Snap Questions!

[Aldwyn]

My I am just full of questions, arent I?

Thanks so far for all the answers folks have given me! It's much obliged!

Heading to a club's tech session tomorrow morning, and it's supposed to be in the 30s when I leave, so I decided to put the Tonneau cover on. It's not in the trunk where it was... and the wife and I searched top to bottom in the house to no avail. I am wondering if I forgot to lock the trunk and it got stolen out of it on one of my errands! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anyway, so then I decide I will put the top up for the trip tomrrow in absense of the cover.. that's when I discover that a couple of snaps are broken off (the large thumb part is there, but the part that snaps onto the car is still on the car!

I also noted that a couple of the male ends of the snaps... the ones on the car itself... are broken.

So my questions are: How easy it it to replace a snap on the top, once it's broken, and how is it done?

And then how do I get the broken male end of the snap off the car/put a new one on?

Thanks again, guys!

 

[Don Elliott]

All the usual TR parts suppliers have the snaps that go all around the top. The ones along the top of the windscreen are different than the others. The ones all around the back go on in a second. Push them through the same 4 holes and bend over the tangs. The suppliers should also have the pegs that screw into the bodywork. The pegs along the back are threaded with a nut behind the interior vinyl trim. You'll have to remove this first from inside the back seat area.

If you need pegs that go along the top of the windscreen, they should have these available too. But be careful. The threaded end of these is too long and you have to measure the depth of the hole in the frame and cut the peg shorter. If you use them the way they come - and if you screw them right down, the bottom end will bed into the glass and it will break the glass.

Sorry - Now I see that you have a TR6. My suggestions are for a TR3. Sorry

 

[DougF]

Do not worry, snap replacement is easy. But I will do my best to make it sound difficult.
As for the male end, The original are black plastic and are held in by a 3/32x.032-.125 rivet. Use a number 41 drill for removal. For fractional size, use a 5/64 or smaller drill. If you use a 3/32 drill and don't hit it right, you may oblong the body hole and have to bore the it to 1/8. If this be the case, shave the flange of the rivet down to size using an electric drill and a file so that it will fit inside the plastic snap. Use an aluminum rivet with a steel mandrel. The steel may rust in the elements and look bad, but the aluminum mandrel doesn't have the strength to hold up to the stress of the snap and will eventually result in failure.
If you are not concerned with originality, go to the local hardware store and buy a metal snap kit. These will screw into the existing body hole.
For the female end, original is black plastic. Again, these can be found at your favorite supplier, but typically in metal. Care must be taken in the removal of the old as not to damage the vinyl top. Should you replace with standard silver snap, the hardware store kits often have the installation tool. Follow instructions for installation. For original, acquire the installation tool and follow the instructions.
Care must be taken when riveting the male end to the body. I have damaged the paint before while applying pressure to the rivet and scratching the car on the rebound when the rivet snaps.
Good luck!

 

[gjh2007]

A good marine supply store (ship chandler) should have most of what you are looking for, including the crimping tool.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

Aldwyn,
I will take a slightly different tack on snap replacement. I abhor the black plastic snaps because they just don't hold up. I have all Dot Brand plated brass snaps on my top. The female snaps on my top are the black coated Dot snaps for appearance. Do not buy snaps from the hardware, unless you have a really good store that sells plated brass snaps, like a marine hardware store.
If your top is still serviceable, replace all the snaps for a weekend project. PopRivet everything into the sheet metal with alum/steel pops, and use extra long pops and a alum washer as a backup if the holes are wallowed out. The snaps in the canvas top can be removed by clamping the snap in a pair of ViceGrips and using a drill, drill them out. I have used snap-setting pliers for setting all the snaps, like a giant ViceGrip/C-clamp tool available online at places like King Richard's. Invaluable for perfect setting of snaps. I lost mine.
If you are really OCD like me, go online to a specialty snap store and order Dots by the box. They make an extra grip model for tough applications, like the two sides where the top snaps to the body. Wind will pull those out.

Of course the great volume of snaps and the tool were all the the same box that I lent and can't remember to whom.

Bill

 

[Geo Hahn]

[ QUOTE ]
...it's supposed to be in the 30s when I leave, so I decided to put the Tonneau cover on.... then I decide I will put the top up for the trip tomrrow in absense of the cover...

[/ QUOTE ]

That top is for pouring rain. Mere cold is an inconvenience to be overcome with clothing and an attitude of 'not minding'. Remember, it's not really cold until you lose a couple of toes.

Hey, I'm with Bill -- don't know how you guys put up with plastic snap parts. Unless originality is very important to you I would think metal is the way to go (especially if you're going to try to use the top).

 

[Aldwyn]

Phil did a quick fix of the top for me in one spot, and it's held well (Thanks Phil!). Still gotta see if I can track down the tonneau, and hopes it's not stolen.

Going to get some of them metal snaps and do some replacement... The top is in good shape, and only one male snap is bad (now fixed by Phil) and two female studs in the body need to be replaced. Do I need a special pop-rivit tool for this?

Thanks!
Aldwyn

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Do I need a special pop-rivit tool for this?



[/ QUOTE ]

Any Pop-Rivit tool will do for the most part. Just make sure that the pop rivit you use will, #1, be the proper length to go all the way through the sheet metal on your body and grip properly, and #2, the head of the rivit will fit completely down inside the male part of the snap so as not to interfere with the snap's operation. If it sticks out slightly, the snap won't close. Two of the holes (6 total) on my doors were wallowed out by overdrilling over the years. This required my having to use an oversized pop rivit, a backup washer and trim down the head with a Dremel. Even then I had to flatten the end result a bit for the snap to work (flatten the popped pop rivit head). All for naught of course as I can no longer use my tonneau cover with my new seats and a faux roll bar. (Unfortunately, I pitched the old tonneau cover or I would have gladly given it to you.)


Bill

 

[Aldwyn]

Thanks for the thought (and info), Bill!

Now, how in the world do I know which size I need?

At Moss, I can assume it's 3, 4, and 5 on this page: https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=32964&SortOrder=29

But these are the usual plastic... how do I know what size to get with brass?

I also noted that neither Moss nor TRF sell a pop rivit tool. How do I know what to look for at other places? Size and such?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the thought (and info), Bill!

Now, how in the world do I know which size I need?

At Moss, I can assume it's 3, 4, and 5 on this page: https://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=32964&SortOrder=29

But these are the usual plastic... how do I know what size to get with brass?

I also noted that neither Moss nor TRF sell a pop rivit tool. How do I know what to look for at other places? Size and such?

Thanks a bunch!

[/ QUOTE ]

Aldwyn, those numbers, 3,4,5, refer to the bolts that hold the rear retainer bar down. The actual snaps are installed in the rear of the top using a snap tool (like the one seen on the King Richard website or using the two-piece device and a hammer, a real pia) and these are used (the male part is in the rear of the top) to hold down your convertible top cover when your top is down.


Bill

 

[Aldwyn]

Ok, the tool that looks like a vice grip?

How about getting the male snaps into the car itself? The ones that hold the window down (three on each side).

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

The Snap Tool is used to affix the back of the male or female snap to the part needed. You can affix just the working part of the snap to the body panel (in this case, the male portion) simply by sticking the appropriate pop rivet into the hole, into the body panel, and popping. You are done. So, the snaps can be used to affix to either canvas or a flat metal surface.

Bill

 

[Aldwyn]

Thanks, Bill (and all!).