Top latches coming loose
04-09-2010, 03:56 PM
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Top latches coming loose My passenger's side latch got all floppy the other week
and finally quit being able to latch, so I dug in.
The latch mechanism is held in by two Allen button-head
bolts. Both had backed out entirely, one was loose in the
pocket between the header bow and the top, the other
still its hole.
To get access you have to position the top pointing straight
up and reach in from the side, under the top and the web.
There's nothing to remove, just got to get your hands in
there. I found a small 5/32 Allen bit (like comes with the
hex-shank screwdriver bit assortments) handy for running
the bolts in. There is enough slack to swing a regular
Allen key but that gets old, 1/4 turn at a time.
The other side had one screw finger tight and the other
backed out about halfway.
Something worth checking especially if the mechanism
seems loose in the housing. Losing the bolts would suck.
I wouldn't overtighten, the bosses the screws go into are
not something you want to try and Helicoil.
and finally quit being able to latch, so I dug in.
The latch mechanism is held in by two Allen button-head
bolts. Both had backed out entirely, one was loose in the
pocket between the header bow and the top, the other
still its hole.
To get access you have to position the top pointing straight
up and reach in from the side, under the top and the web.
There's nothing to remove, just got to get your hands in
there. I found a small 5/32 Allen bit (like comes with the
hex-shank screwdriver bit assortments) handy for running
the bolts in. There is enough slack to swing a regular
Allen key but that gets old, 1/4 turn at a time.
The other side had one screw finger tight and the other
backed out about halfway.
Something worth checking especially if the mechanism
seems loose in the housing. Losing the bolts would suck.
I wouldn't overtighten, the bosses the screws go into are
not something you want to try and Helicoil.
