My solutions to the soft top wear issues.
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Joined: May 2011
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From: Great White North
The biggest solution for me has been to sand down the rough edge on the F-shaped metal bit with the big hinges visible in your pictures. These have sharp casting edges that cause cuts that start the wear through the top. The stretching caused by the bar sliding just magnifies this damage.
And I found out the hard way that just putting tape there without making sure the bar won't stick or bind on the tape will cause the bar to stop right at the small tear and turn it into a large tear very quickly.
So while I had my old vinyl out of the car for replacement, I ver carefully filed and sanded the casting flash off until it was very smooth to the touch. The new top isn't showing any evidence of wear beginning at all.
If you don't yet have a soft top hole, I suggest finding this edge and filing/sanding it away right now.
And I found out the hard way that just putting tape there without making sure the bar won't stick or bind on the tape will cause the bar to stop right at the small tear and turn it into a large tear very quickly.
So while I had my old vinyl out of the car for replacement, I ver carefully filed and sanded the casting flash off until it was very smooth to the touch. The new top isn't showing any evidence of wear beginning at all.
If you don't yet have a soft top hole, I suggest finding this edge and filing/sanding it away right now.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,424
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From: Great White North
Wow! I ran my fingers along the passenger side and thought ok that's not too bad, went over the drivers side and it was so sharp it could cut my finger. Sanded it down and now it's smooth as glass.
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: San Francisco
Do you mind taking a photo and circling where you sanded it down?
I saw that there are some felt-like covering on the edges of some bars and I'm not sure if they come that way stock or if a TSB was performed or something...
Joined: Sep 2006
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From: S2KAtlanta
In the second picture in the original post there's a bit of metal above a spring at the bottom of the picture. The top curve of this metal piece is wickedly sharp on many cars.
This is the source of the initial cut that wears through your soft top. It's not the sliding bar. The sliding bar only makes it worse but does not cause it.
If you look at any S2000 that's just developing the hole, it's always a slit that's parallel to this bit of metal. Always.
This is the source of the initial cut that wears through your soft top. It's not the sliding bar. The sliding bar only makes it worse but does not cause it.
If you look at any S2000 that's just developing the hole, it's always a slit that's parallel to this bit of metal. Always.
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Raleigh
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Israel
i put Gorilla tape too.
i used it for the latches area - very good. the only problem in very hot weather the tape starts to come out.
i tried to add fabric spray glue - but it didn't ipmrove the situation.
the tape for F bar is much trickier.
if i put a small piece just at the contact area - sliding bar peels it out on the first roof fold.
so i figured i need to put a very long piece which starts over the slide bar and beyond it.
but it's very tricky do to that - i mean to take the tape, slide it over the bar for let's say 1" and only than to stick it to the top - this is because there is no space beteen the bar and the top and the tape is very sticky and sticks immidiately to the surface if don't hold it far enough.
anyway - after 10 tries somehow i did it OK.
the bar sticks sometimes to the tape and gets stuck - so every time i put the top down i stop it in the middle of the process and check the bar - if it's stuck i release it and only then continue to put the top down.
i like the idea to put some oil on the tape - i will try to put some grease. maybe even Shinetsu.
i used it for the latches area - very good. the only problem in very hot weather the tape starts to come out.
i tried to add fabric spray glue - but it didn't ipmrove the situation.
the tape for F bar is much trickier.
if i put a small piece just at the contact area - sliding bar peels it out on the first roof fold.
so i figured i need to put a very long piece which starts over the slide bar and beyond it.
but it's very tricky do to that - i mean to take the tape, slide it over the bar for let's say 1" and only than to stick it to the top - this is because there is no space beteen the bar and the top and the tape is very sticky and sticks immidiately to the surface if don't hold it far enough.
anyway - after 10 tries somehow i did it OK.
the bar sticks sometimes to the tape and gets stuck - so every time i put the top down i stop it in the middle of the process and check the bar - if it's stuck i release it and only then continue to put the top down.
i like the idea to put some oil on the tape - i will try to put some grease. maybe even Shinetsu.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 5,424
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From: Great White North
Originally Posted by fernando.' timestamp='1314371765' post='20916313
Well I appriciate the feedback, I just wanted to take some precautions in the meantime while I wait for the straps.
jp, dude...order them, they are well well worth it 
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s2kdarren
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Aug 30, 2019 10:05 AM