Just how heavy is that hardtop?

[Ed Cave]

Best I can tell hardtops weigh about 100 pounds. Does anyone have actual data to confirm the hardtop weight that they can share? Even if your answer is metric, I can convert it to our (US) antiquated system of measurement. Thanks very much.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

[J. Huber]

I guess "very" and "ridiculously" are not what you are looking for... Good question, though. I would say over a 100.

James
63 230SL

[n/a]

just weighed mine for shipping purposes, it weighs 109 lbs.

[gugel]

According to the Datenblatt on http://www.pagode.info/ the hardtop weighs 49kg = 108.02 lbs.  Feels heavier!

Chris

[Bob G ✝︎]

Ed. Ittakes two strong people to remove it and I mean strong people. If Arnold & Stalone live next store this would be job for them. I highly recommend an electric hard top removal system.

Bob Geco

[Ed Cave]

Bob and others:

Earlier today I ordered a hardtop hoist from EZ Top http://www.eztop.com/. I researched all of the options I could find and it was clear they offered the best solution.

Reason for my question about the weight; I was just trying to determine how many pounds of steel would be hanging above my little German girl and to assess if the ceiling joists would need to be stiffened, so to speak. Anyone with first hand experience installing one of these with valuable information to share please, don't be shy.

As I've mentioned before, not having a 113 in the stable to refer to makes a forum such as this invaluable to me for reference. Hopefully once I get the car here (another 4-6 weeks) I'll be able to offer more in return.

Thanks to everyone here for all of your help and insight. It would be lame to make the analogy of a mother preparing for delivery of her first child so I won't.


.......or did I?  [:0]

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

[Douglas]

I think the thing that makes the hardtop feel so heavy is the way you have to carry it with your arms outstretched. It's a very awkward way to hold anything heavy that basically makes you use a lot of arm and not as much shoulder as you'd like. To make matters worse, one false move and you'll be kicking yourself forever.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #016220

[hauser]

It's very awkward removing or installing the top.  So far I have removed it once and two years later installed it.  Once my "new" soft top arrives from Gernold I will once again be performing the same tasks.  I believe if you have a hoist one may be more inclined to do this task.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[ChrisInNashville]

Ed,

I installed an EZTOP hoist after buying my 113 in the fall.   I believe that the documentation will advise you adequately on whether reinforcement is needed or not.   I will share some insight from my experience:

1) I have a drywalled garage with 10 foot ceilings, so stud location was messy and tedious..but this is probably the most important step - finding center on the studs.
2) I encourage you to consider alternatives that may involve the hard top hanging elsewhere besides directly above 'your little German girl'.  I moved my lift twice having determined that the spot directly above the long term parking spot was not best.   I found more in the middle of my garage was preferable as it was easier align the car to the best spot.
3) Unless you purchased the electric wench and/or you have the car parked in the perfect spot, you will need an extra hand to assure that the top doesn't scratch itself along shiny finishes in those first/last critcal inches.   Once I found the perfect spot, I marked all four tires' spots indelibly on the floor for future reference.
4) EZTOP warns that the wall hosting the mechanism will bow...and it's true (it's visible, albeit slight), so heed their warnings about walls with plumbing and cabinets, etc on the other side.

It took me about four hours because I struggled finding 'center' on the studs.   Absent that, it shouldn't take 2 hours.   With the temperate days you find in Atlanta's winter, you'll love the freedom the EZTOP gives you.

Good Luck,
Chris

[TheEngineer]

I use a hoist and can remove/install it in about 20 minutes. But take your time: If your wife wants you to drive her to go shopping, don't do it under pressure. But I don't store it hanging up: I lower the hardtop, set it on blocks and lean it against a wall and secure it with line. We have earthquakes here. An old shop rule is: Never leave a live load hanging any longer than necessary!

[Mark in KS]

I hate to make a statement that isn't proof positive, but I think the top weighs less than 100 pounds.  When I purchased my 230SL two years ago, I made the seller help me remove the hardtop so I could inspect the soft top.  The seller was a woman that probably weighed all of 105 pounds, herself.  We got on either side of the car and carefully lifted the top off.  Awkard to remove yes, but I don't think it weigh more than 100 pounds.  Even my wife has helped me with removal and she complains a little, but we get the job done.

Because I don't want to bother the "better half", I bought an EZ-Top and the risk of needing assistance is eliminated.  Just my 2 cents.

[Raymond]

I have an electric hoist installed in the ceiling and construced the lifting carriage myself.  I can remove the top, by myself, in under two minutes.  I can replace it almost that quickly if I have another person on the other side to help guide it into place. Times include installing the lift carriage.  I must have put it on and off 25 times last summer.

For re-inforcement of the roof, I installed a pressure-treated 2x12 as a flat cross-beam between two rafters.  I drilled through the rafters and used four 4-1/2" lag screws into each end of the cross beam.  I bolted the hoist to the cross-beam.  I test lifted a 200lb weight, then tugged on it with my own 150lbs.  The 109lb hard top is no problem.  Total cost for the project was less than $120 including the hoist.

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[mdsalemi]

Gentlemen and stong-armed men aw well,

The hard top weighs 85kg.  This is around 187 pounds I believe.  This information is found by subtracting curb weights with and without hard tops that is found in the technical specifications for the cars.  Bottom line?  It is a 2 person job.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[113gray]

I installed an electric cheapie hoist & "over-engineered" the fastening of it to the ceiling (16" on center) with long sturdy lag screws into good wood. With a sheetrock ceiling, use a stud finder to locate studs & identify the edges & confirm edges by piercing the s'rock with a thin ice pick. A pilot hole is drilled 1/2 way between each edge. Then, I heard somewhere about another trick I like. Instead of supporting the weight with the hoist mechanism, be it manual or electric, I installed 4 strong SS eyebolts at the appropriate places on adjacent studs from which 1/4-3/8" poly rope is looped. After the top is hoisted to its maximum height, each loop is engaged over the 4 steel mounting pins on the h'top & the top lowered 2-3" inches so these loops bear the load & relieve the hoist mechanism. The length of each loop is taylored to the individual situation & adjustment is required to have the top hang level. I could suspend my 205 lbs from each of the loops, so 4 of them will handle the top weight just fine. The hoist remains hooked up as a backup & in addition, there is a safety chain. Extra work, but I am now comfortable leaving it hoisted when not in use on the car (98% of the time). Regards,    -JP-

[Ed Cave]

George Davis once posted:

Weights (unladen but ready to drive) are listed as follows:
230 SL
Roadster - 1295 kg
Roadster with hardtop - 1340 kg

250 and 280 SL
Roadster - 1360 kg
Roadster with hardtop - 1405 kg

Not sure where he got this information but, assuming it is correct, the top weighs 45kg.

45 kg = 99 lbs.

Michael, where did you find your informaton? From my limited experience lifting these these tops, I have to think it is closer to 99 lbs than 187.



Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Ed Cave
Michael, where did you find your informaton? From my limited experience lifting these these tops, I have to think it is closer to 99 lbs than 187.

Ed,

I've never weighed a hard top, and have moved it around my basement though.  It's heavy.  But as for actual numbers, the information comes from a book I bought from Mercedes, for which I can only quote without verification.

Technical Data, Passenger Cars, Issue 1969 (Reprint)
Section 0, General Technical Data
Page 33, Vehicle Weights (chart on bottom of page)

280SL with hardtop and roadster top folded in well: 1405 kg
280SL without hardtop: 1320 kg
1405-1320= 85kg.

The roadster top:
280SL with hardtop and roadster top folded in well: 1405 kg
280SL with hardtop and without roadster top: 1385 kg
1405-1385 = 20 kg. I assume that is frame and cover.

The "without hardtop" part of the chart doesn't say exactly whether or not the roadster top is included, but if it isn't, the chart still indicates a 65kg weight (subtracting the 20kg of the softtop and frame) for the hardtop which is about 143 pounds.  Now Ed, here's the irony.  I originally said 187#.  You said 99#.  What's the average of these two numbers?  143!

"He ain't heavy, father, he's my hardtop!"

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Cees Klumper]

From my own experience lugging the hardtop around, and having done my share of weight lifting over the years, I would be surprised if the weight were anything less than the 85 kg Michael has dug up. But who knows, I will put my hardtop on the scale sometime this week and post the results.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Ed Cave]

To recap, this thread suggests the hardtop may weigh (in pounds):

99
108.2
109
143
187

Cees, if you have the capability of actually weighing it on a scale, we'll eagerly await your results.

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

[Tom]

I have to say I can't wait to see what the outcome is.  But akkvilla just said he checked the weight for shipping and it was 109 pounds.  Why would this not be definitive?

Best,

Tom


1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

[Ed Cave]

Tom, I have to agree with you but it will be reassuring if Cees can close this topic with a confirmation.

quote:Originally posted by Tom

I have to say I can't wait to see what the outcome is.  But akkvilla just said he checked the weight for shipping and it was 109 pounds.  Why would this not be definitive?

Best,

Tom


1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA

1964 356C
1971 280SL
2002 SC430
2004 A4 3.0

[hauser]

As many of you may know Gernold runs and opperates his shop solo.  When it comes to removal of a hardtop he uses a hoist.  When I asked him what it weighs he said "about 100lbs."  Could the extra +/- 9lbs have included packing materials?

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Tom]

Hauser,

Just to add-once the top is off and leaning against the wall, it's a one man show-he lifts the top by himself and carries it around the shop (seen it with my own eyes).

One thing that may be throwing the numbers off is the tendency for the Technical Data Book - Passenger Cars to use loaded weights in determining some of their measurements.  For example, heights are referenced in mm, but assumes each of the seats is loaded with 65 kg of weight.  I wonder if this could be part of the puzzle in trying to understand the differences from the data book.  Also, my 1971 data book does not provide the detail that Michael's provides-it only lists the weight one way-1360 kg.

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

[hauser]

Tom, here's a twist!  I wonder how much a hardtop weighs with a sunroof?

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Ben]

quote:Tom, here's a twist! I wonder how much a hardtop weighs with a sunroof?

.......that depends on whether the sun roof is open or closed !  

I reckon if akvilla has weighed it as 109 then thats pretty much it, end of story.......unless his scales are inacurate.

I have lifted mine off and moved it around by myself but I'd never do it again, its just asking for trouble !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

[n/a]

weighed it on the UPS scale around the corner from my house. It was just a tick under 109lbs