rgp717

95 SL500. The problem is my roll bar won't stay down. I can use the dashboard switch to put the bar up (no problem) or down. But there are a couple of problems with down. First, it doesn't go all the way down; it goes most of the way down but it won't go down the final inch or so. Second, once down, the roll bar starts to creep back up; takes about a minute and then it is almost all the way up again. As it creeps up, I hear several clicking sounds.
By the way, I can still put my top up and down.
I tried the 'hold the roll bar button up till you hear a click' routine; I hear the click but it does not help my situation.
I just crawled under the back end of the car and set both roll bar sensors to 'arretiert'; drove the car and suddenly stopped; the roll bar deployed as expected. Crawled back under and set the sensors to 'funktion'. I then did the 'hold the roll bar button up till you hear a click' routine. Lowered the roll bar with the dashboard button. No difference.

By the way, the roll bar sensors appear fine to me. Help please.

bobterry99

I presume this is a consequence of mechanical interference or weakness in the hydraulics.

A partial check of the roll bar hydraulic cylinder would be to operate the switch and continue to hold it once the roll bar is fully raised or lowered; while holding it see if a significant volume of fluid is flowing through the return line back to the pump reservoir. The return line is the one which is screwed into the top of the pump reservoir. Any fluid seen represents internal leakage from one or more hydraulic cylinders.

rgp717

Thank you bobterry99. I did your test and there appears to be a significant flow back into the reservoir. So, I've repaired several of my top hydraulic cylinders with new seals. I have a seal kit but I don't think it includes seals for the roll top cylinder. I assume repair is similar; where can I find a seal kit to repair the hydraulic cylinder for the roll bar?

rgp717

Fixed. I bought a used Roll Bar actuator on eBay ($41). It took about an hour to remove the old one and install the eBay actuator. Everything works perfect; roll bar goes up; roll bar goes down (all the way and stays down), rag top goes up and down.

For the education of my son, I called the local Stealership; they quoted me $4500 to replace the roll bar actuator.

bobterry99

That is precisely what I would have suggested had I noticed your post from 2 weeks ago prior to now.