[mooselise1]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any suggestions on what is the best way to remove and install the soft top on Spider? I have watched 2 youtube videos and read 2 articles (in User Guide and a 2019 Spider brochure) and they all have different procedures as to what to do first to start removing the top and how to roll up the top once it is loose and how to roll the soft top.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you!

 

[KeemoSabe]

What I do….
Removal: Loosen the inside bolts over the inside rear view mirror. Standing outside with doors open pull the latches over the side windows and roll the top to the center. First one side then the other. Lift the rolled top off, use the bag for it if you have it.
Install: Unroll the top across the opening and slip the beaded edge into the channel on the back of the windshield frame.Very important that the small red tab on the front edge center goes in the slot on the back of the top windshield frame and that the bead is in the channel evenly all the way across. Inside the car align the holes in the fabric tab on the top with the holes in the frame and lock the 2 bolts. Be sure the front bead is still in place and while holding both lock tabs open on one side of the car pull the frame down and lock it in. Mine seems to go in easiest back first the front. Be sure both locking pins are latched firmly and fully. Repeat on the opposite side. After you do it a few times it becomes easier to do.

 

[mooselise1]

What I do….
Removal: Loosen the inside bolts over the inside rear view mirror. Standing outside with doors open pull the latches over the side windows and roll the top to the center. First one side then the other. Lift the rolled top off, use the bag for it if you have it.
Install: Unroll the top across the opening and slip the beaded edge into the channel on the back of the windshield frame.Very important that the small red tab on the front edge center goes in the slot on the back of the top windshield frame and that the bead is in the channel evenly all the way across. Inside the car align the holes in the fabric tab on the top with the holes in the frame and lock the 2 bolts. Be sure the front bead is still in place and while holding both lock tabs open on one side of the car pull the frame down and lock it in. Mine seems to go in easiest back first the front. Be sure both locking pins are latched firmly and fully. Repeat on the opposite side. After you do it a few times it becomes easier to do.

Thank you for the response. That procedure is similar to a YouTube video in Italian. I would like to see a pic/video of the "small red tab" looks like just to make sure I understand.

Also another YT video said to undo the locking pins before the bolts near the rear view. So my questions are:
1. should the locking pins on the side or the bolts near rear view be undone first?

2. should the top be rolled from the sides from each direction till it meets in the center from each side or roll from whatver side you start onand then go tothe other side and continue rolling in the same direction? (i.e. rollfromdriver and pass sides till it meets in the center or roll all the way acrossin the same direction?)

Also, apologies for triple post, I am not that computer savvy (yet, hopefully)!
E.

 

[ecohen2]

@mooselise1 You might be overly concerned about the order on how to do stuff. The goal is to have it even and centered. I actually do the same steps taking it off or putting it back on.

#1. Undo the two center bolts
#2 Unlatch either the driver or passenger side and roll it up toward the other side.
#3. Unlatch the other side and put the top in my trunk.

When I put it back on, I do it in the exact same order. You just want to make sure the front edge of the fabric goes under the lip across the windshield.

If you are having trouble either latching or unlatching the end pieces you can adjust the mounts on the windshield and at the back of the door. You should also look at the rear pieces to see if you have shims and if they are lined up properly. If not, you use a 4mm Allen wrench to loosen the cap and then loosen the mount about 1/2 turn then use a pen or pencil to line up the shims.. Super easy and makes closing the latches very easy to do..

 

[KeemoSabe]

I’ll take a photo of the red tab tomorrow. As echoen2 said above, don’t overthink it.

 

[radm]

I do what @ecohen2 does, except that I undo the two center bolts after the first fold of the roof, so the whole procedure is done from the outside, which is handy especially when putting the roof back on (you don't have to go back into the car before locking it).

 

[Mikeyjm]

seems like I pull it off waiting at red lights a lot.lol

From the driver seat; I pop the passenger side latches and roll it up and towards center, then pop the latch over me and roll it up and in to the center, then undo the center twist fasteners, get my hands around it, pull it inside, drop it on floor in front of the passenger seat and finish waiting for my green light.

 

[KeemoSabe]

Here’s the red tab I mentioned up the thread.

The bead on the front edge of the canvas top needs to be in the channel in the back of the top windshield frame. If your top is on and you can see the red tab it’s wrong. It should look like this:

Hope the pics help. Order of unlatching, relating, etc is probably more personal preference than anything. 😄

 

[John4C]

seems like I pull it off waiting at red lights a lot.lol

From the driver seat; I pop the passenger side latches and roll it up and towards center, then pop the latch over me and roll it up and in to the center, then undo the center twist fasteners, get my hands around it, pull it inside, drop it on floor in front of the passenger seat and finish waiting for my green light.

That’s impressive. I’ve never attempted it from inside the car. Interesting idea. If I’m out and want to take the top off, I usually pull to the side of the road, get out and remove it like I would at home. You seem have it all figured out. I may practice your method in the garage 😂

 

[peterA116]

I undo/fasten one of the front bolts at the beginning and one at the end of each on/off process. Keeps the roof from falling into the car if you mishandle, gives some wiggle to get the edge in the challenge. I am pretty fast now and the roof has stretched just enough to make fastening the sides easy while still being rattle free.

 

[mooselise1]

Here’s the red tab I mentioned up the thread. View attachment 128738 The bead on the front edge of the canvas top needs to be in the channel in the back of the top windshield frame. If your top is on and you can see the red tab it’s wrong. It should look like this:
View attachment 128739
Hope the pics help. Order of unlatching, relating, etc is probably more personal preference than anything. 😄

Thank you so much for the pics. Since the pic is a close up of the soft top and I can't see how the top is positioned on the car, I want to make sure I understand the info. The red tab is on the front side of the soft top closest to the windshield, correct? I will also have to check the soft top, I don't remember seeing a red tab on it.
Thanks again for your help...
E.

 

[KeemoSabe]

Yes forward edge. You will only see the red when the canvas is out of the windshield frame.

 

[peterA116]

Ok it’s pretty obvious after you take it off and see it, and go to put it back on. If you can’t do this then leave all repairs and modifications to your mechanics. 🙂.

This can be a pretty merciless crowd once you start posting up. No matter how much you struggle don’t send a pic around with the front edge of the roof out of the channel, you’ll get shredded. 🔥

As you lay out the roof it actually transitions out of the channel at the edge. So don’t try getting the whole thing lined in. Lay the top across the roof, secure one of the bolts into the windshield header, tuck the tab under, roll out a side, lever the rear pins in a twisting motion into their mounts, squeeze the tabs to retract the front pins and then press down and release the tabs, then go do the other side, and secure the second bolt to the windshield header.

Frankly it takes longer to decide if you are gonna put it in the bag, or just lay in on the front floor or put it in the trunk than it does to remove, and reinstalling is nearly as fast after you get the hang of it. Yes, I did muck it up once and the whole thing dropped in the car, luckily didn’t damage anything and nobody was watching.

 

[ecohen2]

This can be a pretty merciless crowd once you start posting up. No matter how much you struggle don’t send a pic around with the front edge of the roof out of the channel, you’ll get shredded. 🔥

When I went to test drive my 4C the previous owner claimed to be an expert on the 4C... You will never guess what was sticking out the front edge! I regret not taking photos of everything I found wrong in the first 12 hours of ownership..

 

[McStelvio]

Here’s the red tab I mentioned up the thread. View attachment 128738 The bead on the front edge of the canvas top needs to be in the channel in the back of the top windshield frame. If your top is on and you can see the red tab it’s wrong. It should look like this:
View attachment 128739
Hope the pics help. Order of unlatching, relating, etc is probably more personal preference than anything. 😄

lol, I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time. I wondered why it was exceptionally noisy on the highway

 

[Raudikal]

lol, I’ve been doing it wrong this whole time. I wondered why it was exceptionally noisy on the highway

Or why you have water streaming in when it rains?

 

[McStelvio]

Or why you have water streaming in when it rains?

Trick is to not drive in the rain 😉

 

[Raudikal]

I loosen the inside two screws and remove the top from the outside. Unlock the driver side tabs and roll it toward the passenger side. I have to switch sides half way thought. Move to passenger side in lock passenger tabs and continue to roll toward passenger side.

First time I did it, I forgot to open the trunk so balanced it carefully on windshield and back frame. 😐
It takes me less than 5 minutes now. Installing it is reverse making sure the front bead goes into the grove.

 

[Raudikal]

Trick is to not drive in the rain 😉

Ha ha. I have owned it for a month now and drive it every chance I get. I’ll be grumpy when I have to store it for the winter.

 

[McStelvio]

Ha ha. I have owned it for a month now and drive it every chance I get. I’ll be grumpy when I have to store it for the winter.

Don’t blame ya! It just never rains over here in CA so it’s easy to just cover it up for when it does.