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Heres a strange one.
my 08 PRHT has just in the last week, developed the sound of a golf ball rolling around in the roof.
This is unbelievably annoying. A look today on my one day off a week does not reveal any good way to remove the headlining from the top of the roof panel.
I removed catches and latches, but the plastic headliner seems to be bonded to the roof. Everything is working as per normal.
No noise with the roof down, but today when testing with the roof down, a VERY sharp application of the brake did get a "Rattle" from behind me.
roof up, and every turn, brake and acceleration produces this rather loud "Golf ball rolling around" sound.
Can't tell you how bloody annoying this is.
Anyone ever heard of this problem?
Any ideas on how to get the roof apart without destroying it?

Squeaks, rattles and probably rolling golf balls are real hard to track down as noise bounce around in the cabin area. What I’m trying to tell you is that the roof maybe not the cause of the noise.

I thought I had a rattle in the centre roof lock and it turned out to be a loose locating pit on the top right of the screen header. Another time I looked in the glove box for a rattle and it was the centre roof lock.

Now at track days, I get what sounds like a large nut rolling around in the cross channel that the front seat sliders bolt to. Impossible to find and get out as there’s only a 30mm slot under the seat and the “nut” could be anywhere in the cross channel.

Try looking in the area behind the seats where the roof closes, it may be there and the noise reflected when the roof is up.

[quote="Charlie Brown"
Now at track days, I get what sounds like a large nut rolling around in the cross channel that the front seat sliders bolt to. Impossible to find and get out as there’s only a 30mm slot under the seat and the “nut” could be anywhere in the cross channel.

[/quote]

What about putting a strong magnet inside where you can reach and collecting the loose metal after a spirited drive?

Dann

NitroDann wrote:What about putting a strong magnet inside where you can reach and collecting the loose metal after a spirited drive?
Dann

I suspect the "nut" is a piece of gravel from a sand trap at the track.

Thought about spraying some sticky substance or glue into the area and try and capture it that way but it only seems to occur at the track so I put up with it.

That's for the reply. I'm not as young as I once was, and my hearing is sh*t. But this is loud, So I had my partner in the car a couple times. It is Definitely in the roof.
It rolls from side to side when cornering. Super annoying!
And gone with the top down. Most of the time I drive with the top down.
So perhaps it's been there longer than I originally thought.
But on that odd occasion my partner comes along, I might leave the top up as She doesn't like to get her hair messed up.
Back to, How to get the headliner off?

Try using a sand wedge or a nine iron.

I reckon a big magnet may help as it sounds like a nut has come loose. If you can stop it moving through the headliner, maybe drag it to an opening? (I know the likelihood of this working is...)

I like the 9 iron Idea.
It's driving me nuts.

I had the same sound in my soft top, had it for a week... in the end i got the roof to around 45 degrees, pulled the trim around the latch as far as i could (the rearmost part of the trim) squeezed a digit in there and dragged out a heavy bolt...

As i have no idea where on the front rail the bolt came out of I have left the hood in situ (found it on the weekend heavy bolt , has to be important), as the HT has the same latch that could be what is running across the front of the roof or around the latch handle trim when you accel or brake.

Maybe it is what you have, maybe not... but I hear you about it being loud...

Anyone got an exploded diagram or instructions? on where the bolts go or how to remove the trim?

If you go to this site: http://www.jimellismazdaparts.com/default.aspx
and feed in 2009, Miata, Body & Trim and scroll right down to the first panel on the third bottom row, you will get an expanded view of the hard top with all its components.

You should find where your bolt should go from this information.

Thanks for the advice, and the nice link to the parts breakdowns. Much appreciated guys.
Never did find whatever it is rolling around inside the center roof panel, Perhaps a glob of bonding glue that broke off.
Seems the headliner is glued/ bonded to the upper roof panel. So I went to Bunnings and bought some of that spray in expanding foam.
Stuff doesn't weigh anything when it dry's so I thought it couldn't hurt. So everywhere I could get a nozzle in, and in every direction, I sprayed in foam.
Now I have an insulated roof. And no noise.