Stretching a new soft top?

redwards · Postby **redwards** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:28 pm

New mohair hood installed today :) Taught, trim and black with a heated rear window. It's so awesome... Pics in the next few days.

The bloke who installed it said it'll need to be left up to stretch out (it's drum tight at the moment) - and I swear he said for a month!

Does anyone have any views on how long the hood needs to be left up for?

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:32 pm

At least a week.

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:14 am

send green comet a PM, he did his a month ago.

green_comet · Postby **green_comet** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:11 am

Congrats on the new roof!

I did mine recently like 1red5 mentioned, and it was the same \"drum tight\".
I left mine up for 2 week so it could stretch out, after that it was fine to raise and lower it. As long as you can latch it back in once it is unlatched its fine.

Benny · Postby **Benny** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:07 pm

A week or so should be enough, but make sure you leave it out in the sun for as long as you can.
The sun will help it stretch.

Back in '99, I bought a new 5 and I got it with the factory hardtop.
I remember that just after I got it, Mrs Benny and I removed the hard top and went for a drive.
When we stopped for a meal or whatever, we had to really struggle to get the soft up up and latched, as because it was factory fitted with the hardtop, the soft top had never been stretched into place.
I left the soft top up for about a week to stretch, and then it was as good as gold.

Alex · Postby **Alex** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:21 pm

I struggle to put my softtop up after a few months of having the hardtop on

I find the best is to leave it up (but not latched, just hanging there) and put the car in the sun, once it's hot enough it just slides into place

redwards · Postby **redwards** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:10 pm

Thanks for the responses everyone!

I've left it in the sun the last 2 days at work (with the windows down a fraction), latched up. It's been 35C+ last 2 days (or it's felt it!). It latches very easily now - but I'll keep it up for at least the remainder of the week.

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:54 am

Is the streching problem only for mohair or for the standard vinal ones as well?

Is it worse for morhair because its thicker and heavier?

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:20 pm

Same for vinyl.

redwards · Postby **redwards** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:28 pm

It's easy on/off after 3 days in the sun with the roof up and latched. I think as of this weekend it'll be going back down on that more 'permanent' basis