SL/R230: flap spring
Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 60
Likes: 12
From: The Sunshine State
SL500
Ahh. I've just been reading up on repairing the flaps on a couple of different forums. FYI Some people are making their own using 3D printers and in one forum an owner described how he glued a thin brass tube to his flap that had a broken hinge. A couple of people wound their own spring but several people reported that as long as the flap moved easily they left the spring out and the flap still worked properly.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 60
Likes: 12
From: The Sunshine State
SL500
In this thread Latemodel21 used brass tubing to repair the flaps and he said that they worked fine without the springs. But it may depend of the attitude of your particular vehicle and the airflow around it.
There are two used SL 500 panels that include unbroken (so far!) flaps on Ebay right now. $500 EACH! LOL! I'm NOT paying $500 each for used parts that have long history of self destructing! But the pictures might be useful. FYI the flaps have already been replaced at least twice on my 2004 and one of them is broken again.
There are some 3D printed flaps on Amazon for $39 but there are no instructions about how to install them and I don't THINK there is a spring included. If the flaps flap without the spring then somebody needs to find a source for an available spring that will work for this application. The Ebay seller should have already done this, it would almost certainly mean that he's sell a lot more flaps. I have a flap out right now and I'll take a look at it and get some measurements for the spring that's in it and post them later.
There are two used SL 500 panels that include unbroken (so far!) flaps on Ebay right now. $500 EACH! LOL! I'm NOT paying $500 each for used parts that have long history of self destructing! But the pictures might be useful. FYI the flaps have already been replaced at least twice on my 2004 and one of them is broken again.
There are some 3D printed flaps on Amazon for $39 but there are no instructions about how to install them and I don't THINK there is a spring included. If the flaps flap without the spring then somebody needs to find a source for an available spring that will work for this application. The Ebay seller should have already done this, it would almost certainly mean that he's sell a lot more flaps. I have a flap out right now and I'll take a look at it and get some measurements for the spring that's in it and post them later.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 60
Likes: 12
From: The Sunshine State
SL500
Another thread dealing with broken flaps and how to fix them.
PS I found an MB dealer that sells parts at a discount online and their price for a new panel and flap is $593, whereas a normal dealer wants $885 and the breaker on Ebay wants $500 for used ones.
PS I found an MB dealer that sells parts at a discount online and their price for a new panel and flap is $593, whereas a normal dealer wants $885 and the breaker on Ebay wants $500 for used ones.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2004 SL500
My roof flap also failed recently and it does flap around while driving with the top down. Here are two links to the 3D printed parts if you have a printer. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4140946 The designer Ruzman, also provided instructions as well which I have attached. Here are other hinge pieces as well. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6592370
I also located this link to purchase a repair kit if you are not interested in printing your own parts. https://octoclassic.com/product/r230...041-2306901141
Hope this helps someone out.
I also located this link to purchase a repair kit if you are not interested in printing your own parts. https://octoclassic.com/product/r230...041-2306901141
Hope this helps someone out.
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 60
Likes: 12
From: The Sunshine State
SL500
My roof flap also failed recently and it does flap around while driving with the top down. Here are two links to the 3D printed parts if you have a printer. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4140946 The designer Ruzman, also provided instructions as well which I have attached. Here are other hinge pieces as well. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6592370
Thanks for posting.
L 55 is not a bad price considering that it includes both a flap and the hinges that fit on the stationary part of the cover, and they are available in colors other than basic black and it has the same (or very similar) pebble finish like the originals. The Spangler kit sold on Ebay is $65 US and is very vague about what's included but it appears to be nothing more than a strip of rubberized fabric with a self adhesive glue which you use in place of the original hinge. And unless I misunderstand the ad, it does not include a replacement flap so if you lost your flap then you still have to find a replacement.
But the one at the link is somewhere in the EU so getting one in the US would probably be expensive.
Replacing my missing flap will probably be the next project on my R230.
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 60
Likes: 12
From: The Sunshine State
SL500
