How the Convertible Top Fix works:
The rivets that hold the factory strap are hollow. My new strap has two U-shaped pins glued into each end and bent so they fit into the rivet holes. Once the pins are in the holes the strap is wrapped around the bar and the elastic holds the pins in place.
Here's a pictorial of how my strap installs on the convertible top:
Download installation instructions with pictures here (400k pdf file)
Installation Instructions (photos click-able to enlarge):
| 1. Lower your top about this far.
Stop the top when the front-most section moves just a little beyond vertical. This will allow you to reach both ends of the straps. |
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| 2. Carefully cut out the old straps. Using a pair of blunt-tip scissors, cut both ends of the strap. Try to cut the strap close to the riveted clamps on the support bars, but be careful not to cut your top (that would suck). The front bar is easy, but the rear end of the strap is harder to get to and you have less clearance around the top material. |
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| Get ready to install the strap on the rear support
bar. Hold the strap like this. Make sure the pins are facing you, and the pin closest to the edge of the strap (shown here with arrow) is towards the center of the car. The pins are glued in and should not fall out of the strap with normal handling. |
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| 3. Attach rear end of strap. This is the hardest part of the install because the rivet holes are hidden. You have to locate them by feel and insert the pins into the rivet holes. Feed the strap behind the rear support bar from the top, and insert one pin at a time into the rivet holes, starting with the inside pin (above photo with arrow). Once the first pin is in, you can swing the U-pin in an arc and the other end will be easier to insert into the other rivet hole. It may take a few minutes of fumbling to get the pins into the holes, but don't give up too quickly. Once this part is done the rest is easy. |
This photo points to the two hidden rivets on the back side of
the rear support bar.
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| 4. Wrap strap one full turn around itself and the rear
support bar. Here's what it should look like when you're done with this step (hints in next 3 photos). The strap wraps completely around the bar a little over one full turn. The wrap holds the U-pin in place and causes the strap to be tight against the top fabric when you raise the top. |
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| 4a. Some hints for wrapping the strap: Because the top material is held tightly to the bar, there is very little room near the rivet plate. So it's easiest if you thread the loose end of the strap around the outside of the bar as shown here. The strap is still looping around the rear support bar, it's just a few inches toward the outside of the car where there is more slack in the top material. |
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| 4b.
Here's another view of where to thread the strap. This photo was taken from between the roll bar hoops.. |
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| 4c.
Now slide the strap towards the center of the car so it wraps around itself. The clearance is tight between the bar and the top material so you may have to wiggle it some to get it in. Then pull out any slack in preparation for attaching the front end of the strap. (see first photo again) |
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| 5. Get ready to attach front end of strap Once the strap is wrapped around the rear bar, pull the strap forward and pass it under the outside end of the front support bar. |
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| 5a.
Then pass it under the support bar so it comes up behind it. Once in this position you're ready to attach the front end of the strap. |
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| 6. Hook U-pin into front rivet holes. Stretch the strap with your left hand to give you some slack and insert the U-pin into the rivet holes. Then lift the middle of the strap around the end of the bar so it wraps over itself just like the rear did. Piece of cake. |
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| Here's what it looks like after the strap is hooked into
the rivet holes and lifted back over the bar.
Neat, huh? You're done. Well, you're half-done. Now you have to repeat the procedure with the second strap on the other side of the car. |
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