convertible top broke!
#1
05-30-2006, 02:55 PM
convertible top broke!
Today when I went to open the top on my '95 GT Convertible, fluid came shooting out of the power raising mechanism... :censored:
I'm not sure if I can even work on that thing without taking the roof material all off... anyone know for sure how much of a pain in the *** this is gonna be to fix? or how expensive if I can't do it myself?
I'm not sure if I can even work on that thing without taking the roof material all off... anyone know for sure how much of a pain in the *** this is gonna be to fix? or how expensive if I can't do it myself?
#2
05-30-2006, 04:21 PM
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I don't know on a Ford, but at BMW we replace the top as a unit when a part inside it fails...doing that isn't a big deal IF you have access to tools...I mean a good collection of tools. Anyway, maybe yours can be fixed...can you see the actual location of the leak? Is the unit you say that is spewing fluid cracked, or are there hydraulic lines connected to it that are leaking? You'll need to know exactly where the leak is and what part/parts are actually leaking. If they are available ok, but if not it may be new top time. If you dont have decent mechanical skills and tools I wouldnt recommend messing with it in any depth. Good luck with it.
#3
05-30-2006, 04:33 PM
Im not sure about the unit, but I can inform you about the top. I bought a new one thinking I would put it on myself. I worked as a mechanic for 2 years and the top on my 94 was actually scaring me.
So I took the old one off and now my car is sittin in my garage because no installer wants to touch it since I took the old one off myself, Pisses me off.
Anyway, dont take your's off by yourself, and the labor to put a new one on runs between 5 to 700 dollars. I found a palce that will actually do mine for 540 plus tax but I have to drive an hour to get there.
Im starting to hate convertibles.
So I took the old one off and now my car is sittin in my garage because no installer wants to touch it since I took the old one off myself, Pisses me off.
Anyway, dont take your's off by yourself, and the labor to put a new one on runs between 5 to 700 dollars. I found a palce that will actually do mine for 540 plus tax but I have to drive an hour to get there.
Im starting to hate convertibles.
#4
05-30-2006, 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by 94StangGTVert
Im not sure about the unit, but I can inform you about the top. I bought a new one thinking I would put it on myself. I worked as a mechanic for 2 years and the top on my 94 was actually scaring me.
So I took the old one off and now my car is sittin in my garage because no installer wants to touch it since I took the old one off myself, Pisses me off.
Anyway, dont take your's off by yourself, and the labor to put a new one on runs between 5 to 700 dollars. I found a palce that will actually do mine for 540 plus tax but I have to drive an hour to get there.
Im starting to hate convertibles.
So I took the old one off and now my car is sittin in my garage because no installer wants to touch it since I took the old one off myself, Pisses me off.
Anyway, dont take your's off by yourself, and the labor to put a new one on runs between 5 to 700 dollars. I found a palce that will actually do mine for 540 plus tax but I have to drive an hour to get there.
Im starting to hate convertibles.
#6
06-01-2006, 03:17 PM
Any convertible place is going to tell you to buy the top as a unit. If you can pinpoint where the leak is coming from you might be able to get one @ a junkyard or ford. If you're just talking about the material it's gonna run you about 1,000$ to install a new convertible top. DONT BUY THE FORD CONVERTIBLE TOPS GET AN AFTERMARKET ONE.
#7
06-09-2006, 07:49 AM
Originally Posted by zigzagg321
Now THAT sucks. Conv. tops are complicated things...I am surprised a repair shop wont touch it. Get a good repair manual (Ford) and take another crack at it...you might surprise yourself.
It's in the shop now...They should be done with it tonight, probably won't pick it up till monday. Which is ok. I have been driving the 06 gt for a couple weeks
They say it might run me a little over 540 depending on how much stuff they need to buy.
Before I dropped it off I took the top out of the box and it was in two pieces, the rear window and the top...My old one was all one piece...I got confused and folded it all back up in there lol
#8
06-09-2006, 08:14 AM
or get one of those sweet Hard top convertible tops, looks just like a hard top (C-pillars, large rear window). Ford made a few of them in 94 and damn was it cool. Havean original brochure thingy from 94 =D
#10
06-09-2006, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by 94StangGTVert
It's in the shop now...They should be done with it tonight, probably won't pick it up till monday. Which is ok. I have been driving the 06 gt for a couple weeks
They say it might run me a little over 540 depending on how much stuff they need to buy.
Before I dropped it off I took the top out of the box and it was in two pieces, the rear window and the top...My old one was all one piece...I got confused and folded it all back up in there lol
They say it might run me a little over 540 depending on how much stuff they need to buy.
Before I dropped it off I took the top out of the box and it was in two pieces, the rear window and the top...My old one was all one piece...I got confused and folded it all back up in there lol
#11
06-09-2006, 12:58 PM
Originally Posted by SlickSilverVert
wish they had one of thoe for a 99+ - hard top would be sweet.
#12
06-16-2006, 12:21 PM
Well, I've finally got some time to look into this... I'm pretty sure the hydraulics are all behind the back seat. Anyone here have any idea how to remove the back seat? I think I just need to get the back rest out, but I can't seem to figure it out... and I don't want to break anything else. ;-)
#13
06-16-2006, 11:07 PM
You can get to the top motor of the top through the trunk, the back seat I think just pulls right out if I am not mistaken.
#14
06-27-2006, 02:56 AM
Ha. The reason I couldn't get the back seat out was that the release clips on the bench were broken. ;-)
Once I pried the seat up enough to get a wrench on the screws holding the clips to the chassis, I got it out no problem. Under the bench part of the seat there are two screws holding the backrest in place. Once those are out, the backrest lifts out. Disconnecting the hydraulic lines and removing my pump/motor was a piece of cake compared to working around those broken clips...
Anyway, now I have another potential problem... I can hear my fuel pump. All the time. I have no idea if this is normal. I mean, I did just remove 10" or so of foam padding that would have made the pump nigh impossible to hear. It sounds like a little electric motor whirring away in my gas tank any time the engine is running. Anyone have any idea on that one?
Once I pried the seat up enough to get a wrench on the screws holding the clips to the chassis, I got it out no problem. Under the bench part of the seat there are two screws holding the backrest in place. Once those are out, the backrest lifts out. Disconnecting the hydraulic lines and removing my pump/motor was a piece of cake compared to working around those broken clips...
Anyway, now I have another potential problem... I can hear my fuel pump. All the time. I have no idea if this is normal. I mean, I did just remove 10" or so of foam padding that would have made the pump nigh impossible to hear. It sounds like a little electric motor whirring away in my gas tank any time the engine is running. Anyone have any idea on that one?
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