SL hardtop stuck

[oliverg]

I've got an '83 sl, which I recently bought with the hard top on, I did manage to take it off once, but now it's summer I want to take it off permanently. However the lock controlled by the handles doesn't disengage properly. I've followed what's said in the handbook, and can undo the others and raise it about an inch.I thought perhaps the cable control wasn't adjusted properly but can't get at it without the top off. Any tips or bright ideas what to do?

Any replies welcome
Oliver

 

[television]

I've got an '83 sl, which I recently bought with the hard top on, I did manage to take it off once, but now it's summer I want to take it off permanently. However the lock controlled by the handles doesn't disengage properly. I've followed what's said in the handbook, and can undo the others and raise it about an inch.I thought perhaps the cable control wasn't adjusted properly but can't get at it without the top off. Any tips or bright ideas what to do?

Any replies welcome
Oliver

We do have a few guys with your model, I am sure they will give you an answer later in the day.

Malcolm

 

[Myros]

Oliver, you need three hefty mates

Raise the front lip of the roof so it's just clear of the screen. Put some towels/clean rags, other stuff under the roof where it sits on the rear deck, as you are now going to swivel the roof around approx 180 degrees, so the the front face the rear ( hence the three hefty mates, and the rags to stop scratches) The pin cutout in the lock mechanism will now have disengaged and you should be able to lift clear. Do it all nice and easy and gently, and if you feel resistance, back off a bit and then try again even more gently. You can increase the lift angle a bit as well, but if you go too high with it, you might foul the locking mechanism with the locking pin.

See this diagram
http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...&L=765.701&CT=F&cat=048&SID=75&SGR=060&SGN=03

it might help!!!!

 

[Craneboy]

Roof problems.

Hi,
I had a similar problem with my 89 300 SL, the cable need to be adjusted. but you cant adjust until the roof is off and the horseshoe cover is up.
The way is i got this off was by cutting a piece if wire coat hanger and poking it into the hole where the spike goes in and is fed between the spike and the mechanism until it frees itself.
As the previous chap says you will need some strong mates to hold the roof at such an angle in order to get the clearance to poke the wire in.
This is not such a problem, it just takes a few minutes and you can do it yourself.
I have rigged up a 12 volt winch which lifts the roof off with excellent success.
If you was semi localish i would happily give you a hand

Good Luck Tony

 

[oliverg]

Thanks to Tony -above, who helped me try and get the roof off. However with all his ideas and the one of swivilling the whole thing around, the catch is still stuck. Now I'm hoping for some other magical trick that might work, or does any one know of a knowlegable mechanic around east London who could help

 

[43722]

i have thought about this with my car, if you look were the hinges are in the boot for the boot lid, you can reach your hand through, the cable goes through a flat lever if you pull the lever by hand it may release, I have never tried this but it looks as though it could be done?

 

[oliverg]

problem solved

I finally got the roof unhooked. Problem was a clip missing holding the cable to winder mechanism, reached by lifting the roof at the front as high as possible along with the softtop cover.
Thanks for the replies
Oliver