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Sacramento Installation Help?
Hi all,
Just bought a new Robbins top from mmmiata.com: "Robbins Premium Miata Top with Glass Window zip 90/97 BK Sunfast Top Glass Window zip, w/ rail" ....and dropped it off at Great Valley Mazda... They say that the left tension cable is busted, and that while it is a Mazda part, they cannot order it without ordering an entire new top frame @ $800+. Any ideas on whether I should leave the top at Great Valley, and dedicate my efforts to finding the tension cable, or can anyone recommend a good shop that has maybe seen/installed a Robbins top in the past? Thanks, %Joe% |
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#2
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"Mufferaw Joe" > wrote:
>Hi all, > >Just bought a new Robbins top from mmmiata.com: >"Robbins Premium Miata Top with Glass Window zip 90/97 BK Sunfast Top Glass >Window zip, w/ rail" > >...and dropped it off at Great Valley Mazda... > >They say that the left tension cable is busted, and that while it is a Mazda >part, they cannot order it without ordering an entire new top frame @ $800+. Strange. I am pretty sure mine came in the vinyl soft top when I ordered my 1999 top. Leon >Any ideas on whether I should leave the top at Great Valley, and dedicate my >efforts to finding the tension cable, or can anyone recommend a good shop >that has maybe seen/installed a Robbins top in the past? > >Thanks, >%Joe% > -- Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
#3
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"Mufferaw Joe" > wrote
> They say that the left tension cable is busted, and that while it is a Mazda > part, they cannot order it without ordering an entire new top frame @ $800+. > Not true. See http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=149309 The Mazda part number is NA01-R1-215. They are also available from Cabrioworld. http://www.cabrioworld.com/secure/de...=41&modelID=12 -- Ken Lyons '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red Inside the Beltway [Remove the first two digits to reply] |
#4
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kwiktops.com has them for $50 for the pair and are on the west coast like
you. aabestco.com also has them $40 for the pair and you could not find nicer people... but they are on the east cost so it may take longer to get to you... you also might want to ask them about installing the top so that you don't have to unzip the window (they add a couple of straps between the second and thrid bow and the rainrail... makes life much easier. ps. oh mmmiata.com sells them for $40 too.... but i thought they were out of business... and that new web site is so slow it makes me quickly want to shop elsewhere... like gomiata.com who also has them... "Mufferaw Joe" > wrote in message ... > Hi all, > > Just bought a new Robbins top from mmmiata.com: > "Robbins Premium Miata Top with Glass Window zip 90/97 BK Sunfast Top > Glass > Window zip, w/ rail" > > ...and dropped it off at Great Valley Mazda... > > They say that the left tension cable is busted, and that while it is a > Mazda > part, they cannot order it without ordering an entire new top frame @ > $800+. > > Any ideas on whether I should leave the top at Great Valley, and dedicate > my > efforts to finding the tension cable, or can anyone recommend a good shop > that has maybe seen/installed a Robbins top in the past? > > Thanks, > %Joe% > > |
#5
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"Christopher Muto" > wrote in:
> you also might want to ask them about installing the top so that you > don't have to unzip the window (they add a couple of straps between the > second and thrid bow and the rainrail... makes life much easier. Are there instructions somewhere as to how this is done? Can it be done after the top is installed? I'd REALLY like to have this done on my car if at all possible. |
#6
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i did an exhaustive search for top installation instructions before i
replaced my top. i am no expert so needed the confidence that comes with doing research on a subject. despite the great effort made by some in making them most only provided guidelines for installation. the duetto motors instructions however were head and shoulders above the rest. but they don't specifically speak to installing the tension cables after the fact but rather during top installation. if i recall correctly, you should be able to replace the cables with the top in place. if you open the top half-way see if you can peel back the fabric from the passenger or drivers side near the front to reveal the rivet that holds the plastic connector that is on the front end of the tension cable. this rivet would need to be drilled out in order to replace the cable. also try to peel back the fabric at the part of the frame that would be in contact with the rear of the window (window, not windshield). here you should find the cable connected to a tension spring and the other end of the spring screwed to the frame. make note of the path that the cable takes around the top hinges as you have to put the new cable in the same way. if you have access to these two points then you can replace the cable without having to remove the top. the only other step in the process is that you will have to fish the cable through the top itself. this should not be too difficult to do. you could tape the new cable to the old cable and pull the new cable through as you remove the old one. "XS11E" > wrote in message ... > "Christopher Muto" > wrote in: > >> you also might want to ask them about installing the top so that you >> don't have to unzip the window (they add a couple of straps between the >> second and thrid bow and the rainrail... makes life much easier. > > Are there instructions somewhere as to how this is done? Can it be done > after the top is installed? I'd REALLY like to have this done on my car > if > at all possible. > |
#7
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sheesh... obviously i thought you meant that you wanted to know about the
cables... as for retrofitting a top for no-zip after installation i think it would be a problem... not only because of the drilling required to be made into the bows to make rivet holes to secure the necessary straps (dangerously close to the top if already installed if even possible to get a drill in the correct position), but because the no-zip installation means not having the top connected to the second and third bow (no fabric flap from the top that is secured into the metal slot of the bow and a cover put on the bow to prevent snags with that metal slot). i suppose that one could disconnect the top from the bows, remove the flaps and cover the bows, but don't see how one could drill the rivet holes and attach the straps that are necessary to return the bows to the proper upright position (necessary if the bows are not connected to the top for positioning). "Christopher Muto" > wrote in message news:6jdYe.7145$N35.6887@trndny09... >i did an exhaustive search for top installation instructions before i > replaced my top. i am no expert so needed the confidence that comes with > doing research on a subject. despite the great effort made by some in > making them most only provided guidelines for installation. the duetto > motors instructions however were head and shoulders above the rest. but > they don't specifically speak to installing the tension cables after the > fact but rather during top installation. if i recall correctly, you > should > be able to replace the cables with the top in place. if you open the top > half-way see if you can peel back the fabric from the passenger or drivers > side near the front to reveal the rivet that holds the plastic connector > that is on the front end of the tension cable. this rivet would need to > be > drilled out in order to replace the cable. also try to peel back the > fabric > at the part of the frame that would be in contact with the rear of the > window (window, not windshield). here you should find the cable connected > to a tension spring and the other end of the spring screwed to the frame. > make note of the path that the cable takes around the top hinges as you > have > to put the new cable in the same way. if you have access to these two > points then you can replace the cable without having to remove the top. > the > only other step in the process is that you will have to fish the cable > through the top itself. this should not be too difficult to do. you > could > tape the new cable to the old cable and pull the new cable through as you > remove the old one. > > "XS11E" > wrote in message > ... >> "Christopher Muto" > wrote in: >> >>> you also might want to ask them about installing the top so that you >>> don't have to unzip the window (they add a couple of straps between the >>> second and thrid bow and the rainrail... makes life much easier. >> >> Are there instructions somewhere as to how this is done? Can it be done >> after the top is installed? I'd REALLY like to have this done on my car >> if >> at all possible. >> > > > > |
#8
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"Christopher Muto" > wrote in:
> sheesh... obviously i thought you meant that you wanted to know about > the cables... S'OK, that was interesting also. > as for retrofitting a top for no-zip after installation i > think it would be a problem... <snip> OK, so it really can't be done w/o removing the top. Unfortunately, while I really want one of the tops with a glass window that's no-zip, my top with the glass zip type window is very new, it was installed not long before I bought the car so I guess I'll just have to wait until it wears out. I'm WAAAAAY too cheap to replace a top that's still almost perfect. I suspect these tops will last quite a few years so I'll probably not replace mine in the near future. |
#9
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XS11E > wrote:
>"Christopher Muto" > wrote in: > >> sheesh... obviously i thought you meant that you wanted to know about >> the cables... > >S'OK, that was interesting also. > >> as for retrofitting a top for no-zip after installation i >> think it would be a problem... > ><snip> > >OK, so it really can't be done w/o removing the top. Unfortunately, while I >really want one of the tops with a glass window that's no-zip, my top with >the glass zip type window is very new, it was installed not long before I >bought the car so I guess I'll just have to wait until it wears out. I'm >WAAAAAY too cheap to replace a top that's still almost perfect. > >I suspect these tops will last quite a few years so I'll probably not replace >mine in the near future. If the top was installed professionally, it is probably not riveted to the rain rail and partial deinstall might not be that bad, depending on what exactly needs to be done. Just a thought. Leon -- Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
#10
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