Author Topic: Position of hard & soft top latch  (Read 2146 times)

batman

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Position of hard & soft top latch
« on: August 16, 2021, 00:02:49 »
hello all-

Occasionally the back of my soft top "pops" open travelling over bumps/potholes.

The soft top & latch pins are in ok condition, (although one edge is worn a little). It's firmly held in place and releases when the handle is pulled.

However, looking down into the hole of the soft top lid, the latch pin is not centred in the middle of the hole but quite a ways forward.

 (I cant get a photo of it by looking down into the hole but the pin is very forward of the centre of the hole).

Please see my photos of the latch pin; from the side, the top and from the top with a red circle showing the opening when cover is down.

My questions are:

Should the pin be right in the middle of the hole that receives the pins?
Can the position of latch pin be moved; up/down/further forward or back relative to the hole (ideally back in my case)?

I assume that the latch pin is only just engaging with and holding the pin attached to the rear of the soft top and with the jarring it loses contact.

many thanks if anyone can help

regards
mark
« Last Edit: August 16, 2021, 00:17:33 by Mark Evans »

batman

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Re: Position of hard & soft top latch
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2021, 05:34:45 »
So the answer to my questions is that the latch pin mechanism is NOT adjustable but the latch "box" holding the pin can be moved up and down by 3-4 mm.

So - I moved the entire latch "box" up 2 mm BUT I also shimmed the pin mechanism on it's axel by adding 2 washers (see photo) thus moving the pin backwards within the latch box (and thus now being slightly more centred in the hole the soft/hard top pins drop down into).

Great result.
Not only does the soft top not now pop open when going over rough road but I don't have to slam the back of the soft top to engage the two pins securely. Now I just press the lid down ever so gently and the two pins catch each other in harmony (what a lovely thought!)


cfm65@me.com

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Re: Position of hard & soft top latch
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2021, 18:14:38 »
Well done Mark,
Apologies, I forgot to go and have a look and report back.
Regards
Chris
Cape Town
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kampala

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Re: Position of hard & soft top latch
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2021, 18:50:55 »
Thanks for sharing/showing the fix with annotated photo.    Appreciated. 
250sl - later - manual
280sl - 1971 - Auto - LSD