Soft top hell

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LandyZeen

New Member
Posts
13
Location
Dudley, West Midlands
Hi All,

I'm a newbie so go easy on me, I have used the site before through my other half Scotdef. I have a Freelander TD4 and a Defender 90, love them both for different reasons. Anyway...

I purchased a Soft top last night (I know my fault it's raining!) but it came with no instructions, but I do have the red key at least. After two frustrating hours and it getting dark we gave up and put the hard back back on it. :doh:

What is the correct order to fit it?
The c clips for the connectors by the lights are rubbish and keep popping out when tightened with the red key, hoping to replace those.
Also the slidey bit on the back and the side windows was very stiff, any tips on what to use to help this?

I'm planning to attempt it saturday, anyone fancy helping???

Thanks for any help

Landy Zeen :confused:
 
Okay plot thickens, it seems I've been sold a duff, in the advert all it mentioned was a one inch tear near the corner that I was cool with for the price, what the git who sold it to me failed to mention in the advert was, he had brought it just a few weeks ago, and just reposted the ad. But while trying to fit it to his commercial hardback had broken the elbow joint, snapped totally and bodged a cover up with a tube of plastic and two screws crudely holding it together covered by the fabric so when purchasing it I couldn't see it --- Angry now:flame2:, and I'd finally figured out how to fit it now. Anyone know of any spares?

Thanks Zeen
 
Hi All,

Update - he is a decent sort after all and has offered a refund, but says he knew nothing of the bodged repair and thinks it's he has been done by his seller, I think I'm going to look at boot covers and shower proof hoods instead, those I do think with a genuine good quality soft top they can be a useful addition in the summer.
But not sure if they last more than a few seasons based on the bodged one I had.

Zeen
 
It would need to be going very very cheap for the faults you list,

You'll be lucky to get the parts, I have something in mind for fabricating, have you any pics of the elbow?
 
Hiya

It would need to join a snapped plastic rod of about a 3/4" diameter together what had been done was a plastic tube like collar over the break with screws to hold it to each part of the snapped plastic rod, the elbow joint is quite stiff and the plastic collar was brittle it just broke away, to mend it a similiar system would be needed i think, but less crudely done, the look of it wouldn't matter as it's covered in fabric velcroed round it, so if it had been done well I wouldn't have noticed.

The seller has agreed to a refund so his problem not mine, but until I get the money back I'm not counting my chickens. £102 was the final price so you can see why I was intially pleased.

Thanks
Zeen:rolleyes:
 
LandyZeen said:
Hiya



The seller has agreed to a refund so his problem not mine, but until I get the money back I'm not counting my chickens. £102 was the final price so you can see why I was intially pleased.

Thanks
Zeen:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sorry, but at £102 I'd expect it to be fault free if maybe past its first flush of youth but certainly not damaged. £50 would be enough for one with any damage.
 
I dunno Chromium, not a bad price if its functional even with a bodge repair.

A soft top has been on my wanted list since new (2000) could never justify the price, something like £800 plus VAT :eek: :eek:

Then there is the storage space needed in the garage/shed for the hardtop when not being used.


I have a mod planned for the hard top, splits down into 3 sections, so when you're miles form home and fancy dropping the top, just pack it into the boot. No need for a soft top then ;)
 
Northern Irelander said:
I dunno Chromium, not a bad price if its functional even with a bodge repair.

A soft top has been on my wanted list since new (2000) could never justify the price, something like £800 plus VAT :eek: :eek:

Then there is the storage space needed in the garage/shed for the hardtop when not being used.


I have a mod planned for the hard top, splits down into 3 sections, so when you're miles form home and fancy dropping the top, just pack it into the boot. No need for a soft top then ;)
Click to expand...



That's steep, maybe I was jumping the gun a bit. Not into rag tops myself but I know plenty are. Didn't expect them to go for that much.
 
chromiumuk said:
. Not into rag tops myself.
Click to expand...

Says he with the nice yellow open top :)

IMHO There a couple of design flaws with the soft top,

It looks a bit of a pram when in the open position ( new VW beetle is a prime example of how NOT to do this),

it should also (like any good rag top) allow the hardtop to fit over the soft top, MGF/TF can do so.


so for £800 plus VAT I'd expect a bit more thought input and engineering design.

At the right price and plenty of sunshine it's a nice luxury accessory ;).......I could never justify the price or the weather in NI to match LOL
 
Plastic is always a bad idea as it breaks down with the sun. See any number of cheap gazebo's joints!

Is there anyway you can manufacture the elbow with thin pipework?
 
I think it can be mended,:rolleyes: the problem is it has to be so accurate other wise the window shutting on the back door is a nightmare, if he doesn't get back to me by monday I'll take a photo of the break so you can all see what I mean. The elbow it'self is fine it's the straight section that joins it that is the issue, and it has to be tough material as this is where the tension is.

Zeen
 
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