This video is in Spanish, but does show the whole process

 

That's installing a new top. The original post was talking about removing the entire assembly from the car.
That's what I am asking about, removing the top with the frame and all.

 

My glass is falling out again and the seam is still split. Looks like a new top is in order.


What is the name of the aftermarket top maker where you send off a few pieces and they make the new top with the sewn in window. I remember a couple people here have went that route. Were there any issues with their new top and how did it fit?


Guess I need to brush up on my Spanish.
Thanks
Travis

 

If you order from here :

Crossfire | Chrysler Hoods | Cabriolet Hoods ( currently $750 US )

there are 7 color choices and you don't have to send them the plastic pieces.
I have installed 2 of these tops for other folks, they are really good quality.
( I got mine free under the recall from Chrysler, also installed it myself )

 

Oh, the pain. This might be duplicated, but here goes:
Well, I thought I had started a reply, then I saw Page 2, looked at it, came back to page 1 and the quick reply box was blank. I then typed in the following, hit Redit, and was informed the connection was closed.
DON'T REMOVE THE FRAME TO REPLACE THE TOP!!!!!! It is not necessary, If you have your top done stateside, you'll just need to remove the old top as in the video - easy-peasy. 13 T-25 screws across the front, 4 pop rivets to remove on each side, rubber moldings to pull partially loose, 2 cable to unhook, defroster wires to unhook and remove from their pockets, and about 9 little clips that hold the plastic molding in across the rear deck bow. How do I know this? I just replaced ours this weekend. I thought it might be a 4 hour job but I hadn't figured on the safari to hunt the missing tools or the clip that took flight when not expected.
First off, I ordered my new top from BAS International in Wales, UK. They make the new plastic parts so you don't have to send your old top in. I gleaned this company from on of the forums, e-mailed them, and received a quote - in pounds - for the new "hood" and shipping. The $ exchange rate at the time of the transaction varies. Our new top was $711 shipped. The person I exchanged e-mail and a phone call with is Rebecca Treherne. (She liked my accent. I thought she had the accent.) Estimated time is 5 weeks from placing the order to shipping date. (Ours was produced in 4 weeks, shipped by DHL on Monday and arrived Wednesday before noon.)
OK, next - watch the video - several times. Don't bother with the CC translator. It comes up with some strange sentences. If you know someone fluent in Spanish and they have an hour to kill, make them watch it too.
I don't think I need to go step by step if you've watched the video, but here are a few things I may have done wrong, or that happened to me.
1. Don't go crazy cutting or drilling out the pop rivets. There is one on each side that simply holds a loop of strap that the cords slide through going to the "S" hook at the front bow. Not necessary to remove.
2. Pulling the rubber molding loose from the frame wasn't too bad. It doesn't have to come all the way off, just enough to clear the plastic moldings under them. I did have trouble getting the "B"(?) pillar moldings back in. I read today something about squeezing the clips tighter so they'll grip. Some help here would be great. I've not rolled the windows down since finishing the other day.
4. Watch to see where the little bushings belong. 4 are included with the new top, so 4 must have been around 4 rivets in the old top. I presumed they went in the plastic pieces at the front side arm and rear plastic molding at the "B"(?) pillar to prevent the rivet from splitting the plastic piece. These were the only holes large enough for the bushings to go into.
5. The plastic "B"(?) pillar molding slides down to remove it after removing the rivet. It has hooks that fit in the metal frame.
6. When removing the rear plastic molding from the rear bow, I don't know if you have to grip the clip with the pliers, or just the edge of the top to pull it out of the groove. It is shown in the video, but "no comprende". This plastic strip is held in the groove by little metal clips that have teeth that "bight" the plastic and fit tightly in the groove. (This is where I lost time trying to find missing ones. One was on the ground - bounced 6 feet away, the other was still in the groove.) I hope these still have enough "bight" to do their job.
7. I removed 1 rivet from the wide strap on the 3rd bow to allow the top to slide out of the groove. I don't know if that is really necessary. Only 8 rivets were included with the top, and this made the 9th one. if you work carefully, you might be able to clear the strap as you pull the top off sideways.
8. If you are sending your top off for duplication, this is where you stop until the new top arrives.
9. Installation is the reverse of removal. Where I am having trouble now, as mentioned before, is where the curved rubber "B"(?) pillar molding goes back in. I have it in with the windows up and hoping the heat of the day yesterday helped it to resettle. There appears to be no glue in the groove, just funky metal clips in the rubber. Any help here would be appreciated!
It looks good! And "I Did It Myself!"
Now to get the top to operate again. Water got in the trunk from the bad rear window and soaked the electronic lock vacuum mechanism in the RR trunk. I hope I've cleaned and dried it out. The locks are working again, but the dome light has been misbehaving. I don't even know if that mechanism has anything to do with the top operation. But I'm getting nothing but a flashing light when I push the top button. Help here would also be appreciated.
Best of luck with your endeavor!
Bill

 

As to the curved rubber moldings, the channel gets stretched when you pull the molding. I take a pair of channel lock pliers and GENTLY compress the molding channel one plier width at a time until there is about 1/6 - 1/8 inch gap in the channel. Then the molding will stay in place. I also use a wooden mallet to help seat the moldings.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your detailed input !

 

alaxfire,
Thanks for the information! I went out last evening to give that a try and I couldn't get the top to open and fold. I could pop the rear latch from the trunk, and of course the front latch from the windshield, but that is about as far as I could go. There was strong resistance trying to fold from either the front or the back. I was able to lift the back about 2". I released the cover latch with the wrench, but that led nowhere. I'm assuming there is hydraulic resistance somewhere, or an old pop rivet stem is jamming things up. The hydraulic system is not functioning. The switch just blinks at me. I've seen some threads dealing with this issue, but I needed to get the top on without the glass falling out. It's done now, so on to the opening issue.
Any hints or suggestions?
Does the convertible top control go through the door lock electronics? Mine got wet.
Bill

 

From the manual, try this :

 

Yanking the right fuses (5 and 6 in 2005 SRT and 2007 SE Roadsters, not sure about other models or years but probably the same) OR disconnecting the battery cable relives pressure too. The 'relaxed' state of the valves in the pump/controller is "open" and all pressure is released.

 

I thought the pump timed out and relieved pressure automatically just as if you stopped it mid-cycle, is this what you are meaning. Removing the cable suggests there is power to the pump all the time even with the ignition OFF.

 

Yes, usually it does time out after about 25 minutes, but I have had occasions where it did not time out at all.
Once I left it overnight and there was still pressure in the morning.

 

More great information! I've printed the factory directions and will add the "pull fuse 5 & 6" if the first doesn't take care of the problem. (I had pulled the battery cable the day of the installation to disconnect the lock/vacuum unit and spray those connectors with cleaner, hoping that when connected and powered up the dome light would function correctly. I was able to toss the top up and down manually.) Who knows, maybe it has timed out? We're getting rain again, so I probably won't try it tonight.
I'm not sure if the pump is running. Do the signals for it go directly to the pump, or through that corn-fallutin' lock/vacuum unit?
I'll ask here, though another thread might be better: Would anyone like our old top to send off to one of the stateside companies that require you to send them your top? This could save some time of driving without a top. And it's nice to be able to take the old top off and put the new one on in one session so things aren't overlooked, or forgotten.
Thanks again!
Bill

 

You don't need to save the old top for anyone for that purpose, just use a box cutter and remove the 4 plastic pieces, easier to ship that way if anyone wants them.
I'm pretty sure the top switch connects to the top control module, it just communicates with the locking pump via the CAN bus for some info on latch positions.

 

100/80:

To add to what George said, mine has always timed out in around 9-11 minutes (both the Graphite and the SE, not sure how long on the first car).

But like I said, if you power down the module/pump, the solenoids relax and their relaxed state is to open up and allow all pressurized fluid to flow back to the tank. Actually, I learned this by mistake, this spring, I started the pump and the rear window bow raised up and then the lid raised 3 inches or so, then the battery voltage sagged and the system froze. I could not get it to do ANYTHING, and the pressure meant I could not manually recover. I had no time to grab the book, and thought I'd reset the system wiht a battery disconnect.

First thing I saw, was that the system relaxed and the pressure released, the lid went back down and the bow slowly settled.

That was the day I realized that a 'relaxed' system was a De-pressurized system. It was later I got into the manuals and found the fuses, but I"ve never pulled fuses to see how effective it is (nor which of the two or both it takes).

 

I spent 29 years as a component-level electronics technician, that damn spray (unless you have an OLD can of Inhibisol, that stuff was dangerous but very effective), fixes little.

The new sprays are "carcinogen free" and are harmless, you can spray them in your mouth. Because they are largely inert, they are ineffective. Got corroded pins? Then you have one way out - replace both the male and female pins, cause we have nothing anymore that is effective.

If you are not sure, then it is not running. Unless you are deaf, (and I mean actually deaf) you can't NOT know that it's running if it is running.

If you are trying to diagnose this without the service manual and wiring diagrams, you are wasting your time.

 

Well, I may be wasting my time, or learning more about the car than I expected via the Crossfire Forum.
OK, the pump is not running.
I may just be impatient in wanting the top to fold so I can better install those rubber moldings.
I used Nu-Trol in the Central Locking Pump module. Then omething else on the connectors made for cleaning connectors in automobiles. (It may only be intended to remove grease.) Somewhere I have some De-Oxit. Better product, but somewhere.... The locks do work again.
As to the plastic pieces, just the black moldings at the front and rear of the top? Not the strip under the back window? I'll poke around the Forum and find a top wanted thread.
Thanks again,
Bill

 

Yes, won't need the rear plastic strip.

 

Attached is a PDF file which is a section out of the Service Manual about removing and installing the convertible top. I added personal comments about what I found helpful while removing and installing my new BAS International top.

 

Excellent document. The only difference in yours and mine ( including notes ) is re-crimping the partially removed front trim pieces, and the 2 rear trim pieces so the they will stay put in the grooves.
I also added a hint in mine to hold a shop vac up next to the rivets while you drill them out.

 

Bill. I found the same problem width the 'B' rubber window molding. I found that after bending the metal clips inbedded in the rubber in then out the mounding still didn't stay in the groove. When I alternated the in/out bending, the molding fit tighter into the slot. This solved the problem.
I bought my replacement top from BAS International. Very happy working with them. The top was easy to install and the fit and finish was perfect. The only thing I had to salvage from the old top was the little U clips on the rear edge. Three weeks to receive it from England.