sl]

Hi Tom,

Try pushing the latch in as you turn it.  The latch is connected to a round shaft that opens the tonneau cover and releases the rear pin of the soft top.  The end of the shaft is flat on two sides and is held in place by a screw.  As you turn the latch a cable connected to it releases the locks.  It's possible that the screw is loose and the flat edges of the shaft are not contacting the cable mechanism.  That's why I suggest you push in as you turn the latch.

It's possible a cable has broken.  Check previous posts for answers and let us know if you can pull the latch completly out.  If so we can work to release the latch through an opening in the trunk.

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[toml]

Jeff, thank you! pushing and turning it did kind of 'catch' it seemed. At least the side that the lever is on popped up. I can also see that the center pin to hold the soft top down is moving as I push-turn. BUT... the opposite side (passenger side) cover lock is not releasing.

I took off the upholstery panel -- the short vertical one between the door and the rear speaker box -- but it only reveals solid metal with no clear way to access any lock that might be under there.

Now what?

(thanks again btw)
Tom.

TomL, Portland, OR
1964 230SL Euro 4-speed Silver+Black w/ Red Interior
1973 280C DOHC Metalic Blue w/ Tan interior

[jeffc280sl]

Glad to help Tom.  There is an access hole to the center mechanism through the trunk.  The hole is directly under the center pin lock.  I've attached a picture of what it looks like from inside the storage area.  There is a 10mm bolt that can be reached from the trunk through this hole.  Somehow you need to slide this bolt towards the drivers side of the car.  This will release all three latches.  Good luck.

Download Attachment: Latch.JPG
35.28 KB

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[Kenneth Gear]

If that pin doesn't work to release the latch, look in the corner of the trunk toward the rear o fthe compartment and you'll see a small space on each side.  The cable that opens that latch runs just beyond where your hand can reach up in there but if you can slide a coat hanger in there you should be able to feel around for the cable, once you have it just give it a good tug and it will pop the lacth for you.

Ken G
1971 280 SL
Silver/red

[toml]

SUCCESS! I'll post my results for some future poor sap with the same problem:

Wow, this is like one of those real time live chat help applications on some shopping sites! (sometimes you love the internet. sometimes you hate it. this time it's love).

While I was waiting for your reply, I found a similar tip you posted for someone in the past, Jeff. I was able to push that center pin latch with my finger alone and it popped open the passenger side latch (hurray!) only not the driver/hatch lever side (boo!)

I also found a post explaining how the handle (mine got all loose goosey to use a technical term) pulls on a lever on the inside that tips/pulls the lock for that side of the hatch as well as pulls on the cable that runs over to the other side of the hatch.

well the handle is attached to a post by a short shaft and held on with a 10mm nut that got loose and so wasn't pulling that lever which unlocks the soft top cover. looking in the trunk i could see that lever getting joslted when i reached over and jostled on the loose handle. luckily that lever has a few nuts of its own on there and i made a loop out of some a-wire and fished it through that trunk hole til i could (easily) visually see the loop went over that top nut on the release lever (i hope you are following this!).

slipped it over that top nut and pulled on the wire which pulled on the top of that lever (which is what the handle is supposed to do) and POP! it unhatched. easy once i figured out (saw) what was happening in there. (by way of a gap through the trunk hinge).

so it was that 10mm nut that some have replaced with a lock nut and so shall i when i find one that size.

Until then, i threaded my a-wire through a whole on the top of that lever that happens to be there, and left it threaded through into the trunk so even if my tightened down nut ever gives up again (before i replace it with locknut + loctite of course), i always have this emergency 'pull' wire in the trunk for now.

thank you for your help jeff, and i am posting the above (long and detailed) description for some future karma to someone else who falls into this common problem due to an achilles heel of a poor choice of nuts.



chers.


TomL, Portland, OR
1964 230SL Euro 4-speed Silver+Black w/ Red Interior
1973 280C DOHC Metalic Blue w/ Tan interior

[broxtop]

Jeff,

I was so happy to read your post!!! We had just received my new 1969 280SL and wanted to check out the soft top. Like Tom's, my latch did not work. I just wanted to thank you for posting the picture of the hole access from the trunk. This really saved us time and efforts!!!!

I will be checking back all the time as I may always find a solution to my problems

Sincerely,
Evelyn Broxterman

quote:Originally posted by jeffc280sl

Glad to help Tom.  There is an access hole to the center mechanism through the trunk.  The hole is directly under the center pin lock.  I've attached a picture of what it looks like from inside the storage area.  There is a 10mm bolt that can be reached from the trunk through this hole.  Somehow you need to slide this bolt towards the drivers side of the car.  This will release all three latches.  Good luck.

Download Attachment: Latch.JPG
35.28 KB

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed