Hard top rubber seals

[Riknos]

Hi guys,

Considering getting a hardtop for my car for winter, as I don't have a garage and car sits on the road all day long, and wont use it much over winter. The rubber seal on my drivers side roof is rubbish and lets water in. I've cut it open and filled it with foam and this worked for about a month, but it's sagged again and is letting water in. I know the seals can be replaced for £100, but was wondering if it was worth the extra for the hard top, as it will be handy in winter having better rear visibility (my plastic rear window is rubbish) and the heating element. But if the rubber seals on the hardtop around the window have issues with letting water in, then it makes it a false economy really.. Also, I take it they'll fit over a rollbar?

Cheers.

[skinny]

they are a single piece rubber seal on teh hardtop as it obviously doesn't have to fold, so they tend to be a little more waterproof. plus, as you say the rear visbility is much better, and the windnoise / warmth is better with a hardtop. and yeah the hardtop will fit over any roll bar that the softtop goes over.

just as a suggestion tho, my first roof looked absolutely fine, a few very small splits right at the edge of the section that went over the door, and i got water coming in through the seals, running down the inside of the windows, so i bolstered them up with foam inside etc, moved them towards the glass to make a tighter seal - still leaked. then my roof got slashed and i had to fit a new one - never leaked again!

[JQ]

skinny said:

they are a single piece rubber seal on teh hardtop as it obviously doesn't have to fold, so they tend to be a little more waterproof. plus, as you say the rear visbility is much better, and the windnoise / warmth is better with a hardtop. and yeah the hardtop will fit over any roll bar that the softtop goes over.

just as a suggestion tho, my first roof looked absolutely fine, a few very small splits right at the edge of the section that went over the door, and i got water coming in through the seals, running down the inside of the windows, so i bolstered them up with foam inside etc, moved them towards the glass to make a tighter seal - still leaked. then my roof got slashed and i had to fit a new one - never leaked again!

That's very very annoying - I have exactly the same problem with water entering. My roof is in absolutley mint condition, with the exception of these tiny little cracks at the fold. From what you're saying I need a new roof.

[MX-5 Lazza]

A touch of Vaseline rubbed into the cracks can help. The problem is though, the cracks are often a sign that the hood has shrunk in which case there is nothing much you can do to stop it leaking as the seals are too exposed to the elements.

[skinny]

JQ said:

That's very very annoying - I have exactly the same problem with water entering. My roof is in absolutley mint condition, with the exception of these tiny little cracks at the fold. From what you're saying I need a new roof.

yep very annoying, as the condition of my roof at the time was also really nice apart from those few little cracks

[Munter]

Yep the cracks do it. I used black duct tape for a while which stopped the worst of it.

The (my) hardtop doesn't have any leaking problems despite slightly perished looking seals. The "hard" part of the roof creates more of a lip which extends further out than the window of the car, and further than the soft top (what's left of it).

So it's definitely the way to stop water getting in. Not so handy for a cheeky top down drive. But I like mine. Keeps the car dry, and quieter...

[MX-5 Lazza]

A new soft top goes out over the windows too. The shrinkage is the main reason for water in the seals.