The rear frame of my soft top doesn’t lock

[thy306]

Hi everyone. I’ve enjoyed this forum from my limited time on it. I’m also not mechanically-inclined, so apologies in advance if I can’t describe this accurately.

When lifting the soft top, the rear section does not remain locked and thus does not come up. It remains in the compartment and it’s very difficult to lift out. Can anyone recommend how to adjust the frame to get it to lock?

When comparing to a pic sent by SL Tech, it looks as though my pivot arms are not sitting low enough or engaging the roller. SL Tech thinks my pivot arms bent. But could that really happen, because both R/L arms look identical?

Any ideas? Thank you in advance!

[rwmastel]

Wow, that's interesting.  Gernold at SL Tech really knows his tops!  Can't wait to hear root cause on this one.  Hope it's resolved quickly.

[dirkbalter]

It’s a 280sl?

[thy306]

Yes. 280 SL

My mechanic is going to try to find the part for this pivot arm, in case it truly is bent. I saw a similar part available at SL Shop but it had a different design - I’m thinking for either a 230/250?

[rwmastel]

I haven't read this section, but as a Full Member you have access to the Tech Manual.  Maybe there's something helpful there?
https://www.sl113.org/wiki/Tops/SoftTop

[Pawel66]

I am not an expert, far from it, but don't you think that the arm (the one that looks like a foot from the side) on your picture looks like it was not bent maybe, but snapped and welded back at a wrong angle? The upper part of that arm goes up with a curve while the one on the shot on the phone is straight. You can also see uneven surface and pits on your arm.

[thy306]

I am not an expert, far from it, but don't you think that the arm (the one that looks like a foot from the side) on your picture looks like it was not bent maybe, but snapped and welded back at a wrong angle? The upper part of that arm goes up with a curve while the one on the shot on the phone is straight. You can also see uneven surface and pits on your arm.

Yes it almost does look welded. Here’s the other side. This side seems to engage the roller a little better. But there’s still something strange about how it sits.

Incidentally I see that you are from Poland. This car was restored at Doctor Classic in Poland and then made its way to SL Shop in UK.

Thanks for everyone’s comments. I’ll let you know if there’s a simple solution (besides attaching a string to help me lift the rear section out of the cabin!).

[Pawel66]

They are fairly reputable restorers.

I looked again - please note the distance between roller and the "foot" or the axis that is deeper in the picture. On the picture on the phone the roller is much closer...

[BobH]

Hello, regret it doesn't seem to be an easy fix, several posts on the subject, such as this one

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=30654.msg237309#msg237309. 

Have a search

[thy306]

Hello, regret it doesn't seem to be an easy fix, several posts on the subject, such as this one

https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=30654.msg237309#msg237309. 

Have a search

Thank you, Bob. I didn’t come across this thread. It looks like we are on the right track. Now, to see if this part is available to order…

[zoegrlh]

Let me get this straight, are we talking about when the top is lowered into the boot, the bottom frame and first bow do not lock, so that when you pull out top from boot, the bottom frame stays in the boot?

[thy306]

Let me get this straight, are we talking about when the top is lowered into the boot, the bottom frame and first bow do not lock, so that when you pull out top from boot, the bottom frame stays in the boot?

Yes, that is correct.

[zoegrlh]

Mine did this early on in my ownership of my SL. After I figured what was happening (actually not happening), I made sure that when I place the top in the boot, I hear a “click” meaning the bows are locking.  If you can’t get yours to do so, I would suggest that before you raise the top out of boot the you put you hand on the bottom bow frame and help raise top. I saw on this site some time ago that a member had took a seatbelt strap and made a strap that hooked to the middle locking pin and top could be raised by the strap. Might check for this in past postings of raising top.

[rwmastel]

Yes, that's the work-around.  Did that re-set something in the mechanism so it worked properly thereafter?  There's clearly some parts alignment issue here with thy306's top frame.

[thy306]

I’ve heard of the strap technique. I will try to look for that, thank you. In the meantime, I’ve been able to track down some OEM folding top brackets. These are the supposedly bent pieces. Fingers crossed they will align better than what is there now.

[Mike Hughes]

Do a forum search for "bow buddy."  The vendor no longer produces them, but the photos may be useful if you want to fabricate something similar for your own use.

[H. Keith Henry]

I think my experience is a little different, but just in case.... I was having trouble lifting the soft top out of the well -- had to stand behind the seats to lift it -- until it was noticed that the spring on either side that helps with lifting were missing.

[zoegrlh]

Keith, for sure you will need to order two springs. I can come over and help you put those on. You don’t want to mess with springs u less you know what/how to put them on. With springs I. Place you will no longer have to pull with much force to top out of the boot. Bob

[H. Keith Henry]

Hello Bob. AutoHaus Williamsburg took care of it. Makes a huge difference. But thanks for the advice and offer to help! Let’s get together anyway.

[zoegrlh]

Yea now that warmer weather is coming.