• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Soft Top Header Problem

Share this page

jhorton3

jhorton3

Jedi Warrior
Country flag
Offline
I got the top back on the car and installed a new rubber header seal. I can get the left and right side latches to latch down on the windshield frame with some effort. The problem is twofold. First the center of the top's header bows upward leaving a gap between the windshield frame and top seal of about 1/8" if not more. The second issue is the left corner of the top header interferes with the left door's vent window frame, causing the vent window to stick out. Luckily I haven't fastened everything down on the frame to the door.

Is there something I can adjust to bring these two problems back in alignment?
 
Have you tried adjusting the 2 latches on the header rail?
 
Sounds like the whole frame needs to move forward at the mounting points... or the top is too tight.
 
Unfortunately adjusting the latches didn't help. I haven't tried Trevor's suggestion yet, but might tomorrow. There's two plastic blocks that I'd removed on either side of the header rail, and I figure that's why the header is interfering with the vent window frame. I put them back on, but cannot get the top to line up to latch at all with them on. Where or what should those plastic blocks sit on the windshield frame? If they ride the top of the windshield frame then neither latch will catch at all. Push the frame to the left so that block falls over the edge toward the vent window and the left latch has more of a chance to catch, but throws the right side latch completely off alignment.
 
I think the top is on too tight. I had this same issue and it was lots of pain and effort to get the top latched. 5 years later, top is tight as a drum. Don't try to put back up if out of the sun. Once you get it latched it will likely stretch out. Get the sun to hlep you.
 
Looks like it is a combination of latch alignment issue and those plastic blocks. I noticed yesterday the right side had about 1/4" gap between the header and windshield frame post. Unlatched the left side and pushed up a bit. That allowed enough room for the vent window to come in a bit more. Reattached the left side block and that's helped some, and it's narrowed that smiling gap between the header seal and windshield. It's still not perfect, but if I can reattach the right side block and adjust the latch it might close that gap completely.
 
I have resurrected this old thread as I have developed a similar problem.

Since owning the car, I have always had a small drip at the center of where the top meets the windscreen. Never really minded before. But, just lately, this has increased to the point where I must intervene.

The original post asked:

jhorton3 said:
I got the top back on the car and installed a new rubber header seal. I can get the left and right side latches to latch down on the windshield frame with some effort. The problem is twofold. First the center of the top's header bows upward leaving a gap between the windshield frame and top seal of about 1/8" if not more...
Click to expand...

I have not yet made any repair efforts, but I do have the gap described above. I can pinch the seal open where the leak occurs.

Pictures are always worth a thousand of my words, so:

PICT0033.jpg


PICT0034.jpg


PICT0035.jpg


My rubber seal <span style="font-style: italic">looks</span> to be in good shape, but is it likely my problem anyway, or do any of you think there a greater issue?

Thanks...
 
Thought from a noob. Try not clamping the sides down so hard so it will not bow.
 
I still have the same issue I originally posted, and your picture is spot on to how mine looks. Hasn't been much of a problem because I haven't had to drive in the rain much. With the Jeep sidelined this week and monsoon season occurring in North Georgia it's become a concern again. I'm going to attempt Jack's suggestion and see if adjusting the latches helps.
 
OK, I went out and took a look. From what I can tell the rubber seal fits over both sides of the lip at the top of the windshield frame. In my case it's doing it at the edges but in the middle it sits too far forward. I loosened the latches, the 3 frame bolts per side besides the seats and the header screws.

I honestly don't know if loosening or tightening the header screws did anything. One concern I have though is getting the latches too tight and causing a stress crack in the windshield. Anyway, I was able to get it to the point where the seal fits over the majority of the lip. Right behind the rear view mirror it still wasn't over both sides, but I caressed the seal so it's now riding across the lip.

Now that we're having another bout of rain today is a good day to test.
 
Just a WAG, but have you laid a straight edge over the top of the windshield to make sure there's no problem there?

Also, when disconnected from the top of the windshield does the header have a curve to the surface where it mates with the windshield frame or is it flat?
 
Just got in from work and saw the responses.

I did try adjusting the latches, but then I decided to go ahead and order a new seal. Seemed best to eliminate that as a possibility before proceeding any further.

RickB, if I understand your suggestion: I did check along the top edge of the windscreen frame with a straightedge; looks good along the front, curves slightly 'downward' at both ends? The header also has a curved surface, but it's difficult to be certain how perfect the match is with the old seal in place. Don't want to remove it until I have the new one in hand.

I'll see how things look as soon as it arrives. (Just ordered last night.)
 
Okay, an update. Keep in mind that I'm a Mini person, and new to Midgets and the whole convertible top thing. Please hold the laughter.

After much consternation and some hair pulling, I determined that the problem seemed to be a matter of angles.

The gap between the windshield and the header seemed to a result of the header being at an incorrect 'angle of approach' as we in the Infantry might say.

I saw that if I tipped it upwards (while inside the car) I could close the gap. Therefore, after looking at how the whole thing was assembled, I realized that shimming the little 'blocks' at each end of the header would change the angle of the header. So, I got some longer retaining screws and some washers for shims. So after some trial and error, I have ended up thusly:

PICT0035-1.jpg


I also replaced the header fasteners, which were in very poor shape, and installed the new seal.

After spraying the car with a high pressure hose, no leak! I am calling it done for now. You may now resume the laughter.
 
No laughter here - I dare say there isn't a car on these forums that doesn't have "shims" somewhere to make something right.

Glad to see you sorted it - proves what you can do if you've got the inclination - you just had to attack the problem from another angle :smile:
 
well done indeed.
 
Back
Top