When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The T-Top rattles have been driving me crazy lately, and I decided to do something about it. My rattles have been coming from the plastic cover and go away when I hold the cover up. I think I have figured out how to fix this rattle, and have not seen this fix done in previous threads.
Take the T-Tops out of the car and place them on a soft surface (I used an old office chair). Remove the C-Clip from the latch handle with a hook-shaped pick.
Remove the screws from the sides of the plastic cover.
Unhook the bottom of the cover first, then remove the cover.
The first rattle I noticed was where the plastic contacted the glass. For that rattle, I put small pieces of black door edge molding over the parts that make contact.
The other rattle I noticed was near the key hole. I found a gasket at my local hardware store in the plumbing section with a 1" hole called a Tip Toe gasket. I used this gasket to prevent vibration at the key hole base, seems to work.
A picture of the gasket:
Out of the package:
Fits snugly against the key hole:
Installed behind cover:
Last edited by MoonlitMechanic; 09-11-2015 at 09:00 PM.
In the past, others have lessened this problem by bending the brackets that the T-Top pins go through at the A and B pillars. This tightened up the whole unit to the car.
In the past, others have lessened this problem by bending the brackets that the T-Top pins go through at the A and B pillars. This tightened up the whole unit to the car.
Yeah, I already tried that, which tightened the t-top, but the plastic itself still rattles.
On my car I had a nasty intermittent rattle coming from the drivers t-top. I foamed and bent and all that but I couldn't completely get rid of it.
It turned out I had some up/down slop in the t-top lock handle. I took the handle off and took a couple small chunks of foam and shoved them down the hole and then put it back on and I haven't had any rattling since.
On my car I had a nasty intermittent rattle coming from the drivers t-top. I foamed and bent and all that but I couldn't completely get rid of it.
It turned out I had some up/down slop in the t-top lock handle. I took the handle off and took a couple small chunks of foam and shoved them down the hole and then put it back on and I haven't had any rattling since.
Thanks for the input, may try that if I notice that rattle.
Updated original post with new solution for key hole.
Great post, I am going to try this. I tried bending the t-top pin brackets too, worked for a short period of time then came back. It's like the brackets get bent back again after some use.
I found the gaskets at home depot and put them on the opposite way shown. They seemed to stay on better that way. I also just put a tiny bit of grease on the metal pins and points that make contact with the window instead of the door edging. My tops are dead silent now for the first time since i bought the car.
Great post, I am going to try this. I tried bending the t-top pin brackets too, worked for a short period of time then came back. It's like the brackets get bent back again after some use. I found the gaskets at home depot and put them on the opposite way shown. They seemed to stay on better that way. I also just put a tiny bit of grease on the metal pins and points that make contact with the window instead of the door edging. My tops are dead silent now for the first time since i bought the car.
Bringing this one back to update with my story, in case others may see it and benefit.
My M6 driver's side t-top has creaked ever since I've had the car. Like you, I bent the tabs out and lubed the pin holes, and it seemed to help - for a little while. I bolted on SFC's thinking that minimizing body twisting would help. No bueno. Even though I only drive the car on nice days, and often with t-tops off, it finally started to drive me nuts to the point where I started thinking about selling it.
Finally I decided that I needed to make a final attempt at fixing this. I searched and found this thread. Listening carefully to the creaking, I could verify what you all found - that the plastic cover was the culprit. I installed the "tip toe gasket", lubed all the contact points, and am happy to report, like you, that for the first time, the rattle is gone and the t-top is silent.
Mine drives me nuts in under 40 degree weather. Every bump is a rattle. So I did this but used an oring instead of the tip toe gasket. The passenger side plastic is nice and tight. The drivers side has lots of flex. Not sure it will be completely silent but it should help.
Last edited by wannafbody; 05-07-2020 at 08:09 PM.
09-06-2015, 08:07 PM
T-Top Rattles: Plastic Cover 
