Miata Soft Top - Food for Thought

I was just wondering why it's considered such a burden to:

1. Get out.
2. Raise the top.
3. Get in.
4. Latch the top.
5. Get out.

but nobody complains about:

1. Get in.
2. Unlatch the top.
3. Get out.
4. Insert noodle (if required) and lower the top.
5. Get in.

Hmm... Anybody else agree step 5 is the major difference?

Ephar & Bambi
'92 Classic Red 'A'
The Original Winkin' Miata
197.5K miles

"Ephar" > wrote:

> I was just wondering why it's considered such a burden to:
>
> 1. Get out.
> 2. Raise the top.
> 3. Get in.
> 4. Latch the top.
> 5. Get out.

Because my arthritis makes getting in and out difficult, painful and
very slow. Does that answer your question?

I'd be delighted if it were easier to raise the top from inside the car
but I don't have a roll bar so the "tie a rope to it" doesn't work. I
can open the door, move my legs outside the car, swivel to face the
outside and then grab the left most end of the front rail and raise it
that way, I can also use the end of my cane to put under the front rail
and use the cane to lever the top up far enough to grab it but I'm
always afraid of damaging the fabric if I do it that way.

> but nobody complains about:
>
> 1. Get in.
> 2. Unlatch the top.
> 3. Get out.
> 4. Insert noodle (if required) and lower the top.
> 5. Get in.

I'd complain if I ever did that, I don't.

I get in, unlatch top, hold rear bow forward, lower top, drive away.

(1992 with Robbins zipperless glass window top)


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XS11E > wrote:

> (1992 with Robbins zipperless glass window top)

Having a glass window makes the roof *much* heavier. I struggle to get
the roof up from the driver's seat on my 1996 Eunos Roadster with a
mohair roof and heated glass window. No roll-bar for me, but the brace
bar behind the seats makes it a stretch to get to the 'handle' in the
middle of the front fame, which is below the bar, and it has to be
lifted vertically for the first couple of inches to clear the brace bar.
Oooohmeshoulder! Much easier to get out of the car to lift it, or to
half get out like XS11E does.

--
Rob - Shropshire
So many cats,
So few recipes...

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:16:31 +0100, Rob wrote:
> XS11E > wrote:
>
>> (1992 with Robbins zipperless glass window top)
>
> Having a glass window makes the roof *much* heavier. I struggle to
> get the roof up from the driver's seat on my 1996 Eunos Roadster with
> a mohair roof and heated glass window. No roll-bar for me, but the
> brace bar behind the seats makes it a stretch to get to the 'handle'
> in the middle of the front fame, which is below the bar, and it has to
> be lifted vertically for the first couple of inches to clear the brace
> bar. Oooohmeshoulder! Much easier to get out of the car to lift it,
> or to half get out like XS11E does.

I've never lifted the top from outside the car. I just reach around and
grab it. The whole operation takes less than 10 seconds. It is easier to
do if you undo the seatbelt first. I have a vinyl top with glass window
if that makes a difference.

Carbon > wrote:

> I've never lifted the top from outside the car. I just reach
> around and grab it.

Now we know you're real name is Incredible Hulk? Or possibly Clark
Kent?

You'd be more than welcome to try that on my top but you'd better bring
two helpers to stand outside and lift!

It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3 inches,
after that, it's easy.




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In article >,
XS11E > wrote:

> It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3 inches,

Aw, c'mon. Couldn't be more than 120.

My right shoulder is fubared from too many dirt bike crashes in the
'70s. No way can I raise the top from inside the car. Besides, the
window zipper failure left me with a noodle habit.

My solution? I never put the top up.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

In article >,
XS11E > wrote:

> Carbon > wrote:
>
> > I've never lifted the top from outside the car. I just reach
> > around and grab it.
>
> Now we know you're real name is Incredible Hulk? Or possibly Clark
> Kent?
>
> You'd be more than welcome to try that on my top but you'd better bring
> two helpers to stand outside and lift!
>
> It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3 inches,
> after that, it's easy.

Something's wrong with your top! My wife can reach around and pull ours
up. She doesn't use the handle, though. She reaches a little beyond it
and hooks her first 3 fingers under the header, then up it goes - no
problem. With lining up the clamps and securing, the whole process
takes about 15-20 seconds. Ours is a '99 with a canvas top & glass
window.

--Geary

XS11E wrote:

> It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3 inches,
> after that, it's easy.

seriously doubt that it takes 150 lbs (if that's something 70kg). I can
rise it with my right arm. seatbelted and all...

did it yesterday on the highway @ 10mph (that anti-wind thing got cut up
during the years, so gf complained about the "wind")

I'll get my bathroom scale (digital) and do a test

Geary Morton > wrote:

> In article >,
> XS11E > wrote:

>> It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3
>> inches, after that, it's easy.

> Something's wrong with your top!

I don't think so, it's fairly new (see earlier posts regarding the
several replacements as Robbins struggles to find a glue that'll
keep the rear window from falling out in the Phoenix sunshine!) and
that means all the pivots are probably as tight as possible???

> My wife can reach around and pull ours up. She doesn't use the
> handle, though. She reaches a little beyond it and hooks her
> first 3 fingers under the header, then up it goes - no problem.
> With lining up the clamps and securing, the whole process takes
> about 15-20 seconds. Ours is a '99 with a canvas top & glass
> window.

Your top frame is somewhat different in that it doesn't require holding
the rearmost bow forward when lowering. I don't know what other
changes are made but that might explain the difference in force
required to lift it?


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Domagoj Bagaric > wrote:

> XS11E wrote:
>
>> It takes approximately 150 lbs of force to lift the first 3
>> inches, after that, it's easy.
>
> seriously doubt that it takes 150 lbs

Would you believe 149.5 lbs?


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