Vert top to door fit issue (pics included)

[phenryiv1]

I recently purchased a 1989 325iC as a weekender. The PO ha dan issue with an attempted break-in on the car and the top no longer holds tight to the frame over the driver's door. I looked in the trunk and found that one of the tension cables is broken off at the eyelet, so I ordered a pair of replacement cables.



Having not yet received/installed them, I was doing more diagnostics on the top to be certain that there were no bends in the frame. The frame appears to be straight, but I noticed when I was monkeying with things last night that the when the door is closed the window on the driver's door seems to want to rest outside of the weatherstripping/gasket along the bottom of the roof frame.





Any thoughts on what causes this? Will the tension cables fix it, or is this a function of the top itself, the frame, or bad tension straps?

Any help is appreciated.

[Todd Black 88]

If that picture of the eyelet with the broken cable, is on your drivers trunk hinge, all that does is mechanically keeps you from opening the trunk if the roof deck lid is open, and vice verse.

The windows need to be adjusted inside the door. I used to have to adjust every winter for my hardtop, and every summer re-adjust for my soft top. Pain in the ass really.

[phenryiv1]

If that picture of the eyelet with the broken cable, is on your drivers trunk hinge, all that does is mechanically keeps you from opening the trunk if the roof deck lid is open, and vice verse.

Interesting...so if those cables don't have anything to do with the tension of the top, what is the function of cables such as these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200734468967?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

The windows need to be adjusted inside the door. I used to have to adjust every winter for my hardtop, and every summer re-adjust for my soft top. Pain in the ass really.

That still sounds do-able.





All of that said, what do I need to do to get the canvas to sit tight to the frame? What component of the top holds down the canvas portion of the top?

[CorvallisBMW]

The tension cable on your car that broke is not related to the top fitment, it's actually to prevent the toneau cover and trunk lid from crashing in to each other. The strap locks them at a predetermined distance from one another to prevent that.

There are tensions wires inside the roof. They run along the outside edges of the roof and lock in to the front, and are attached in the rear inside the C-pillar with springs for tension. To access them you need to pull out the c-pillar gaskets and drill out 2 rivets on each side to release the spring. Then you can replace the wire and spring and re-rivot it back together. The front also requires drilling/riveting. It looks like you need to replace both the tension wires and the springs. Check out realoem.com:

You'll need parts, #8 (54311932757), #9 (54311932747) and #34 (07119975340), or use heat shrink tube

As far as the window goes, you'll need to remove the inner door panel and start tweaking the fitment. There are adjustments on how much the window leans in/out, how high it raises, and the front-to-back levelness. It's a pain in the ass and involves a lot of guess-and-check, and sadly there's no real shortcut. It just takes time and practice.

If the window is also pulled away from the roof at the front, near the a-pillar, try pushing in on the peak of the door a-pillar with the door open and the window down. You won't break anything, but you can bend that thinner metal to 'force' the window closer to the roof gaskets.

[Todd Black 88]

Those look like the cables that are inside the outer ring of the top itself, and give the tension of the top when in the up position.(closed)

There are no cables that attach to the body of the car, and go into the top.

The cables, and all the rods/linkage arms that are glued into the fabric of the top hold down the canvas. Maybe one of the cables snapped on that side, but the do not attach to the body of the car anywhere, they are in the top.


Edit. See above. Nailed it.

[phenryiv1]

So I may have ordered the correct cables but just had the attachment point/install process wrong?

[CorvallisBMW]

The cables for the trunk/toneau are totally different than those for the convertible top. The cables in the eBay ad you referenced are for the convertible top.

[phenryiv1]

The cables for the trunk/toneau are totally different than those for the convertible top. The cables in the eBay ad you referenced are for the convertible top.

I don't car about both toneau cables being connected (one of them still is functional). I just want to have the top stay tight.

An additional question- If I were to buy a whole new top, would it already contain these cables?

[CorvallisBMW]

That depends on who you buy it from. But I doubt it.

[Semblance]

I don't car about both toneau cables being connected (one of them still is functional)....

Btw you need both of those cables to be working in order for the tonneau/trunk anti-collision mechanism/doohickey to actually work. So just be careful not to pop the trunk when you've got the tonneau open.

(As mentioned, this isn't related to the top fitting right.)

[phenryiv1]

A couple more pictures...

Driver's side:


Passenger side:


Looks like the end of the cable is missing completely. Is that the cable from # 8 in the RealOEM diagram in post # 4?

[CorvallisBMW]

Yes.

[phenryiv1]

I am thinking new top, new tension straps, new holddown straps.

[CorvallisBMW]

You can do all that, but I'd replace those parts I posted about first. It will fix most if not all of the leaks for less than 10% the cost of a whole new top. But if you also want a new top, by all means go for it! It depends on what your goals are for the project.

Also be prepared to buy new weatherstripping if you're putting on a new top. The old stuff is likely in shit shape and will still leak. IMO you're looking at at least $500 for the whole set, both sides. It's OEM only.

[phenryiv1]

You can do all that, but I'd replace those parts I posted about first. It will fix most if not all of the leaks for less than 10% the cost of a whole new top. But if you also want a new top, by all means go for it! It depends on what your goals are for the project.

Also be prepared to buy new weatherstripping if you're putting on a new top. The old stuff is likely in shit shape and will still leak. IMO you're looking at at least $500 for the whole set, both sides. It's OEM only.

The window in the current top is cracked. It is sewn in so no easy replacement there. This project is becoming a money pit. I think it will be worth it in the end but half of what was done was done half-@$$3d.