SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: problems with top, anyone know........
03-21-2013, 03:51 PM
#1
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problems with top, anyone know........
well got myself into one hell of a predicament on this one!!
while trying to remove all weatherstriping from top and pulling car apart, i raised top to a haflway position. when i was done for the night i manually folded top down in up position (but latches had already closed) and started to close trunk. well, the flaps on the trunk lid started to pop out so it was in the cycle of thinking the top was already retracted. it would not hold position and would keep slowly coming down yet i could not push it back!! so, here i am. can't open trunk at all, rear will not even unlatch. and top is stuck in this position with the latches closed but not fully in position.
what to do?!?! who wants to place a bet i am totally effed!! lol
came home early today to see if i can find or even access the lines to bleed off pressure. i appear to be the only twit in the world to of put themselves into this position so nothing can be found for a fix online.
while trying to remove all weatherstriping from top and pulling car apart, i raised top to a haflway position. when i was done for the night i manually folded top down in up position (but latches had already closed) and started to close trunk. well, the flaps on the trunk lid started to pop out so it was in the cycle of thinking the top was already retracted. it would not hold position and would keep slowly coming down yet i could not push it back!! so, here i am. can't open trunk at all, rear will not even unlatch. and top is stuck in this position with the latches closed but not fully in position.
what to do?!?! who wants to place a bet i am totally effed!! lol
came home early today to see if i can find or even access the lines to bleed off pressure. i appear to be the only twit in the world to of put themselves into this position so nothing can be found for a fix online.
03-21-2013, 04:07 PM
#2
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YESSSS!!! problem averted! i found how to manually latch and unlatch front of top, so got top latched in full upright position, then turned ignition on and trunk lid opened back up. whew!
i'm back on track! thanks for everyone help. haha
i'm back on track! thanks for everyone help. haha
03-21-2013, 08:12 PM
#4
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thank you raffi!
btw- for any of you that ask yourself "should i do a full color change on my sl?" you say NO!! lol. just the tear down process is crazy. only cost myself $200 or so in broken parts so far. i do not know if the team who designed the top is genius or should be committed!!
trunk is once again stuck and won't move via the switch. kind of afraid to close it! think i have done enough today. will see if it magically fixes itself tomorrow.
btw- for any of you that ask yourself "should i do a full color change on my sl?" you say NO!! lol. just the tear down process is crazy. only cost myself $200 or so in broken parts so far. i do not know if the team who designed the top is genius or should be committed!!
trunk is once again stuck and won't move via the switch. kind of afraid to close it! think i have done enough today. will see if it magically fixes itself tomorrow.
03-21-2013, 08:16 PM
#5
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W124 E500 (RIP), W211 E350 (Sold), R230 SL55 (Current)
Hopefully you figure it all out. This is the reason I want to go with the vinyl method lol. Gonna get my car wrapped gloss white pretty soon.
03-22-2013, 12:29 AM
#7
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it would definately be a quicker thing! lol
i know myself and if i see any silver at all on the car, even when the top is folding down, it will just not look right. going to have to paint all the top parts inside and out. the rest of the car is pretty much a slam dunk, it is just the top.
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03-22-2013, 12:41 AM
#8
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don't use a cuttoff wheel. i have almost resorted to that a couple times now!
seriously, all of the panels are fastened a little differently, so you do not know which way to pull, push, lift, etc. some use a combo of clips, bolts/nuts, pop in fasteners. nearly every single piece of weatherstrip is glued in in its entirety. simply put, it is a beotch! weatherstrip uses a combo of a non hardening glue type rubber, double sided tape, and even a type of plumbers putty in some of it!! thats on the same piece!
the weastherstrip molds themselves have to be some of the most complex i have ever seen. kind of amazing they were actually even able to make some of these parts! there is also basically 2 layers of seals everywhere. it is very impressive, but very daunting for the reinstall. luckily i have decifered most of their alignment marks to reinstall, but need to source the right adhesive.
i am now getting a full understanding of how the new price was so justified with these. there is just soooo many pieces and the level of engineering to make the parts is very impressive. i looked up the price of a new top in it's entirety on parts.com. it was $16k! the pano roof panel is $3200! rear glass $1500. so yes, it has been stressful pulling it apart. lol.
seriously, all of the panels are fastened a little differently, so you do not know which way to pull, push, lift, etc. some use a combo of clips, bolts/nuts, pop in fasteners. nearly every single piece of weatherstrip is glued in in its entirety. simply put, it is a beotch! weatherstrip uses a combo of a non hardening glue type rubber, double sided tape, and even a type of plumbers putty in some of it!! thats on the same piece!
the weastherstrip molds themselves have to be some of the most complex i have ever seen. kind of amazing they were actually even able to make some of these parts! there is also basically 2 layers of seals everywhere. it is very impressive, but very daunting for the reinstall. luckily i have decifered most of their alignment marks to reinstall, but need to source the right adhesive.
i am now getting a full understanding of how the new price was so justified with these. there is just soooo many pieces and the level of engineering to make the parts is very impressive. i looked up the price of a new top in it's entirety on parts.com. it was $16k! the pano roof panel is $3200! rear glass $1500. so yes, it has been stressful pulling it apart. lol.
03-22-2013, 04:53 PM
#9
Super Member
Hi Oz
You have made great progress
..... and I (and all the others) are anxious to see what color you go for ..... for all the engineering and technical stuff you never considered buying the STAR CDR? ... would save you the money for broken pieces and give you all the answers .........
http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/o...stedDocId=9124
You have made great progress
..... and I (and all the others) are anxious to see what color you go for ..... for all the engineering and technical stuff you never considered buying the STAR CDR? ... would save you the money for broken pieces and give you all the answers .........http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/o...stedDocId=9124
Last edited by amok55amg; 03-22-2013 at 04:54 PM. Reason: Spelling
03-22-2013, 05:25 PM
#10
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it is on my list of things to get. unfortunately, that list is pretty long. haha.
only things i damaged was a little tear in the door weatherstrip (it is the cheap piece running around bottom), and then cracked a few tabs on the rear plastic pieces that frame the rear window. both i could repair and use again with no one being the wiser or being able to tell if i wanted. but, i figured buying both pieces and left and right so it would all be uniform. all in all, it has gone smoothly, just time consumming.
on second thought, i think you are right. i will need that thing on reassembly because i am sure top will need adjusting or other magical things to get working like it did! lol
only things i damaged was a little tear in the door weatherstrip (it is the cheap piece running around bottom), and then cracked a few tabs on the rear plastic pieces that frame the rear window. both i could repair and use again with no one being the wiser or being able to tell if i wanted. but, i figured buying both pieces and left and right so it would all be uniform. all in all, it has gone smoothly, just time consumming.
on second thought, i think you are right. i will need that thing on reassembly because i am sure top will need adjusting or other magical things to get working like it did! lol
