Hardtop fitting kit fitted yesterday
10-26-2009, 03:36 AM
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Hardtop fitting kit fitted yesterday
I bought a secend hand hard top before I had actually picked up the car (MY2001)and have finally got the fitting kit from www.hardtopguy.com which took several weeks to appear[Though a kit went on ebay last week for £0.99 - 
]. Before ordering do check what sort of cabling comes out of the hardtop for the heated screen as the cable can have two or three wires. Needless to say my type (two wires) is more expensive but that's life.
The whole job took less than an hour but there were a few hitches which I though I would detail for future users. The job is easy though and provided you have the tools and the instructions from the FAQ it shouldn't trouble anyone too much.
1. Do you need all the bits? No. Having had all the bits and compared them to the originals all you actually need are the metal body catchers (mounts) that bolt into the sides of the car (and the slightly longer bolts that attach them). The brushes can be easily cut to receive the hardtop, the electrical stuff is not necessary at all so it can be done for much less. I would recommend getting proper hardtop front strikers - there doesn't seem to be a clear fitting guide of these on the site so I will do one further down. Other than that I would save you money.
2. Problems during fitting following the FAQ instructions: Firstly the picture of the left sided body catcher shows the cable passing over the mount, it fits very nicely below the mount though and there is a hole to receive the clip down there so I would do it that way. Secondly: the worst part of the whole job is passing the rubber grommet through the hole in the side trim. Washing-up liquid is your friend here and pass the grommet through the hole before you attach the cable anywhere else in the car. It is not obvious from the pictures but the cable very neatly passes through a gap in the metal work behind the roll over bar trim and should be plugged into the waiting socket only after the side trim has been refitted.
3. Next thing. On my MY2001 there is a circuit breaker on the right side trim brush which I guess stops the roof operating when the hard top is attached. This is omitted completely from the instructions. It comes out easily enough but is a 12mm hole so have something to hand that will make a hole that size (I used a 10mm drill bit followed by a countersink bit but whatever) as the new part will not be pre-drilled.
4. Front striker fitting instructions. I couldn't find an easy how-to so here is mine. Roof down (obviously). Tools required: Phillips screwdriver, large flat blade screwdriver. First off are the sun visors - one phillips screw each. Next is the plastic cover for the lights. If you look carefully there are four recesses, two front and two back which will receive you screw driver blade, gently pry at each and it should pop away. Underneath you will find two Torx type screws which your flat bladed screwdriver should have little difficulty with. There are just two clips at the back edge so elbow grease is all that is required to remove it. The light has an electrical connector that is easily removed. The central trim section now is only held by the A pillar trims. These are on poppers too so a quick yank at the top should move them enough to free the central trim and away it comes. Two counter sunk screws release each striker and job is done. Replace strikers and put it all together again. 15 mins tops.
5. Central console. I did get the switch for the rear window so thought I would fit that too seeing as I had done the rest of it. The central console is on 8 poppers, you dont need to remove the gear knob as there is enough movement there to achieve what you want. Start at the back and work forwards. The blank switch should pop out and the new one just slides in from the top. The connector that goes into it should have been taped neatly into a cluster of connectors just in front of the switch and is green. Look carefully and you will see it doesn't need to be where you find it so just free it carefully. It pops right into your new switch and the job is complete.
6. I ended up with a relay that I don't know what to do with but I will update this when I have found out or one of you kind people tells me.
]. Before ordering do check what sort of cabling comes out of the hardtop for the heated screen as the cable can have two or three wires. Needless to say my type (two wires) is more expensive but that's life.The whole job took less than an hour but there were a few hitches which I though I would detail for future users. The job is easy though and provided you have the tools and the instructions from the FAQ it shouldn't trouble anyone too much.
1. Do you need all the bits? No. Having had all the bits and compared them to the originals all you actually need are the metal body catchers (mounts) that bolt into the sides of the car (and the slightly longer bolts that attach them). The brushes can be easily cut to receive the hardtop, the electrical stuff is not necessary at all so it can be done for much less. I would recommend getting proper hardtop front strikers - there doesn't seem to be a clear fitting guide of these on the site so I will do one further down. Other than that I would save you money.
2. Problems during fitting following the FAQ instructions: Firstly the picture of the left sided body catcher shows the cable passing over the mount, it fits very nicely below the mount though and there is a hole to receive the clip down there so I would do it that way. Secondly: the worst part of the whole job is passing the rubber grommet through the hole in the side trim. Washing-up liquid is your friend here and pass the grommet through the hole before you attach the cable anywhere else in the car. It is not obvious from the pictures but the cable very neatly passes through a gap in the metal work behind the roll over bar trim and should be plugged into the waiting socket only after the side trim has been refitted.
3. Next thing. On my MY2001 there is a circuit breaker on the right side trim brush which I guess stops the roof operating when the hard top is attached. This is omitted completely from the instructions. It comes out easily enough but is a 12mm hole so have something to hand that will make a hole that size (I used a 10mm drill bit followed by a countersink bit but whatever) as the new part will not be pre-drilled.
4. Front striker fitting instructions. I couldn't find an easy how-to so here is mine. Roof down (obviously). Tools required: Phillips screwdriver, large flat blade screwdriver. First off are the sun visors - one phillips screw each. Next is the plastic cover for the lights. If you look carefully there are four recesses, two front and two back which will receive you screw driver blade, gently pry at each and it should pop away. Underneath you will find two Torx type screws which your flat bladed screwdriver should have little difficulty with. There are just two clips at the back edge so elbow grease is all that is required to remove it. The light has an electrical connector that is easily removed. The central trim section now is only held by the A pillar trims. These are on poppers too so a quick yank at the top should move them enough to free the central trim and away it comes. Two counter sunk screws release each striker and job is done. Replace strikers and put it all together again. 15 mins tops.
5. Central console. I did get the switch for the rear window so thought I would fit that too seeing as I had done the rest of it. The central console is on 8 poppers, you dont need to remove the gear knob as there is enough movement there to achieve what you want. Start at the back and work forwards. The blank switch should pop out and the new one just slides in from the top. The connector that goes into it should have been taped neatly into a cluster of connectors just in front of the switch and is green. Look carefully and you will see it doesn't need to be where you find it so just free it carefully. It pops right into your new switch and the job is complete.
6. I ended up with a relay that I don't know what to do with but I will update this when I have found out or one of you kind people tells me.
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01-24-2011, 11:57 AM
#8
UK Moderator
Originally Posted by rob2.2,Jan 24 2011, 08:32 PM
i would of bought the kit and sold it on here
that would of been a good money earner
that would of been a good money earner
01-24-2011, 12:06 PM
#9
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at the moment i just dont see the benefits of becoming a paid member,
i can use the forum, buy stuff, only thing i cant do is sell stuff which im not bothered about at the moment.
if there where alot more benefits i would pay but just arent enough to make it worth while to be honest.
i can use the forum, buy stuff, only thing i cant do is sell stuff which im not bothered about at the moment.
if there where alot more benefits i would pay but just arent enough to make it worth while to be honest.
