Convertible Top: Adjustments

77-303 Adjustment Of Top

Special Tools:

Adjustment work on top

Attention: If the roof framework has been replaced or removed for repair, reinstall piston rod for main cylinder beginning with item D. Any spacer plates present on the center pillar must be reinstalled (do not mix up, mark with felt tip pen). If the center column has been replaced using the portal gauge, part No. 129 589 03 23 00, do not reinstall the spacer plates.







Installation instructions for basic adjustment
Fasten top frame on center column so that the washer on the rear mounting screw just covers the elongated hole at the rear (bottom arrow).







A. Adjust gap between top and windshield trim strip
1 Lock top at front with Allan wrench (vehicle tool kit), cloth holding brace open.
2 Check gap A: 5 - 6 mm over entire width with special tool part No. 129 589 03 21 00 P.
Dimension A 5 - 6 mm
a Windshield
b Trim strip
c Seal
d Top cover

Attention: The gap should not be less than 5 mm, because otherwise the closing forces at the front catches would be too high. If the closing forces for locking and unlocking are too high when the entire operation is tested, spacers can be installed below the locking pins. A rain test must be performed thereafter.







Adjustment
3 Mark position of locking pin with felt tip pen.
4 Loosen screw and move locking pin toward rear (gap becomes smaller) or toward front (gap becomes larger) to adjust gap dimension.
5 Adjust locking pin by moving to one side until it is positioned precisely in the center of the locking receptacle.
6 Tighten screws.

B. Adjusting gap between top and side windows, left and right
7 Lock top at front.
8 Check gap dimension A: 1 - 2 mm with special tool, part no. 129 589 03 21 00 P.







NOTE: Check gap at center of side window.

Dimension A:1 - 2 mm
1:Side window
2:Seal
3:Trim strip
4:Cloth holding rail
5:Top covering

Adjustment
9 Loosen screws on main bearing and adjust gap by pushing toward front or rear.

Attention: Side windows should not touch the flock coating on the seal.

10 Tighten screws.
If the adjustment of the crank window is changed during repair, check in relation to hardtop and adjust crank window, if required (72-195).

C. Adjustment of roof cap, left and right Up to vehicle ident. end no. 097251 with previous soft top hydraulic system and soft top control.







11 Lift roof at front (cloth holding brace open) and allow to slide downward while checking that locking pins slide properly into locking receptacle.

Adjustment
12 Open top and mark position of joint on top frame.
13 Loosen screws and adjust top cap so that locking pins slide into center of locking receptacle.







14 Tighten screws.

As of vehicle ident. end no. 097252 with modified soft top hydraulic system and soft top control (see also Service Information 77/34).

NOTE: Adjust gap between soft top and side window on left and right according to procedure B., check point at which locking pins enter locking receptacles.







Adjustment
15 Loosen screws on main bearing and adjust position at which locking pins enter locking receptacles by moving main bearing so that the locking pins first make contact with the angled rear section of the locking receptacle when the top is closed.
16 Tighten screws.







D. Adjustment of transition between seal at top of front pillar and top seal on left and right
17 Screw off handle recess.
18 Pull off rubber seal and press off cover with plastic wedge.







19 Mark position of joint with felt tip pen.
20 Loosen screws and adjust joints so that there is no gap between the seals.
21 Tighten screws.
22 Reinstall covering and handle recess.







Transition between front pillar seal at top and top seal

E. Adjustment of stop screws on left and right







NOTE: If the top frame has been removed, refasten main cylinder piston rod to main pillar. Use hook (self-made) to pull up (77-300).

23 Lock top at front with top switch (cloth holding brace open).

Attention: Ignition: ON







24 Screw out stop screw on main bearing until it contacts the main pillar.
25 Open top.
26 Tighten counter nut.

F. Adjustment of differential switch (77-415)
As of vehicle ident. end no. 097252 differential switch eliminated

Attention:
27 After adjusting the differential switch check the top opening and closing operation at front.
28 Repeat adjustment procedure (items A -C), until the top opens and closes correctly at the front.

G. Adjustment of cloth holding brace on left and right







29 Lock top at front (cloth holding brace up).







30 Loosen bolts, close cloth holding brace and adjust gap between cloth holding rail and fender (dimension a = 5 mm).
31 Tighten screws.







H. Adjustment of locking pins on cloth holding brace on left and right
32 Lock top at front, cloth holding brace open.

Attention: Ignition: OFF

33 Pivot cloth holding brace downward by hand (area of bottom center of window) and check that locking pins run properly into locking receptacle.







Adjustment
34 Mark position of locking pins with felt tip pen.
35 Loosen screws and adjust locking pins so that they run properly into locking receptacle at rear (without hitting).
36 Tighten screws.







NOTE: If the adjustment path is insufficient the cloth holding brace can be moved to the side.

Adjustment
37 Mark position of cloth holding brace with felt tip pen.
38 Loosen screws and adjust cloth holding brace.
39 Tighten screws.

Attention: After completing the adjustment work check the overall operation of the top a number of times.







J. Tension top covering

Attention: Retighten all tensioning cables after checking overall operation.

a. Upper side tensioning cables
40 Lock top at front and rear.
41 Check tension of top covering at side.

NOTE: The top covering should make tight contact with the side seal.







Adjustment
42 Lock top at front, open cloth holding brace.
43 Press headliner to side in area of top of side window.
44 Tension cable at adjustment screw.

Screw out adjustment screw:
to tighten cable

Screw in adjustment screw:
to loosen cable

45 Close top and check tension of cloth.







b. Lower side tensioning cables
46 Lock top at front and rear.
47 Check contact between side of top covering and rear fender.

NOTE: The top covering should have hand-tight contact with the rear fender.







Adjustment
48 Lock top at front, cloth holding brace up.
49 Tension cable with adjustment screw (center cloth holding brace, side).

Screw out adjustment screw:
to tighten cable.

Screw in adjustment screw:
to loosen cable.

50 Close top and check tension of cloth.







c.Tensioning cables on rear window
51 Lock top at front and rear.
52 Check tension of cable at center of cloth strip between windows.

NOTE: The tensioning cable should feel tight below the top covering.







Adjustment
53 Lock top at front, cloth holding brace up.
54 Pull seal out of cloth holding brace in area between windows and tension cable.

Screw in adjustment screw:
to tighten cable.

Screw out adjustment screw:
to loosen cable.

55 Close top and check tension of cloth.

Checking overall operation
After completing the adjustment work check the effect of the cables on the closing and opening operation of the catches at the front and rear.

The following may result if the cables are too tight:
Upper side tensioning cables:
Closing operation at front, cable breaks after a number of operations or stretches.

Lower side tensioning cables:
Cloth holding brace twists.
Cloth holding brace closes poorly.

Rear window tensioning cables:
Rear catches release with a jerk.
Gap between top and windshield trim strip becomes wider when top is closed.
Joint between cloth holding brace and side window changes.
If a change is not noticeable even when the cables are loosened, the cloth tension can be adjusted by simultaneously adjusting the cloth holding brace and locking pins at the rear.

Cloth holding brace down, locking pin forward:
increases initial tension.

Cloth holding brace forward, locking pin down:
decreases initial tension.