mx5cartalk.com

hey all,

installed my hard top a little late this winter (was buried in girlfriends garage) and noticed it wasn't fitting so well.

the rear mounts (on the frankenstein bolts) were loose when installed... you could press down on mounts and there was some slack.. would make some noises while driving.

i decided to investigate today and see if there were any adjustments available or problems associated with the mounts.

what i found was that inside the chrome things there are some assumably replaceable mounts that are adjustable, and have a plastic bush that wears out over time. while 'scratching my head in the shed' i realised that they are symmetrical and can be reversed for twice the service time.

car in question. first remove hard top (worked out how to remove it by myself today... but make sure you're not wearing a metal belt or jeans with studs... i learnt the hard way)


the crome rear mounts have removable covers. there are two screws on each mount... remove one on the side...


then one on the underside


hard top in question with mount covers removed - be sure not to lose the non metal washer from the bottom screw (pictured later)


hard top mounted on car without covers - worn bush exposed


both removable parts compared... symmetrical... one flipped upside down, one left exposing warn bush.


another angle of both removable mounting pieces.


picture of mount flipped for test fit


to adjust the mounts into the right place i did the front clips up, moved the mounts as far forward as they go, undid front clips and tapped hardtop back a couple of mm, then moved the mounts forward again and bolted them down.


once you have them both adjusted and mounted in the right position - put the rear mount covers back on... but make sure you put the non-metal washers as pictured here.


hard top mounted, with no vertical movement


one happy mx5

sh*t forgot to photoshop license plate on last photo. oh well nothing incriminating here anyway.

Good post.
I found the same issue with mine it was only the passenger side and they are not perfectly symmetrical with one side having an angle to help it slide under and the other not, but if it works it works.
I ended up getting a replacement, brand new through Mania. Not sure if it's listed on their site though.

ok take that on board, they might not be symmetrical... but yeah worked so if you're on a budget... go for it.

how much were the replacements might i ask?

i know what you're thinking, saturday night writing a guide on the internets... then replying at 1am sunday morning. how rock and roll

Can't remember the price off the top of my head, it was a few months ago, if I find a receipt I'll post the price

Works a treat to stop creaks and squeaks eh. One of my NB ones was worn after only a few uses. I bought a new one years ago to replace it but ended up just flipping the originals like you did and saved the new one for later. Just a tip...you dont need to remove the hardtop or chrome cover to make the adjustments. Just undo the screw on the side of the cover and it will swivel out of the way.

If you are buying a new/used hardtop you should make this adjustment the first time you fit the hardtop to the car. Undo all the latches and loosen the adjustment bolts on the shims first then make sure you push the hardtop all the way forward. You may need to adjust the front latches and the side striker plates/latches after you do this to make sure everything lines up properly. This helps the hardtop fit snugly, seal against the side windows and reduces creaks and squeaks.

Nice write up btw.