Advice on putting the soft top up and down

[Dazza the Stag]

Ive had my stag for around 16 years, I tend to only take it out when the weather is fine so putting the hood up and down hasn’t happened much and when it has its been really hard to put the hood up. Ive tried different methods and followed the “official” method, including unzipping the rear window.

The official instructions I’ve read dont mention the zipping of the rear window - what do others do in regard to the rear window and zipped/unzipped during the process ?

Is there any adjustment possible to make the task a little easier ?

Ive got my second wedding to do next year and will need to put up the soft-top due to the distance so I need to get this right

Thanks

Darren

[mike@thenook]

Hi Darren,

i always unzip my rear window but it is a more rigid plastic than normal so more likely will crack when cold.
Usual method is undo the headset catches first then the back catch, unzip the good, pull the rear section up and clip it at the two latches each side (very important ) then gradually from the front, push the hood back down into the recess making sure thee are no parts caught anywhere and the window is not caught on anything that may scratch it or bend it sharply.
Once it’s stored you can close the cover.
Erecting it is a reversal the above really, pull the hood out of the recess, making sure the rear section is still located on the side catches, pull the front section into the header catches first then close the rear section but having first zipped up the window - if you try to zip the window with the rear section locked in position you may break the zip as it is under a lot of stress.

Hope this helps a bit...

Cheers

Mike

[Dieter H. Marschall]

Darren,
Chris Spain ("Stagweber") produces hood stowage catches, which are much better than the original ones. I am very happy with them. See here: https://www.stagweber.co.uk/node/36
Best wishes,
Dieter.

[mole42]

It may be that the frame hinge points are stiff or corroded, this can happen.
I found that zipped or unzipped makes no difference to raising or lowering the top - mine gets used a lot and I often have to pull up in a convenient lay-by to raise the hood if the weather turns.
Changing the catch sockets in the header rail made securing the front lot easier too.

[Tim Ward]

Darren,
Chris Spain ("Stagweber") produces hood stowage catches, which are much better than the original ones. I am very happy with them. See here: https://www.stagweber.co.uk/node/36
Best wishes,
Dieter.

I have fitted them very recently, certainly a better design. Also fitted the his header kit for piece of mind, good design and easy to fit as well

[Rod1883]

I fear you'll get a number of variations, but here is what I do:
Stowing:
Release the rear catch
Lift the rear rail a little and reach in and un zip the window working from both sides or from inside the car
Pull the back rail up enough to open the stowage "lid"
Bring the rail up ensuring the hood folds neatly and without any damaging pinches
Locate into the two side catches ensuring these are securely located
Undo the front rail lever catches
Gently fold/manoeuvre the hood into the stowage, ensuring the window hangs cleanly, the hood folds without pinching, pushing each fold gently behind the seat carefully as it goes, working each side in turn
Push each side down and close the lid

Erecting:
Open the lid
Reach toward the centre of the hood to lift the front rail, easing it as necessary and checking the side catches are still secure as soon as visible
Pull the hood right over and locate the front lever catches and secure (can take a few visits to each side to locate and get them to catch in my experience)
Close the stowage lid taking care not to catch the rear half of the folded hood or the window
Undo the side catches and lower the hood a little
Reach in and rezip the window
Ensure all is moving freely and slam down the rear catch (I have to slam mine with at least a little force, I assume this is normal?)
Check that the hood edge isn't folded up anywhere

It could be worth putting a little lubricant on all the pivot points if yours hasn't been used much, and erecting/stowing a few times to loosen/get things moving?

[Lingen]

Darren.
Lots of good advice there, particularly re lubrication if it has had so little use. Pay special attention to the pivots at either end of the rail over the top of the windscreen. They look like rivets, but are in fact hinges and are prone to rusting up and breaking as the roof is raised or lowered.. You may have to pull the cloth back a bit to see them. They need regular oiling as they tend to get a bit damp in the rain.
Mike.

[022Dave]

...And don't use undue force to move anything; more soft top frames are distorted by heavy-handedness than anything else.

Dave

[Ritchie6]

My hood is as tight as a drum when it's erected so I actually have to undo the windscreen catches first otherwise the lever that undoes the rear lock won't open. Obviously when stowing I push the rear down first before fastening onto the screen. One other thing I do is leave the car in the sun for a little while before attempting to put the hood down. That way the rear screen warms ups making it softer and more pliable so less likely to crack .
Just like Darren I only go out on nice days and as the car is garaged the hood is down pretty much all summer, only being put up when I wash the car or as now it's put away for the winter.


Richard

[Dazza the Stag]

Thanks for all of the replies, it feels as though I am going through the correct process, and its good to know those new side catches are available but they dont seem to be my issue. I get to the point in the photos, ie front latches located and fixed ( again these work well ) and rear window zipped up and lowered towards the central catch. This is the point at which i struggle, being 6’4 I have good reach to that point and even with what I consider to be considerable force its near impossible to get the sprung pin to go far enough into the latch to catch properly.
In fact in previous years I have even resorted in an emergency to fixing this point first and tightening the front latches last on the basis that there was two of us and we could do a side each at the front.
So on that basis can anyone think of any adjustment that could be made within the soft top frame that would make this last bit easier ?

Thanks again

Darren

[Ritchie6]

In fact in previous years I have even resorted in an emergency to fixing this point first and tightening the front latches last on the basis that there was two of us and we could do a side each at the front.


Thanks again

Darren

As I said previously I always do mine this way. You just have to be careful to push hard down to locate the pins into the windscreen hole so that you're not putting too much force on the handles because I've been told they can break if you are rough with them.

Richard

[Goldstar]

Dazza I always push the back down with the window unzipped which seems to work ok when locating the rear “pin”. That “pin” is also adjustable if you didn’t know so that might help to make it a bit easier. Agree with all the points made above about the lubrication.

[Dazza the Stag]

As I said previously I always do mine this way. You just have to be careful to push hard down to locate the pins into the windscreen hole so that you're not putting too much force on the handles because I've been told they can break if you are rough with them.

Richard

Thanks Richard - I must admit I got a bit confused by what you were saying, it sounds as though you are referring to when you are putting the hood away, not when you are putting it up ?

Would still be good to know if anyone has a solution so I can do it properly and without so much effort

[Davem62]

Hi having asked Chris for tips about lubricating points , he mentioned the front corners get missed a lot and seize up as well as the obvious ones

David

[Ritchie6]

Thanks Richard - I must admit I got a bit confused by what you were saying, it sounds as though you are referring to when you are putting the hood away, not when you are putting it up ?

Putting hood down -unfasten windscreen catches first. If I don't do this the rear catch won't disengage as it's very tight

Putting hood up -Click rear catch down first and then locate front catches in windscreen.

I know this is the opposite way round to the instructions on the sun visor but it's the best way for my particular hood which is tight as drum when in the up position.


Richard