Soft-top cables

[awolff280sl]

One of the cables/wires running along the side of the soft top has broken, probably from fatigue.
Does anyone have experience replacing this? Will I be able to just expose the corner of the front cross piece to attach the eyelet of the cable? Or is it necessary to remove most of the front edge of the soft top from the front cross piece to get the exposure?

[ja17]

Hello Andy,
I cannot remember all the details but here are the basics.   Slightly open the top to relieve the tension. Remove the screw.  If I recall there is a slit on the inside front (near the screw). I cannot recall if the rubber molding covers the slit (inside front) you may have to peel it back some. You can run a stiff pull wire back through the slit to the opening in the rear. Notice that the cable is attached by the nut in the rear. Next attach the end of the new cable to the pull wire and pull it forward. Line it up with the hole and install the screw. Tighten the nut in the rear last after you tension the new wire.

[awolff280sl]

Thanks Joe. I am particularly interested in the exposure of the hole for the screw that holds the eyelet of the cable at the corner of the front cross piece.

[awolff280sl]

OK, I somewhat figured it out.
I was able to expose the eyelet of the cable where it attaches to the cross piece.
The problem I was having is that the eyelet of the cable was actually riveted to the corner of the cross piece under the canvas. There is no fastener piercing the surface of the canvas.
I drilled out the rivet, exposed the screw hole in the cross piece, and routed a new cable.
The question I have at this point is whether the hole in the cross piece is threaded to accept the screw (that pierces the canvas and holds the eyelet), or does the screw use a nut. I suppose that I could as well just tap the hole if that is what is required given that there was a rivet there originally..

[ja17]

Hello Andy,

Normally those holes are threaded.

[awolff280sl]

Thanks Joe, I used a 4MM helicoil to accept the chrome screw.