r107 Soft top release cable replacement

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r0b53

New Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
10
Location
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Car
280sl
Evening All,

Having previously been given some excellent advise by Derek I have been able to get my soft top to release OK but the root of my problem is down to a damaged release cable which can not be adjusted correctly so have now sourced a new cable and clips from the local MB dealership.
Simple swap out I thought, but alas despite all the fiddling around and unbolting of the catches I could not get the old cable to release from the respective levers and did not feel comfortable cutting the old one out only to find that I couldn't fit the new one. Is there a special technique to releasing the cable from these levers or do they need to be cut off.
Iv'e attached a few images that hopefully shows the problem and any help or advise would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Rob
image003_1.jpg

image005_1.jpg

cable-end.jpg
 
The catches do need to be unbolted from the body (I hope you followed the previous advice to mark the position of the rear catch?). The double right-angle in the end of the wire is known as a 'joggle' and it should be as simple as manoeuvring the catch through 90 to ease the wire end out of the wee hole. If it won't come off because maybe the wire end is distorted then you will need to cut it off.





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Unfortunately I didn't think of marking the rear catch position but it appears to be releasing ok at the moment, I will have another go to swap the cable when I get a moment and this time fully remove both ends, after marking the position this time,
With the rear catch does the ball ended joint on the attached control rod just pull off as I have tried to lever apart the joint with no joy but didn't want to apply much force.

Thanks again for your help

Cheers
Rob
 
Unfortunately I didn't think of marking the rear catch position but it appears to be releasing ok at the moment, I will have another go to swap the cable when I get a moment and this time fully remove both ends, after marking the position this time,
With the rear catch does the ball ended joint on the attached control rod just pull off as I have tried to lever apart the joint with no joy but didn't want to apply much force.

Thanks again for your help

Cheers
Rob

It twists off once the catch is free.

This is going to be difficult to explain but the large lever action should also release the catch but only for sort-top release. (try the following with the rear bow and the soft-top lid both 'up' so you can observe the catch working). If you operate the large lever SLOWLY the hook should release upwards but also at part travel should retract sideways. This is done via a cam action in the internal workings of the catch. The object is to de-tension and release the rear bow of the hood in one simple action without having to refer to the small lever. So, to release the hood the handle should be operated slowly and not simply 'flicked' off. Flicking the large handle off doesn't give the cam time to react. This action doesn't apply to the hard-top release since the top is too heavy to spring up and it requires the small lever to release. IF the hook doesn't move sideways on slow handle operation then the release rods require adjusting till it does.


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Great explanation, its all starting to make sense now, will take a look when I next have the car out.
Many Thanks

Rob
 
Hi Druk,
Many thanks for your help, have now managed to swap the control cable once the catches were removed and all seems to working fine and for the measly sum of 6 pence I have fitted a new clip :)

Cheers
Rob
 
Excellent :thumb:. You could do worse than secure that clip with a little tie-wrap through the slot and round the back of the cable. If it ever springs off all is lost.
 
Took note of your previous advise and although I didn't do the screw bit I did use a tie wrap, although the new clip was a devil to put on but it did eventually clip into place

Cheers
Rob
 

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