Author Topic: Stuck softtop (Read 12962 times)

69280sl · « **on:** August 27, 2011, 01:23:47 »

The dreaded stuck softtop has struck again. This is the second time, the first time the tech manual instruction worked like a charm. This time not so much.

I levered up both L-shaped brackets. In fact they latched into the upper position with an audible click. Still could not move the top, up or down, and I was pushing pretty hard. Any other suggestions on what can be happening, or what to try.

As a last resort, does anyone think that a top and trim shop could sort it out?

Gus

ja17 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 27, 2011, 13:25:58 »

Hello Gus,

It may take a second helper. Reach down in the top well on both sides and pull up on the bottom most edge of the soft top and frame at both times. It is a tight space but you can work your hand down in there. Make sure the top frame is compressed down as far as possible before you begin. Pull up on both sides at the same time. Fashion two flat strap hooked tools can also work if your hands are too big.

badali · « **Reply #2 on:** August 27, 2011, 13:43:08 »

Unless a top shop is familiar with the top they could cause damage to the frame. If all else fails you could unbolt the frame from the car and lift it out then refold itand re install it. Once out of the car it will move freely and can be placed in the proper position. Then you will have to readjust it to the windows. But no damage to the frame should occur this way. This is a last resort though.

69280sl · « **Reply #3 on:** August 27, 2011, 18:04:16 »

Thanks Joe and Brad

Quote from: ja17 on August 27, 2011, 13:25:58

It may take a second helper

I'm running out of wives

Garry · « **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2011, 23:02:25 »

Gus,

My top sticks in the hatch occasionally. With great difficulty due to the tight space that Joe indicated, slip a strap around under the middle of the whole top then standing in the middle of the car, use the strap to pull the top out of the hatch. (I always leave a strap under the top for just such occasions) It will partially open as you do this and does help to have someone there to then hold the top whilst you extract yourself from the car to then take over opening the top.

Garry

69280sl · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2011, 03:55:42 »

Thanks Gary.

My problem is a little different. The top is mostly up so I cant stand in the car to pull up on the rear bow. I am hoping I can do this from outside the car, leaning over to pull up in the middle, with some sort of hook as Joe suggests.

Garry · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:03:32 »

Gus,

Just make sure you do what Joe suggests and that is that the top frame is compressed down as much as possible before re-lifting it up. it will not come up if it is open already. Mine jumps the ratchet to sit back down before I start the process.

Peter van Es · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:49:35 »

Quote from: 69280sl on August 28, 2011, 03:55:42

Thanks Gary.

My problem is a little different. The top is mostly up so I cant stand in the car to pull up on the rear bow. I am hoping I can do this from outside the car, leaning over to pull up in the middle, with some sort of hook as Joe suggests.

If the top is mostly up, you'll need to push it down into the compartment first. Exert pressure on the uprights of the hood near the top, whilst at the same time levering the L-shaped brackets.

Peter

69280sl · « **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2011, 15:19:30 »

Peter

That's exactly what I have been doing. It wont budge. Is there another failure mode?

Peter van Es · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2011, 18:31:41 »

Sorry, the nsomeone else will need to chime in!

69280sl · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2011, 21:57:23 »

Well, I'm at the last resort stage; taking the softop frame off the body.
Does anyone know about how much the frame and top weigh.

I'm trying to decide if I'm foolhardy to think my wife can lift her side, or if I should get more ablebodied help.

Thanks

Frank Mallory · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2011, 00:05:19 »

LoL! Boy; does this bring back memories! My Dad loaned me his 250SL for a week in 1980 while he was out of town. He did'nt usually do that, but I had blown yet another rear end out of my 340 Duster, so I would have been walking.
It's summer in Rockville Md, the soft top was up, I was 22 years old, so OF COURSE the top has to go down

In fact: it stayed down the whole week! I returned the 113 to him *dent free* and yes... he wants to put the top up. Apparently this was his first time with this issue, and NATURALLY I'm the one who got his top stuck down

I really don't remember any particular trick... Pops and I are both logical men, and we could not see ANY physical reason why the danged top would'nt go back up! 45 minutes of (me) cussing, and my dad saying "Dang!" and "Rats!", and we finally got it back up.

Maybe you just need to cuss at it some more??

Dave · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2011, 00:45:38 »

Didn't I see you and the car in the movie The Hangover?

hauser · « **Reply #13 on:** August 31, 2011, 02:59:25 »

Maybe if you cuss at it in German it will only take half the time. :

Witt · « **Reply #14 on:** August 31, 2011, 03:05:40 »

Quote from: 69280sl on August 27, 2011, 01:23:47

The dreaded stuck softtop has struck again. This is the second time, the first time the tech manual instruction worked like a charm. This time not so much.

I levered up both L-shaped brackets. In fact they latched into the upper position with an audible click. Still could not move the top, up or down, and I was pushing pretty hard. Any other suggestions on what can be happening, or what to try.

As a last resort, does anyone think that a top and trim shop could sort it out?

Gus

......." still could not move top up or down."....in order to help you we have to know what position the top is now ? ! Is partially up or down or entirely in its storage position and you cant get it up? (sorry)

CHEERS !
WITT !

69280sl · « **Reply #15 on:** August 31, 2011, 20:20:53 »

Quote from: Witt on August 31, 2011, 03:05:40

......."....in order to help you we have to know what position the top is now ? ! Is partially up or down or entirely in its storage position and you cant get it up? (sorry)

CHEERS !
WITT !

Hello Witt
I thought I mentioned in a previous post that it is mostly up, with the rear section wedged pretty far down in the well. It doesn't matter now though, as I am in the process of removing the top and frame.

hauser · « **Reply #16 on:** September 01, 2011, 04:53:44 »

Before removing the top mark the current location. This will make it much easier to reinstall.

mdsalemi · « **Reply #17 on:** September 01, 2011, 13:16:32 »

As a reminder to all, when the soft top is "collapsed" prior to getting back into its well, the top part is folded and the rear part comes up, and these two parts "snap" together with a decided "thunk". It is ONLY in this JOINED position that the top can be moved in or out of the well.

Gus--it happens to the best of us. While I was moving the top this summer, the upper/lower pieces separated into two and the only way out was bringing them back together in the well. I saw no way of extracting just the back part. It is painful.

thelews · « **Reply #18 on:** September 01, 2011, 13:41:35 »

Happened to me early on, couldn't raise all the way because the back bow separated and was still in the boot and pushing back. Put it all back in the boot, snapped them together and proceeded to raise the top without incident. No big deal.

Witt · « **Reply #19 on:** September 02, 2011, 00:18:45 »

Quote from: thelews on September 01, 2011, 13:41:35

Happened to me early on, couldn't raise all the way because the back bow separated and was still in the boot and pushing back. Put it all back in the boot, snapped them together and proceeded to raise the top without incident. No big deal.

.......just was I going to suggest, that is exactly how I got out of that dilema.....

CHEERS !
WITT !

Benz Dr. · « **Reply #20 on:** September 02, 2011, 05:03:00 »

Yeah, that's how to do it alright. The rear hoop actually moves forward a bit while in the latched position and without this it sort of sticks out into the back of the top well. Easy to do.

George Klemp · « **Reply #21 on:** September 30, 2011, 19:24:32 »

After lots of scraped knuckles trying to unwedge my 280SL soft top "wedgie", here's what I figured out that didn't require taking top apart or following other suggestions reported in another forum here (http://bali.esweb.nl/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=39):

1. Take two pieces of rope about 4 feet long, and thread the pieces around and under both sides of the frame at the back. Be careful not to wrap the rope under the plastic rear window.
2. Compress the top as much as possible, and knot the rope securely so that the rear bow and the rest of the frame pieces are as tight as possible (noting that the rear bow must be snug against the frame).
3. Now grab the loops of both pieces of rope and pull (standing on the inside "back seat"). This will further compress the rear bow against the rest of the frame and will pull the rear bow and top out just enough to clear the rear deck.
4. Untie or cut both loops of rope, and raise the top.

Last time this happened to me, I had to pay $$ to a restoration shop to take the top out. Let me know how this works out for you.

Witt · « **Reply #22 on:** September 30, 2011, 19:56:56 »

........and I thought I know it all by now when it comes to soft tops......as I mentioned in another post I just got my st back from the shop and reinstalled it as I had done so many times before.....( taking it out completely when installing the hard top for the winter )

This time shure as @#$! I let the rearbow drop into the well while the rest of the top was up......no sweat, just lower the whole affair into the well, let it snap together and raise it up again.....while the front part folded something prevented the linkage from lowering completely........on futher investigation one of the upside down L-shaped brackets snapped back and got in the way.......it is here that I have to explain that I disabled those brackets previously by pulling them back and dropping a washer into the resulting gap, preventing it to snap back into its resting possition........one of the washers had fallen out while moving the st........after reinstalling it, the rest of the top went into the storage-well without problem, re- engaged with the rear bow and bingo, the whole top came up nicely........everything is back to normal now.
Hope this helps in solving your problem.

CHEERS !
WITT !

PS: Feel free to look up my long and winding procedure of folding, protecting and storing my st in another post......

News:

Author Topic: Stuck softtop (Read 12962 times)

Frank Mallory

Dave

hauser

Witt

hauser

Witt

Witt