Tight NA6 soft top

Body, Paint, Interior and Trim questions and answers

Moderators: timk, Stu, zombie, Andrew, -alex, miata

User avatar
chrislevingston
Fast Driver
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Tight NA6 soft top

Postby chrislevingston » Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:08 am

My wife has had her soft top replaced and it's too tight for her to put up.

I need to pull it forward and really pull it towards me before I can do it up.

Has anyone a cure for this or know someone in Adelaide who could fix it?
1990 "TOY MX5" - Red, of course!
Kings, Konis, LSD, Genie system, grille, Voodoo knob, braces, 14 degrees ATDC, woodgrain dash,style bars and lots of work making the rubber bands go around faster.

rascal
Racing Driver
Posts: 1770
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:39 pm
Vehicle: NB8A
Location: FarSE Melbourne

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby rascal » Fri Aug 14, 2020 9:20 am

New tops are like that, they just need to stretch a bit (like new shoes)

Best advice seems to be to latch it however then leave it out in the hot sun for a few hours to help it stretch.

Where you will find hot sun in Winter is another issue...

User avatar
Ross
Fast Driver
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:32 am
Vehicle: NA6
Location: Melbourne Eastern Suburbs

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby Ross » Fri Aug 14, 2020 11:54 am

When we fitted a new top, the instructions said not to open it for a week to allow it to stretch.
It was still tight after that too. You may need to adjust the latches a bit to help.
Cheers
Ross

1990 BRG V-Special, NB Koni sport with King springs, MS-03's

User avatar
bruce
Speed Racer
Posts: 7707
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NA8 - Turbo
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby bruce » Fri Aug 14, 2020 1:28 pm

New, they're all like that.
Hot day, put it up but don't latch it, leave it for a few hours, then give it a heave and latch her up.

Mr Morlock
Speed Racer
Posts: 6444
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:40 am
Vehicle: NB8B
Location: Melbourne

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby Mr Morlock » Fri Aug 14, 2020 2:13 pm

"My wife has had her soft top replaced" really that sounds uncomfortable but with a bit of use it will come good. Vinyl tops do stretch and move also dependant on weather so it should become more supple-if not the original fitter might need to take a look.

User avatar
bruce
Speed Racer
Posts: 7707
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NA8 - Turbo
Location: Victoria
Contact:

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby bruce » Fri Aug 14, 2020 3:42 pm

My dirty mind was thinking all sorts of double-entondres (sp).

User avatar
chrislevingston
Fast Driver
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby chrislevingston » Fri Aug 14, 2020 5:50 pm

Thanks, folks.

It needs to be pulled hard to the right to fit the driver side latch and sometimes takes me a few tries to get it on - and my wife does not have my strength.

It's an after-market item, and the fitter went broke years ago.

Advice on adjusting the latches would be great, thanks.
1990 "TOY MX5" - Red, of course!
Kings, Konis, LSD, Genie system, grille, Voodoo knob, braces, 14 degrees ATDC, woodgrain dash,style bars and lots of work making the rubber bands go around faster.

StillIC
Racing Driver
Posts: 862
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:30 pm
Vehicle: NA6
Location: Newcastle

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby StillIC » Fri Aug 14, 2020 7:25 pm

bruce wrote:My dirty mind was thinking all sorts of double-entondres (sp).

The thought of you having the same thoughts as me, scares me.

My top is a bit tight and has been since I bought the car 11 years ago. It is set up so that the passenger latch has to be actuated first, then the driver's side latch once the passenger's is fully closed. This seems to keep it tight yet still allow it to be latched.
WP:1.12.492 SMPN:1.16.403 SMPS:1.05.473 SMPGP:1.53.256 SMPB:2.22.181

User avatar
Ross
Fast Driver
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:32 am
Vehicle: NA6
Location: Melbourne Eastern Suburbs

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby Ross » Mon Aug 17, 2020 6:17 pm

chrislevingston wrote:
Advice on adjusting the latches would be great, thanks.

See here
https://www.miata.net/garage/latch_adjust.html

From the fount of all MX5 knowledge
https://www.miata.net/garage/
Cheers
Ross

1990 BRG V-Special, NB Koni sport with King springs, MS-03's

User avatar
chrislevingston
Fast Driver
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby chrislevingston » Tue Aug 18, 2020 9:56 am

Thanks - will try.
1990 "TOY MX5" - Red, of course!
Kings, Konis, LSD, Genie system, grille, Voodoo knob, braces, 14 degrees ATDC, woodgrain dash,style bars and lots of work making the rubber bands go around faster.

User avatar
chrislevingston
Fast Driver
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat May 03, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: ND - 2 GT
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Re: Tight NA6 soft top

Postby chrislevingston » Tue Aug 18, 2020 1:20 pm

Worked a treat - thanks lots!
1990 "TOY MX5" - Red, of course!
Kings, Konis, LSD, Genie system, grille, Voodoo knob, braces, 14 degrees ATDC, woodgrain dash,style bars and lots of work making the rubber bands go around faster.


Return to “MX5 Body, Paint, Interior & Trim”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 33 guests