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Ha yes thats a water stain... Haven't tried the hardest to remove it due to awkward angle and that nobody can see it unless they really try to. Freak hail storm last fall left that there
Thanks for sharing that! That's what I thought it should look like, but the directions that I posted seemed to say otherwise. I tried calling and emailing Robbins, but no reply from them.
No prob! Good luck with getting that edge out of the rail there, that part is a bit of a pain. When I installed my top originally I actually did it the same way you did before fixing it.
So. I used this thread now a 2nd time to help me replace my top on my s2000. My first time doing it was using this thread 3 years ago to help my buddy with his. I never did document any of the tips I used. So some of this may have been stated above 100 times I dont know, I haven't read through all 42 pages. But if it helps someone I'll post some of my notes:
If you're on the fence about replacing this on your own. The only question to really ask is do you have tools, and do you have time. Other than that, this thread plus the service manual and some common sense and you should have this down. Its time consuming, but its not rocket science. Patience/time is all ya need.
Tip 1: Get a sharpie, and on all of the trim pieces for the top itself. Like the metal holding in the rain guard, like the header metal bar, like the trim on the windows, take a sharpie and write the correct orientation on them on the back. So you know which way is up which is facing the front of the car etc etc. Its common sense, but then again its not, its easy to be turned around several hours into it and not remembering exactly which way something faced.
Tip 2. So, the rubber water channel. You'll take this off and drill off the rivets that hold the cloth between it. When you go to reinstall the new cloth in the rubber water channel, don't bother with the headache of rivets. Use these instead. If you're concerned, throw a little blue thread locker on the screw before tightening it down but i do think that its over kill.
-1/4 in. Aluminum Chicago Screws/Screw Posts (Qty 100 Sets)
Tip 3. Your top should come with rivets. Honestly it was just easier to have some extra sizes around to make sure you have what you need. I didn't use it on the rain guard but everywhere else I took a rivet off, i put a rivet back on. This is the assorted pack I bought and kept. Lots left over.
-Stanley Paa54-5B Aluminum Rivets, 5/32 Inch X 1/4 Inch, Pack of 50:
Tip 4. When you drill a rivet out. MAKE SURE you find the piece that you drilled out and get it outta the car. My first s2000 had the top replaced by the dealer. To the day I sold that car there was something rolling around that I never found. I always thought it was behind the seats somewhere. It was stupid annoying every time you took a turn. I never did find it. But, after doing this top now, I'm convinced whoever installed it in my first s2000, didn't find that piece and there was rivet pieces sloshing around. So take my advice on this, have a pair of needle nose pliers on hand and do not button things up till you're sure you've gotten all your pieces out. This is especially important in the bows across the top when you drill out the rivets for the straps.
Tip 5. Take pics of your deconstruction on your phone. Its really good to have something to refer back to when you're trying to figure out the orientation of what pieces connect to which bars. I couldn't figure out one, and had to ask on here. I figured it out in the end but I wasted some time trying to figure out what was the right orientation of things going into the cross bars.
Tip 6. You should really have a very small ratchet and a Philips screw head. It will make your life a LOT easier when you're trying to put screws into the corners by the window. its by far the hardest/most annoying part of the install since its so small hard/to get in there. What I did was i put the screw through the fabric/plate and then got it started by hand. Then went back with the ratchet. keep it loose. Don't tighten anything by the lower corner of the window at first. Close the top and open it a few times to make sure the cloth isn't binding. But seriously do not kill yourselves on this section. That small ratchet will be a life saver.
Anyways didn't mean to write a freakin novel here but just wanted to post my tips to help since this thread has helped me many times.
Also, remove the two inner tonneau cover metal clips on the back of the roll hoop. DO NOT FORGET TO DO THIS WITH THE GLASS TOP CONVERSION. The inner two attachment points interfere with the glass top folding all the way down
These are the metal pegs that stick out of the back of the roll hoop plastic in the well area where the top lays when down. Anyone know if this needs to be done on the 2006+ models, or only the plastic to glass conversions?
03-07-2019, 08:21 AM
