R129 Panoramic Roof

[mikestrivens]

I am looking to get a hoist for the hard top and I was wondering if anybody had used the product from this firm http://www.toplift.se

Also does anybody know the weight of the panoramic roof so I can ensure the garage roof beam will take the weight. I haven't been able to find the weight in the book.

 

[television]

Will that hoist take the glass roof, they weigh in the region of 180lb.

I had one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-SL-1...3|66:2|65:12|39:2|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:24

You have to mark on the floor where the car will stand.

 

[Alex M Grieve]

I am looking to get a hoist for the hard top and I was wondering if anybody had used the product from this firm http://www.toplift.se

Also does anybody know the weight of the panoramic roof so I can ensure the garage roof beam will take the weight. I haven't been able to find the weight in the book.

I have one of their brake winches. I have tested it up to 350lbs lift before lifting the SL hood with it (I have a standard 129 hardtop). There was a bit of creaking and groaning as it took up the strain but it lifted it with no problem. It is best done as a 2 person task, unless you have extremely long arms - one to crank the winch and one to guide (not lift) the roof.

I have always been skeptical about leaving such a weight suspended and my preference is to rest it on the stand, wearing its cotton cover, for the summer.

Having said all that, 2 people can probably lift it off as effectively, and cheaper and quicker (well, they can the alloy roof, but the glass one might be just too heavy?).

On a final point, I could not get my credit card to accept that the site was legit - you might need to clarify this with your card company as security precautions these days seem to frown on non UK purchases on line.

 

[mikestrivens]

Thanks Alex and Malcolm. Two of us can lift the roof on and off but as Malcolm says it is 180lb (nearly 82kg) and explains some of the minor scratches caused by the previous owner. It is going into the body shop next week for these to be repaired and I don't want to add any more. I think I will order the one off ebay and try it out. It is the cheapest option I have found and I can always use the winch to place it on the stand that came with the car.
Thanks for your help.

 

[television]

Its a pleasure I have a very high roof in my garage and I made some holes in my head when it was left hanging.


Marking the floor exactly is important. if you do not the roof will jam in either the front or rear pegs, and you have to re set the locks.

Though mine was electric a manual is fine, and I could do it on my own.

The non glass top is like a piece of tissue paper in comparison.

If you have a stand for once it is off, place some insulating plastic under the stand, as any rising damp attacks the bottom edges

 

[Alex M Grieve]

as any rising damp attacks the bottom edges

I had noticed you were walking awkwardly, I just did not want to comment.

 

[television]

I had noticed you were walking awkwardly, I just did not want to comment.

Just a slight attack of the Benz

 

[Quick Silver]

I had noticed you were walking awkwardly, I just did not want to comment.

""and I made some holes in my head when it was left hanging".

I did just that yesterday afternoon nearly knocking myself out and now have a 1/2" gash on my bonce (It bled a lot but managed to hold on to the grey matter):Oops:

 

[mikestrivens]

""and I made some holes in my head when it was left hanging".

I did just that yesterday afternoon nearly knocking myself out and now have a 1/2" gash on my bonce (It bled a lot but managed to hold on to the grey matter):Oops:

I hope that you didn't damage the roof.

 

[television]

I hope that you didn't damage the roof.

A man after my own heart and view, your body self heals where as the car will not

 

[stats007]

The standard R129 hard-top weighs 45kgs - the Panoramic roof is only 10kgs heavier.

 

[gladholm]

Panorama Roof hoisted between the joists

I have a German supplied T-Bar specified for the Panorama roof. It has two eyes for ensuring the hoist/T Bar can be level whether loaded or unloaded.
I have devised a way to hoist it just above my head height between the joists of my garage. Not damaged the roof yet...
http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i.../Roof Hoist/?action=view&current=708a847b.pbw
Hoisting is done in 2 stages. Off/onto the car transferring to/from the stand.
And from stand into the roof space.
I've been doing this on my own for a couple of years, I always put an extra safety line around when it's parked.

 

[television]

The standard R129 hard-top weighs 45kgs - the Panoramic roof is only 10kgs heavier.

I cant believe that stats,, I lifted a glass one off some 3 year ago and that was just possible with 2 reasonoble people.

I took off a normal one 4 weeks ago and that was as light as a feather, the US lifts say that for the glass top you need a 200lb lift

 

[stats007]

Figures from the R129 Star DVD. They make sense though - I had an R107 and that roof doesn't weigh any more than the panoramic roof - I could just about lift both on my own off of the car.

 

[television]

Figures from the R129 Star DVD. They make sense though - I had an R107 and that roof doesn't weigh any more than the panoramic roof - I could just about lift both on my own off of the car.

Sorry you could never take a 129 glass roof off on your own, that would be impossible for superman.

They warn you when you buy a hoist to check the size of the joist and sell special bridging beams so that the load is spread of 3 joist, been there and done it

 

[stats007]

Think you misread my post Malcolm - I meant when the roof is off of the car I could lift it on my own. Did this a number of times transferring it from wall to trolley etc. The only hardship was the span - it's not that heavy - my 5' 2" gf had no problem walking it off of the car with me.

 

[mikestrivens]

Well I bought the hoist off ebay and rigged it up with electric hoist so I can now lift it on and off the car with ease and onto its stand. Perfect weather for an open top Mercedes.

 

[television]

Well I bought the hoist off ebay and rigged it up with electric hoist so I can now lift it on and off the car with ease and onto its stand. Perfect weather for an open top Mercedes.

Good one mike and nice to have,,much easier to use if you mark the floor. Enjoy the sunshine

 

[Roger Jones]

Well, MB Milton Keynes dealership parts dept fished up the figure of 118.5 kg (261 lb) for me from their system. That seems very heavy indeed, and too much for two people to handle. Today I test drove a 500 with the panoramic roof fixed; the vendor said that it was manageable by two people, one of them being his wife. Perhaps that MB weight includes the substantial packaging/crating for shipment.

 

[television]

Well, MB Milton Keynes dealership parts dept fished up the figure of 118.5 kg (261 lb) for me from their system. That seems very heavy indeed, and too much for two people to handle. Today I test drove a 500 with the panoramic roof fixed; the vendor said that it was manageable by two people, one of them being his wife. Perhaps that MB weight includes the substantial packaging/crating for shipment.

It does need two fairly strong people,,there is a high damage to the car risk otherwise. You have to lift it high enough to clear the rear locking pegs