Soft top very tight

[AudioGuy]

A new soft top was installed on my car and it is very tight.  It requires substantial effort to get it latched.  Is there any good way to either adjust the soft top or to stretch the fabric.  My hardtop is also quite tight as well.  I have adjusted the hardtop latches to give it as much room as possible.  Any thoughts?

Thanks

Mark

[ja17]

Thats normal, just leave it up and wet it down a couple of times. Driving the car with the top up will also help the fabric stretch.

[GermanAutoTops]

That is correct since it is a brand new top it will be kind of tight. I always recommend giving it some sun also. But driving with the top up and wetting it will also help. The canvas itself has a rubber membrane in between the 2 layers and it will stretch over time and adjust to the frame.

[66andBlue]

... My hardtop is also quite tight as well.  I have adjusted the hardtop latches to give it as much room as possible.  Any thoughts? ..

Did you adjust the latches, that is, the receiving parts above the windshield, or the locking pins on the hard top or soft top  
How did you this?  Those locks are not adjustable as far as I know - see photo of individual parts.
To raise the tops a bit above the receiving latches Mercedes sold shims (p/n 113 776 03 32) but the difference is not much.
Perhaps the rubber seal along the front lip of either top is too thick or doesn't compress enough. The original seal by Mercedes is kind of a moss-like soft rubber.

[Richard Madison]

The Latch Box at the rear that receives the center pin of the top is adjustable but not very much.

The box is held on with corner bolts. When the box is not being used, loosen the bolts then slide the box up. It will move up or down maybe a half inch (a centimeter)...then tighten the bolts. This can help a tight top latch easier.

Richard M, NYC

[FRITZ68]

According to the previous owner, she had a new top made, but never used it, as it was too tight.  I printed this post and when the weather improves, will try the hints mentioned in this thread.

Thanks for the info,

Fritz

[Bonnyboy]

My car had a soft top which hadn't been used in 22 years.  I tried to put it up and was way too tight.  Previous owner never put it up cause he thought that they made the top too small to fit because he couldn't do it

I opened it up and left it for a couple days in a very warm garage (it was February up here in canada), then one day I tried it,  I could either get front or rear but not both so after bringing some friends over we tried and still couldn't do it. 

I left it for another week and got the rear latched and pulled on the corner of the top to get one front latch just into the windshield hole, then the other one and let it sit for a couple days spraying it down with water mist.  the next day I pulled and pulled and got the latch on the front down into the hole and was able to turn it to latch - then I did the other side and let the car sit for a couple weeks with the top on.   Now it just takes muscle to get it in and I still can't do the front first and latch the rear - not enough leverage. 

[Wes Bender]

Had a similar problem with a soft top that was not put up for a number of years.  Latched the rear and then put a couple of cloth towels on the front edge.  Placed a board on the towels and a couple of concrete blocks on top of that.  Time is your friend.  In a few days the front was nearly down to the latches.

cheers,
Wes

[tradjim]

Mine was also very tight and it took at least 2 men to latch it down, then one day while trying to get it latched heard a bang the spring where the top stores snapped ,its been much easier to latch now. I was going to replace the spring but seems good

[glcg123]

According to my manual and the way that I always do it is to latch the rear first and then the front. The fronts need a bit of leveraging, first one side a bit, then the other. Keep in mind that if it goes on too easily it will vibrate in the wind.

To stretch it a bit some rain and drying in the sun will loosen it up as was mentioned by others in the thread.

George
1965 230SL