Broken Soft Top Bar

SnowXTC

I began having problems with my soft top 2 days after purchasing the car. I found that the first bar is broken. It is starting to scrape the roof. I have a 60 day 3000 mile warranty on the car from Lithia Ford, but I am very picky on who works on my cars and they are 130 miles away. Where can I get this part and how do I replace just the bar? Also how can I fix the scrape on the roof?

I apologize if this shows as a second post.

Original post that failed to post for 2 days and does not show images.








https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By...drVUpLSVRCV3pV

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0By...p3cmNiRnNscFYw

gbhrps

SnowXTC,

I really sorry to hear of your top issues. You have my sympathy.

I'm sorry to tell you that you have purchased a car with perhaps the most intricate convertible top possible. There are 8 hydraulic rams that open and close the top, each one with a sail switch (tells the ram position), and its all computer controlled and must work seamlessly or ... you have what you have .. an issue.

There are so few of these cars (the roadsters) sold, that very few Nissan dealerships ever get to repair one, and that means that finding someone with the expertise to correct a problem is a crap shoot. The system is so intricate, that if a dealership can't nail down an issue correctly in a reasonable length of time (meaning lots of customer's dollars diagnosing the issue), Nissan of America's response is to tell the customer to replace the entire top assembly = prices in the $13 000 range. Yes, I said $13 000.

Now in response to your specific issue.
First ... there are products on the market that can be used to repair the tear in the top material. Off hand I can't recall what the name is, but I've seen it on YouTube, I will track it down, and get you the info. I believe you'll be very pleased with the repair results, and it is very much a DiYer type of job. No service person required, but a convertible top repair shop would be able to do a better job than a newbie for sure, using the same product.

OKay, so that saves you a bundle.

Next, we (you and I) need to be talking the same language. You say "the first bar is broken". I believe you may be actually referring to the 2nd bow, and not the first. If it is the 2nd bar, the fix is fairly simple in comparison.

So that leads to your next step. You need to download the FSM (factory service manual) for the car. Its free, I'll give you the link, it takes 15 minutes to download, and you or someones else can fix anything on your car, without needing the dealership.

Download the entire manual, all pdf files, and then scroll down to the RF section (RF for roof). There are a pile of files and pages. Take the time to scroll through them (I've spent hours, because I know that someday I'll be in your shoes, and I'm a wrencher. I'll do my best to fix the problem myself). Go to page RF-175 and look at the diagram and the list under neath it. Are we both talking about the 2nd bow?

If we are, you can see that the bow can be changed or removed and rewelded? with just the removal of two bolts/screws. Lets hope so.

I have more to share, but I'll come back to it if you can do some homework first. Download the FSM, find that page RF-175, and then skim through the entire RF section to understand the intracacies of the top assembly.

I'm RVing for the next few days, and if I have good access to the internet, I can do follow ups, but be patient if I can't get back on until I get home. I've been working on cars for 55 years, many of them on antique convertibles I've owned, and I see them as a challenge. I've researched the tops on these 370z's, and I do all of my own work where possible (motor/tranny changes, but I wouldn't try to rebuild a tranny, if you get my meaning). So hopefully I can point you in the right direction.

That said, after you've seen the manual, etc., and understand your issue, see what your Ford guys will do for you. Be friendly, but firm, and see what gives. Maybe much, maybe not much, but if you are armed with the knowledge, ... they won't be able to BS you, and you may well find yourself in the driver's seat on this. Even if it goes south with the Ford dealership, you still will have a way to salvage the issue for not a lot of dollars. These are great cars, I've owned one of every generation Z car since 1971. They get in your blood, particularly because not everyone outthere has one. Fingers crossed!!!

Here's the link to the FSM: Index of /FSM/370Z/Coupe

Gene

OldGuyFla

Hi
Sorry to hear about your problem. Gene is the man when it comes to knowing the convertible top & he has given real good info. above. One question, do you have the option of returning the Z?
Hope all works out OK. Good luck.

__________________

gbhrps

SnowXTC,

Back again after some more research.

The fix for the cloth top (because yours is so small) is an adhesive called “Stormsure”. Watch this video from YouTube and you’ll see what I mean. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dozd_sDlbtc
As well, you can buy it on Amazon. Just pop in the name and it comes up. Not sure if you can find it elsewhere, but maybe.

Along that line, wrap the broken pieces of that bow (yes its number two bow, I finally saw your pictures from your 2nd post and it’s obvious to me anyway) with black electrical tape until you can get it fixed. This will prevent more cloth top damage if you continue to use the car.

Which brings up this …… why did it break in the first place? That bow is supposed to move/swing somewhat when the top goes up and down. Maybe yours was binding at those screw/bolts at each end and couldn’t = broken arm. Or that bow was damaged when someone or thing hit that area of the top before you bought the car. Who knows? Anyways, when you repair that bow or replace it, make sure it can move/swing freely, or you’ll be doing this repair again.

I looked at my 2nd bow and I believe its made of an aluminum alloy, so if its removed, it should be able to be rewelded. But not every welder can do aluminum welding, so you’ll need to find an aluminum welder, and have him inspect that bow and tell you if it can be fixed. If not, the part number for that 2nd bow is 970201ETOA from Nissan and its MRSP is $317.98. Yikes! But cheaper than $13 000.

If you look at your bow picture, you’ll see that the inside roof material velcro’s or wraps around that bow and a long plastic strip fits into a slot the length of the bow as a fastening. Meaning it unclips or the velcro can be pulled off to loosen the bow from the inner top material. You’ll also see that the outer top cloth has a part that is fastened into a slot along the bow’s top length, and it just slides out. Meaning, by undoing the bolts/screws at both ends of the 2nd bow, you should be able to slide the bow out one side after you’ve detached the inner top material from the bow. Again, if you go through the RF section of the manual, this is all explained and pictured for you.

What it really comes down to is that you should be able to fix your top for a very reasonable price after all, at least from what I’m seeing, no guarantees though, as I’ve not done one of these at this stage.

So now you have some knowledge of what needs doing, how it works, and then see your Ford guys. From there, maybe a good reputable convertible repair shop is the place to get the work done, but I’m not certain a Nissan dealership will have as much expertise. If you go the convertible shop route, it’ll help to have the RF section of the FSM printed out for them, and then show their service guy the specific sections concerning the 2nd bow. I don’t think they’ll have a copy of it, since they won’t have done many 370z’s in the past.

Get back to me if you have any questions, and keep us posted as to how it all goes.

Gene

SnowXTC

Thank you so very much. I will talk to Ford about it. If they cover the part, I will do the replacement. Pretty certain it was done before I bought it and I am passed the lemon law of 3 days, but finding a 370z Roadster in Montana is not easy and not cheap. Most want $2000+ over book. I had a choice of 3 within 300 miles of me. I love the car and the husband is just going to have to learn to live with me having an affair with it.

I need to look again, but I found the part for like $212. and yes it is the second bow. I very much appreciate the service manual as I am a perfectionist and pay hard attention to detail. I highly doubt I can find a shop within 300 miles of me that does softtops, although there should be. I am hoping to get in on the hard top buy on this site. I live on a mountain though and will not be driving the car in winter. AWD or 4WD is required for my house, even when it is plowed, but I can garage drive. (promise I will open the garage door or run exhaust tubing).

SnowXTC

That is not a Haynes or Chilton manual I can do this though. I will order the sealant in the morning. It should work with the top still attached since it is not actually a tear.

Why it broke is definitely concerning.

gbhrps

SnowXTC,

This is the actual Nissan Factory Manual for all 370z models. Its not one of those Chilton ones that only covers the basics, and not always correctly.

As for your 2nd bow, be sure to tape those sharp edges to prevent further cloth top damage, and it wouldn't hurt to just power the top up and down in stages, stopping at various points, to be sure that the 2nd bow doesn't bind somehow and do more damage, like kink a hydraulic line.

I know how you feel about the car, as I'm having a love affair with mine (got it at the end of September, and then had to put it away all winter). Yeah, they're rare as hen's teeth (in my area at least, and that's one of the reasons I bought it) and go like a scalded cat, if you don't behave yourself.

Glad I could help out. Keep us posted as to how you make out.

Gene

Don-MT

[QUOTE=SnowXTC;3663746....but finding a 370z Roadster in Montana is not easy and not cheap.[/QUOTE]
Hey, Snow, where in Montana are you? We may have the only two 370Z Roadsters in the state of Montana.

SnowXTC

I am in Helena and bought the car from Missoula. As I said I had a choice of 3 in the State so I know there is at least 3.

Dealership is talking about warranty.

I knew it was the factory manual and it is very in depth, but definitely not 370Z for dummies manual. It will be intense reading.

Don-MT

I'm in Bozo. I've had a couple of minor repairs/adjustments to my top done here at the local Nissan dealer. They may be a resource for you.
Cheers!

SnowXTC

Visited Lithia here and should know today. Unfortunately, yet another issue as arose. Beyond having to replace the battery.

Now the drivers side window drops farther than usual when opening the door and will not go back up after I close the door, thus leaving a 1/2 to 1.5 inch gap when closing the door. The car started doing it parked on a slight uphill incline, but it did not do it this morning in the same parking spot.

SnowXTC

@Don_MT, I looked at a grey one in Bozeman, but they wanted way over book for it. I also saw a grey one in Missoula, so that is 5 Roadsters in Montana, thus far. What color is yours?

SouthArk370Z

Try doing the window reset procedure.

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Don-MT

It's a Black Cherry Touring. I picked it up in Idaho Falls. As SouthArk says, do the window reset. It's in your owners manual. It's not difficult and you'll do it every time you disconnect the battery.

SnowXTC

Wahoo, I am 2 issues solved now. Any other little things I should know about my Z such as the window issue? I hope to get a head of the issues so I can do some mods, one of the first will be Blu's rear fog light fix.