My top is only about 6 months so nothing appears to be worn, all mechanicals seem fine.
The last time I raised the top I noticed the Plastic strip at the rear under the window that tucks in the
groove had popped out . I partially lowered the top to release tension and slid the strip in the groove
and all was fine.
However, every time I lower and raise the top, the same thing happens. I took a look at the top folded
in the trunk before the cover closed and I can see that the whole length of this strip has slid out of its groove.
As the top is closed, it slides back in the groove but not fully unless I help it.
Is this plastic strip suppose to be glued or pinched in the groove ?
I'll post some pics in a bit and am hoping someone could cycle their top and see if theirs does the same thing.
Thanks

 

I went back out and took some pics and watched it cycle a few times. Looks like this plastic strip is meant to float in and out of the groove, I dont see any sharp edges or anything that would be catching the plastic.
Can someone take a look at theirs and see if it floats in the groove ? Real easy, just start the top going down and when the window is full up and before the cover opens, you can stop the process and be able to easily pull the plastic out of the groove.
Then when its full down and before the cover closes you can reach in and see if it is fully out of the groove.

Any help or insight would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

As your aware it's night time on the East coast right now.

I'll have my top down tommorrow and take a peek for you.

(Who knows, maybe someone will respond before then, if not, sit tight and stay tuned...)...

 

Thanks a lot for looking, No rush. I plan on digging into it this weekend. I really do believe that the plastic strip is suppose to float in and out of the groove during top operation. There must be something catching
on mine that is not letting it slide back in smoothly.
Thanks again in advance

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I'll take a look at mine when I get home tonight.

 

Thanks
All help is greatly appreciated.

 

I just opened my ragtop half way and took a peek.

Mine is solid all around with absolutely no movement, or wiggle in the area you point out in pix.

The rubber piece that sits along the bottom edge is also fixed in place, and if that snaps in, it sure is a tight fit with no play.

Looking closer at your pix where it seems to be pulling away, or has movement, it's hard to tell if it's held in place by the bottom rubber piece, or snaps in by it's lonesome, or is maybe glued into place.

Either way, on mine, it's fixed and solid as a rock.

Hope that helps...

 

Wow, Thanks for looking,
Mark, let me know what you find out.
The rubber gasket is solid, but the plastic strip isnt.
I was thinking they let it float in and out of the groove during operation to ease stress on the window, When I look at the top while its folded in the trunk and try to slide the strip into the groove, it really puts stress on the lower window glue seam.
I stopped the top operation with the Window fully up and slid the plastic strip all the way out of the groove all the way around and was able to fold it back and look at it. The strip had a couple of places where it looked like it could catch on the groove and I chamfered these areas with a razor blade and sanded smooth.
Now it doesnt hang up and seats in the groove when I close the top and no longer hangs up.

I inspected the groove and didnt see any areas that looked like there were clips of any type to fasten the plastic strip into the groove.
But this picture for the service manual mentions removing Old retaining clips and pushing in to engage retaining clips. I bet the dealer didnt put in any clips and I cant find a part number listing any clips.


Mark, When you look at yours and if its solid in the Groove, can you look under the rubber gasket and see if you can see any clips of any type.
Thanks again for all the help.

 

Looking at the Service pix you supplied, it seems like the rubber gasket snaps into a groove, and the top piece seems to slide between the rubber gasket and is maybe fixed with these mysterious clips.

I didn't see any clips, but I'll take a closer look tommorrow.

I'm reluctant to pop out my gasket for a good look, as I'd be depressed if I opened up a bag of worms for myself.

Is it possible the lip of the cover sits in the gasket groove, and when you fix the rubber in place, thats the fix.

Too bad the manual pix are not better illustrated, or gave a blown up view on how this item assembled.

And a part number for a clip would help narrow the issue a little...

 

I appreciate the help, but dont risk messing anything up.
The gasket does fit into its own groove, you are able to peel the rear side of the gasket down a bit and see the other groove that the plastic strip slides into.
Thats how I'm sliding the strip in and out of the groove.

I talked to the salesman who I bought the car from and he is going to talk
to the guy who installed the top on Monday. Hopefully he can shed some light on the situation also.

I found these on ebay for a Jaguar convertible, My guess is the clips look like this. I'm going to pull the strip out tomorrow and look closer in the groove for marks from the old clips.

Has anyone ever removed a top or seen one off the car and can comment on if there are any clips on this plastic strip ?

 

I can tell you without even looking at mine...it is solid...if that is a replacement top, it needs to be solid, and I would take it back to whomever did the install...good luck....nothing like having a "topless" problem...

 

Thanks !!
I bet the installer left out the clips, Hopefully he will send me some when I talk to them on Monday.
I bought the car in Virginia, easier for them (and me) to just send me the clips and I'll install. I'm sure the clips just wrap around the plastic strip and
snap into the rear bow groove. The trick is....finding the clips

 

probably still in a box in his shop....lol....good luck...

 

Mystery solved. There are suppose to be clips, 9 of them based on counting the mark locations left by the old clips as seen in the picture. There are even slight notches in the plastic strip to show where to install the clips.
Now I just have to find some.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

slightly off topic but fyi parts for convertible take and act of god to get if you do not have a problem now fake it! control module took me 5 weeks to get and hours on phone to warranty dept age is a factor i have an 05 with 1600 miles on it top up and down like 15 times wife does not like cold in so cal! i also have 05 coupe spoiler motors are available now 125 according to dealer again fake it get new one they don't care its chryslers money

 

OK, Final word, the dealership admitted that they forgot to install the clips. Part number 5166735AA.
They tried to tell me that they were $15.68 each and that they would look into getting them for me "at cost" for $9 a clip. After a few days of not hearing from them I called BS and found out that the "cost" is for a bag of 10 clips... not each. and found them for $6.38 from here.

Mopar Wholesale Online 1-888-95-MOPAR

Highly reccomended, they knew what I wanted, answered emails promply
and knew the clips came in a bag of 10. Shipped out that day and in my hands today.

 

So if the dealership forgot to install them, why are you paying for them??? they should be sending them to you FREE.... or you could visit them and MAKE them install them....

 

hey, I agree. I let them know via email that it was listed as a bag of 10 giving them the chance to do the right thing and just send them to me. No reply.
The dealership is couple hours away, it would cost me more in gas than the clips cost. So screw em.