21 replies to this topic

[TIP]

HI Folks With the weather forecast showing rubbish weather for the next few days I decided to break the hardtop out of storage, since fitting it I have a couple of questions I'm hoping someone can help with 1. I have never been entirely happy with the way the rear clips attach, it always seems like a poorly designed way of attaching so am I doing something wrong? does anybody have a pic of the rear clips attached? 2. the whole top squeaks like mad, do other people suffer from squeaky top and what do you do to solve it? grease? next job is to make a DIY lining to "winterise" the car, have brought some dynamat to cure the boom, some felt to insulate and some alcantara to make it look pretty ! will post some pics when done. TIP

[chris_uk]

i found putting card washers around everything stopped most of the squeeking.. but it still happens.. im going to try plastic washers next

[mcewanslager]

mine squeeks at the passenger rear fixing but i just cut some sponge and fitted it inbetween the bracket and roof and it was fine.

[EssexVX]

1. I have never been entirely happy with the way the rear clips attach, it always seems like a poorly designed way of attaching so am I doing something wrong? does anybody have a pic of the rear clips attached?

TIP

I have just fitted my hardtop aswell and I don't remember one of the rear fixings being hard to go on in past years! One side fits perfectly but the other seems to be out of alignment slightly. Tightening the bolt makes the bracket stick out a bit at the front.

Guess I'll just try to add foam to stop that bit squeaking anyway

[Steve B]

Right, my hardtop started squeeking so I took it off and tried to put it on more aligned etc as it was just popped on from buying / collecing it. The rear clamps appear to be too forward on the roof (but the torx bolts that hold them on have pins in te middle preventing them being loosened and adjusted) and so the cup bit doesn't go round the bit on the car, rather the edge of the cup just hits the bit on the car, it doesn't "cup" it. Also the bits on the car appear a bit high and so the roof doesn't get pulled down very well, the bolts run out of movemne before the roofs clamped down hard. i.e. push down with my hand on each rear corner and the roof goes down about 4/5mm more, the tops of the windows don't seal either so I assume the roof should be pulled down more. Any suggestions? My cars a November 2002 one, the hardtops a winscreen surron colour non lined one (orignal n/a lid I think)?

[cthomas443]

This may be of help
http://www.vx220.org...ets-t56469.html

[Steve B]

Right then so I need the new brackets. Are the Lotus and Vauxhall ones identical? Is there anywhere online I can order them?

[chris_uk]

anyone got a pic of these new brackets?

[TIP]

the EBC pics are not very clear

can anybody post a pic of these new plastic clips


TIP

EDIT- the security torx bolts on mine were not on too tight so I managed to loosen and adjust with a pair of pliers (did scuff them a bit though)

have found this

bracket

but does not show that clearly

Edited by TIP, 03 September 2009 - 10:01 PM.

[Steve B]

Just ordered the parts from Vauxhall as the Nearest Lotus Dealer is a 60mile round trip, where as the Vauxhall dealer 1.5 miles away. Part numbers from wiki 9197328 & 9197327 £49.50

Edited by Steve B, 04 September 2009 - 08:22 AM.

[Exmantaa]

Heard that the Lotus equivalents are 1/5 of that price.....

[Ken]

My hard top used to rattle and squeak like mad. Its seems to be the cup part of the bracket rattling around and somebody suggested I put some velcro around the cup and sit the roof bracket into it. In other words you dont have metal aginast metal. But the velcro aournd the cup bracket and thihted the roof into it. It works a treat and no squeaks at all.

[Steve B]

My hard top used to rattle and squeak like mad. Its seems to be the cup part of the bracket rattling around and somebody suggested I put some velcro around the cup and sit the roof bracket into it. In other words you dont have metal aginast metal. But the velcro aournd the cup bracket and thihted the roof into it.

It works a treat and no squeaks at all.

I've done a temp fix with bike handle bar grip cut to shape. doesn't fix the roof sitting to high for the windows though

[Steve B]

Just ordered the parts from Vauxhall as the Nearest Lotus Dealer is a 60mile round trip, where as the Vauxhall dealer 1.5 miles away. Part numbers from wiki 9197328 & 9197327 £49.50

Just finally collected them from Vauxhall. Had someone on parts reception mess me about for 40 minutes saying "I can't find them" A demand to refund them and a loud comment about dreadful service and then a manager intervening made them appear almost immediately, why do they employ such clueless people.

Hope they make everything fit nicely now

[Ouchie]

The windows might still need to be adjusted to meet the hardtop. There is a small metal disc as part of the scissor mechanism that will need to be loosened and rotated a few degrees. Check the window adjustment guide for more details.

[Steve B]

The windows might still need to be adjusted to meet the hardtop. There is a small metal disc as part of the scissor mechanism that will need to be loosened and rotated a few degrees. Check the window adjustment guide for more details.

Cool,

I think fingers crossed they maybe ok as the only problem was the hardtop was sitting about 5mm too high, if the new brackets drop it straight down the seals should meet up perfectly -

[framauro]

£49.50?!?!?!?!? WTF?!!!

that is a laugh, they are way less than a fiver from Lotus!

See HERE.

[Steve B]

£49.50?!?!?!?!? WTF?!!!

that is a laugh, they are way less than a fiver from Lotus!

See HERE.

That would have been helpfull a little while ago.

[framauro]

Sorry chap, posted it on Aug 19 2009, 20:33.... so before your post.

Anyway, you have them now - and I still don't!

Let us know if it sorts your problem. My HT squeaks are doing my head in!

[cerbera8]

When i got my car the seller gave me a small pack of spade connector covers which he advised shoving in at the base of the rear brackets. doesn't seem to squeak or rattle.

Edited by cerbera8, 30 September 2009 - 09:26 PM.