SL/R129: Hardtop not locking down in back.
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Joined: Mar 2013
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1997sl 500
Hardtop not locking down in back.
Got a problem with my hardtop would not release. The switch light stays on for the top up and down operation. Also the roll bar does not work and light is on. The right back side of the hardtop did not seem to have sealed all the way. So I tried to take it off manually and finally figured it out. Got the soft top up and locked the front and went to the back and could not get it to lock down with the soft top. Guess what in the handbook it says you can not lock the back manually. So back goes the hardtop, lid locked manually and the front locks but the rear cannot lock the hardtop either. Had to play with the soft top cover to get it to lock. Is there a trick with the rear? The pump was not working had that replaced can hear it now still at a loss. Does the roll bar have something to do with the top operation. The windows are acting correct going down a little on there own. The battery was disconected at some point in time. It is fully charged and have had not problem with it. The two front vacuum cylinders under sunshade have been replaced. At this point need to get duct tape off and need to get the back down so water does not get in. It this as simple as reseting something and do I need to replace the other rear cylinders, the are not leaking like the front did. Or is there a computer brain box for the top that has gone haywire because of the battery being disconected. Nice running car but this is a real pisser. Mercedes dealership 2 hrs away has a 3 week wait just to look at it. Any and all help would be Loved at this time.
Last edited by rickandgale; Mar 17, 2013 at 03:31 PM.
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Locking down the rear of the hard top or soft top, plus window synchronization
rickandgale, welcome to the forum! Where are you located? It's a good thing you found this forum, so that you will not be spending a fortune at the dealer. When tackled with logic and patience, the soft top system is not all that difficult to understand or work on. The good news is, you can do everything yourself if you are somewhat handy and willing to educate yourself.
I will first answer the question on how to lock or unlock the rear for model years 95 and younger, and then I will paste some comments into the text of your first post.
You can manually unlock and lock the rear latches in model years (94 in England), 95, 96 , 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, and 02 by following the instructions in the pictures below. For more details on locking and unlocking in various model years, please check out http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/maunuallockhardtop.pdf.
To unlock, you only need to pull up the release lever as shown in the picture above. To lock, you need to first pull up the lever, push the rear of the top down into the lock, and possibly help the last bit of movement by pushing the release lever down. P/n's for the rear latches are 1298001174 and 1298001774, with cylinder p/n 1298002172 in them.
Here are DIY instructions for inspection, removal, and replacement of all cylinders in your car, and below is a diagram showing their locations:
Front lock cylinders 1298001672 aka A 129 800 16 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Rear lock cylinders 1298002172 aka A 129 800 21 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Storage cover lock cylinders 1298000072 aka A 129 800 00 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...0Cylinders.pdf
Storage cover lift cylinders 1298002072 aka A 129 800 20 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...0Cylinders.pdf
Bow extension cylinders 1298001772 and 1248000272: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Main drive cylinders 1298000272 aka A 129 800 02 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Klaus
www.tophydraulicsinc.com
I will first answer the question on how to lock or unlock the rear for model years 95 and younger, and then I will paste some comments into the text of your first post.
You can manually unlock and lock the rear latches in model years (94 in England), 95, 96 , 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, and 02 by following the instructions in the pictures below. For more details on locking and unlocking in various model years, please check out http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/maunuallockhardtop.pdf.
To unlock, you only need to pull up the release lever as shown in the picture above. To lock, you need to first pull up the lever, push the rear of the top down into the lock, and possibly help the last bit of movement by pushing the release lever down. P/n's for the rear latches are 1298001174 and 1298001774, with cylinder p/n 1298002172 in them.
Got a problem with my hardtop would not release. The switch light stays on for the top up and down operation.
Also the roll bar does not work and light is on. The right back side of the hardtop did not seem to have sealed all the way.
If one of the locks has not finished closing (as one side sticking up seems to indicate), then the light will stay on. Also, the roll bar will not be operable before the top opening or closing sequence is completed.
So I tried to take it off manually and finally figured it out.
Good, so you found the release levers already.
Got the soft top up and locked the front and went to the back and could not get it to lock down with the soft top. Guess what in the handbook it says you can not lock the back manually. So back goes the hardtop, lid locked manually and the front locks but the rear cannot lock the hardtop either.
Soft top and hard top lock the same way. It is (normally) easier to manually lock the rear of the soft top, because the hard top is normally tighter in the front and in the rear.
Had to play with the soft top cover to get it to lock. Is there a trick with the rear? The pump was not working had that replaced can hear it now still at a loss.
It is rare that the pump actually fails.
Does the roll bar have something to do with the top operation.
Yes and no. If the roll bar is down, then it should have no impact on the top's operation. The top will not move if the roll bar is up. If your roll bar should be up from emergency deployment, then you need to reset it. You can only reset the roll bar with the pump, and only when the top is either fully up or fully down. Push the roll bar button UP for some 10 seconds, and the pump should be re-energizing the springs in the roll bar. Then you can move it down.
The windows are acting correct going down a little on there own.
Just making sure: do the windows come down about a centimeter when you open the doors? If not, then you have to synchronize the windows on a model year 95 or younger. See your owner's manual for that.
The battery was disconected at some point in time.
In most cases, the windows need to be synchronized on model years '95+ after the battery has been disconnected. If they are properly synchronized, then they will drop a fraction of an inch or about a centimeter when you open the doors.
It is fully charged and have had not problem with it. The two front vacuum cylinders under sunshade have been replaced.
You are referring to the front lock hydraulic cylinders 1298001672, aka A 129 800 16 72. They are normally the first ones to fail in R129 SL's. For future reference, it is wise to have the cylinders upgraded by Top Hydraulics for far less money than new ones from the dealer, because the seal material that Top Hydraulics uses is far superior to the OEM seals. For example, even brand new cylinders can have the seals falling apart if they are exposed to water or "Stop-Leak" fluid in your hydraulic system.
At this point need to get duct tape off and need to get the back down so water does not get in. It this as simple as reseting something and do I need to replace the other rear cylinders, the are not leaking like the front did. Or is there a computer brain box for the top that has gone haywire because of the battery being disconected. Nice running car but this is a real pisser. Mercedes dealership 2 hrs away has a 3 week wait just to look at it. Any and all help would be Loved at this time.
Also the roll bar does not work and light is on. The right back side of the hardtop did not seem to have sealed all the way.
If one of the locks has not finished closing (as one side sticking up seems to indicate), then the light will stay on. Also, the roll bar will not be operable before the top opening or closing sequence is completed.
So I tried to take it off manually and finally figured it out.
Good, so you found the release levers already.
Got the soft top up and locked the front and went to the back and could not get it to lock down with the soft top. Guess what in the handbook it says you can not lock the back manually. So back goes the hardtop, lid locked manually and the front locks but the rear cannot lock the hardtop either.
Soft top and hard top lock the same way. It is (normally) easier to manually lock the rear of the soft top, because the hard top is normally tighter in the front and in the rear.
Had to play with the soft top cover to get it to lock. Is there a trick with the rear? The pump was not working had that replaced can hear it now still at a loss.
It is rare that the pump actually fails.
Does the roll bar have something to do with the top operation.
Yes and no. If the roll bar is down, then it should have no impact on the top's operation. The top will not move if the roll bar is up. If your roll bar should be up from emergency deployment, then you need to reset it. You can only reset the roll bar with the pump, and only when the top is either fully up or fully down. Push the roll bar button UP for some 10 seconds, and the pump should be re-energizing the springs in the roll bar. Then you can move it down.
The windows are acting correct going down a little on there own.
Just making sure: do the windows come down about a centimeter when you open the doors? If not, then you have to synchronize the windows on a model year 95 or younger. See your owner's manual for that.
The battery was disconected at some point in time.
In most cases, the windows need to be synchronized on model years '95+ after the battery has been disconnected. If they are properly synchronized, then they will drop a fraction of an inch or about a centimeter when you open the doors.
It is fully charged and have had not problem with it. The two front vacuum cylinders under sunshade have been replaced.
You are referring to the front lock hydraulic cylinders 1298001672, aka A 129 800 16 72. They are normally the first ones to fail in R129 SL's. For future reference, it is wise to have the cylinders upgraded by Top Hydraulics for far less money than new ones from the dealer, because the seal material that Top Hydraulics uses is far superior to the OEM seals. For example, even brand new cylinders can have the seals falling apart if they are exposed to water or "Stop-Leak" fluid in your hydraulic system.
At this point need to get duct tape off and need to get the back down so water does not get in. It this as simple as reseting something and do I need to replace the other rear cylinders, the are not leaking like the front did. Or is there a computer brain box for the top that has gone haywire because of the battery being disconected. Nice running car but this is a real pisser. Mercedes dealership 2 hrs away has a 3 week wait just to look at it. Any and all help would be Loved at this time.
Front lock cylinders 1298001672 aka A 129 800 16 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Rear lock cylinders 1298002172 aka A 129 800 21 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Storage cover lock cylinders 1298000072 aka A 129 800 00 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...0Cylinders.pdf
Storage cover lift cylinders 1298002072 aka A 129 800 20 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...0Cylinders.pdf
Bow extension cylinders 1298001772 and 1248000272: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Main drive cylinders 1298000272 aka A 129 800 02 72: http://www.tophydraulicsinc.com/R129...%20Removal.pdf
Klaus
www.tophydraulicsinc.com
