Hardtop latches..
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,158
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From: Bay Area
Its a mugen replica and have a MY 07. I think I'm confused on part names but the problem im having is that the "hook" on each front latch has some play in it when latched all the way so ive been using small silicone hose cutouts to fit over the hooks just so the play goes away and have a tighter seal. So there are different hardtop latches? That could solve this problem? Could someone post the part #'s for everything i would need... includong bolts, washers etc..? Thanks all... I'll post pics when this is all done 
youre prob using the soft top ones which dont lock down as tight but the extra silicone added on would be just as effective as buying hardtop ones.
i think your strikers may be worn(the thing the latch hook grabs onto) take some pics of that, it may help us identify if you need new ones.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 15
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Ive been having the same problem. Only with it making alot of cracking sound on one side when it drives over pot holes or small bumps. Ive been messing with both latches by putting black electrical tape around the hooks so they can grab more. The cracking squeaking sound somewhat stopped but i think i may end up ordering some new strikers and see if that helps. I have a mugen rep and i am as well using soft top latches. Any input on my situation would also be appreciated 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 762
Likes: 4
My 2006 soft top latches are much different than the hardtop latches. My hardtop latches are worn out (i thing). Alot of lateral movement and the hooks are loose. I tried switching to the softtop latches and they dont work at all. They have the same bolt pattern but the hook is much longer. I am going to try out some new ones.
Registered User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 5
From: Myrtle Beach
I put two large rubber washers between the windshield frame and the strikers to lower them a few mm for the front latches to catch on... Seemed to work much better.
Btw, I'm using '02 front soft top latches and '02 strikers.
Btw, I'm using '02 front soft top latches and '02 strikers.
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg, MD
if you want the hardtop to be easily removable, you'll want both the hardtop latches and the hardtop front strikers (mounted on the windshield frame) - part # 86270-S2A-902. they let the hardtop latches pull much tighter.
the problem is that the strikers wear down over time at two places, 1) the pocket area where the the tip of the hook touches and 2) on the edge where the curve of the hook touches. i'm guessing the striker is softer metal than the hook from the latch, and with road vibration over time, it just starts to wear/dent, which leads to the hard top rattling.
i've tried using plastic tubing (deformed pretty quick), plastidip (decent until it melted/deformed in summer heat), paracord (this lasted the longest for me, and was the easiest to replace) between latches and strikers... none of it lasted more than a few months. there were some people that put a few washers in between the strikers and the windshield frame, or more shims under the latches, to increase the distance from striker to latch in order to tighten it up when locked, but i don't think that is a long term solution either. replacing the strikers makes a noticeable difference, but it gets very costly over time.
as suggested earlier, izzy's or alloy craft hardtop brackets for the fronts work great to remove the rattle. since they are 1 piece, there is no metal to metal rubbing. they just take longer to install or remove. be careful not to cross thread the screws in the windshield or hardtop when installing the brackets - seems really easy to do.
i went with alloy craft's locking bracket. it's been almost 1 year and no signs of rattling.
you can also try adjusting the side latches to pull the hardtop towards the back as well.
one last thing, if you hear creaks from behind you, put some shin-etsu grease on the trim piece that that hardtop sits on top of (that wraps around the soft top area), and the rubber seal on the back of the hardtop. but while you're at it, you might as well put some on the rubber seal on the windshield frame.
the problem is that the strikers wear down over time at two places, 1) the pocket area where the the tip of the hook touches and 2) on the edge where the curve of the hook touches. i'm guessing the striker is softer metal than the hook from the latch, and with road vibration over time, it just starts to wear/dent, which leads to the hard top rattling.
i've tried using plastic tubing (deformed pretty quick), plastidip (decent until it melted/deformed in summer heat), paracord (this lasted the longest for me, and was the easiest to replace) between latches and strikers... none of it lasted more than a few months. there were some people that put a few washers in between the strikers and the windshield frame, or more shims under the latches, to increase the distance from striker to latch in order to tighten it up when locked, but i don't think that is a long term solution either. replacing the strikers makes a noticeable difference, but it gets very costly over time.
as suggested earlier, izzy's or alloy craft hardtop brackets for the fronts work great to remove the rattle. since they are 1 piece, there is no metal to metal rubbing. they just take longer to install or remove. be careful not to cross thread the screws in the windshield or hardtop when installing the brackets - seems really easy to do.
i went with alloy craft's locking bracket. it's been almost 1 year and no signs of rattling.
you can also try adjusting the side latches to pull the hardtop towards the back as well.
one last thing, if you hear creaks from behind you, put some shin-etsu grease on the trim piece that that hardtop sits on top of (that wraps around the soft top area), and the rubber seal on the back of the hardtop. but while you're at it, you might as well put some on the rubber seal on the windshield frame.
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 134
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From: ATL
Bumping this thread for a question...
I had a 04 silver s2k which I bought a used hardtop from, I never got any new strikers (the ones that are attached to the windshield area in your car), and it fit perfectly, no wind, no rattles... I just sold that car
Forward to now, I have a white 05 s2k and I just picked up another oem hardtop from another member. I did not get any new strikers but now when I put on the oem HT, there is a lot of noticeable rattle and wind when I go above 40MPH. I initially thought it was the latches, so I tried to swap my soft top latch with the hardtop latch... that made no difference and I also noticed the hardtop latches says on them FOR HARDTOP USE ONLY... doh... so now I'm stuck, is it the strikers that need replacing? The soft top that I have on now has no wind or rattles, so why would the hard top have it when its on the same strikers?
I had a 04 silver s2k which I bought a used hardtop from, I never got any new strikers (the ones that are attached to the windshield area in your car), and it fit perfectly, no wind, no rattles... I just sold that car
Forward to now, I have a white 05 s2k and I just picked up another oem hardtop from another member. I did not get any new strikers but now when I put on the oem HT, there is a lot of noticeable rattle and wind when I go above 40MPH. I initially thought it was the latches, so I tried to swap my soft top latch with the hardtop latch... that made no difference and I also noticed the hardtop latches says on them FOR HARDTOP USE ONLY... doh... so now I'm stuck, is it the strikers that need replacing? The soft top that I have on now has no wind or rattles, so why would the hard top have it when its on the same strikers?