Robbins Top Problems

[whelton]

Hi Guys,

Has anyone had problems with the Robbins top alignment when putting up the top? I installed the Robbins top on a 1999 Boxster (with glass window). When I put the top up sometimes it doesn't stay inside the guides above the side windows. The tensioning straps are as tight as I can make them. It only happens when the top has been down for at least 15-20 minutes. If you cycle it up and down in aligns most of the time. I can't see anyway to make it align any differently. There is a note on the instructions from Robbins that they are not liable for any problems with this as it is a known fault with the boxster. I'm seriously regretting changing the top because if I have to fiddle with it for 15 minutes every time I put it up I'll end up never putting the top down. If I can't get this sorted I'm seriously considering changing back to the old top. Putting the top up and down was just a matter of pushing a button. This has been an expensive and troublesome effort to improve the car.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cheers,

Will

[honda_nos]

I have the same top on the same year 99. There is a little metal "finger" that bolts into the arm which holds the top at a position so that it slides into the guide. I don't have a picture at the moment but if that piece is not in, it will not go into the guide. I can take some pictures for you if you need.

For me, I have the following issues

- the front of the top (along the windshield, there is two plastic guides on the canvas, they are too wide for the slots in the top (metal piece)

- I have the top set too tight, front of top will not touch the windshield, I have to pull on it. I am thinkinig I can fix that by resetting the back rail (along the trunk cover) looser

- I am not sure how to get the front corners to not bulge

- there are a few small rinkles (sp?)

I haven't had time to work on these issues yet. I needed to get the top on because the previous was leaking slightly. I'm hoping to get to these issues soon.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense

Hi Guys,

Has anyone had problems with the Robbins top alignment when putting up the top? I installed the Robbins top on a 1999 Boxster (with glass window). When I put the top up sometimes it doesn't stay inside the guides above the side windows. The tensioning straps are as tight as I can make them. It only happens when the top has been down for at least 15-20 minutes. If you cycle it up and down in aligns most of the time. I can't see anyway to make it align any differently. There is a note on the instructions from Robbins that they are not liable for any problems with this as it is a known fault with the boxster. I'm seriously regretting changing the top because if I have to fiddle with it for 15 minutes every time I put it up I'll end up never putting the top down. If I can't get this sorted I'm seriously considering changing back to the old top. Putting the top up and down was just a matter of pushing a button. This has been an expensive and troublesome effort to improve the car.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cheers,

Will

[whelton]

Thanks for your reply. At least I know I'm not the only one with problems. I did find the metal spring you were talking about after more searches yesterday on forums. One suggestion was to turn it over so it would be tighter. I tried that late yesterday evening. I will put the top down today for a few hours and see if that fixed the alignment problem. I've got my finger's crossed.

Mine doesn't go all the way shut to the windscreen but if I push just a little it locks into place. I prefer it to be really tight anyway. I'm not sure you would be able to loosen along the back rail or the rear seam will show when the top is up. My front corners bulge just a bit where the seams are located but I'm guessing this may flatten a bit over time. And I do have a small wrinkle in one corner. I could take it all apart again on that side and glue it a bit to get rid of the wrinkle. I'll live with it for now because I'm tired of messing with it. I've also got wrinkles on both sides at the back where the top meets the back fenders. I don't think any adjustment will get rid of this. But I can live with these if I have to. They are not too noticeable. If I can figure out how I will attach a pic.

One thing I found with my top which you might want to watch our for is that the top actually separated where it is glued in the back. Right below the rear window the factory glue just didn't hold. I had to glue it back. I would have sent the top back but I'm in Australia and the shipping would have been too much, plus the hassle with customs here. This has made me worry about the quality of this top. So far the glue is holding except in one small spot. I'm waiting to see if it separates more before gluing that spot back.

Anyway, good luck getting yours sorted.

Cheers,

Will

I have the same top on the same year 99. There is a little metal "finger" that bolts into the arm which holds the top at a position so that it slides into the guide. I don't have a picture at the moment but if that piece is not in, it will not go into the guide. I can take some pictures for you if you need.

For me, I have the following issues

- the front of the top (along the windshield, there is two plastic guides on the canvas, they are too wide for the slots in the top (metal piece)

- I have the top set too tight, front of top will not touch the windshield, I have to pull on it. I am thinkinig I can fix that by resetting the back rail (along the trunk cover) looser

- I am not sure how to get the front corners to not bulge

- there are a few small rinkles (sp?)

I haven't had time to work on these issues yet. I needed to get the top on because the previous was leaking slightly. I'm hoping to get to these issues soon.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense

[1schoir]

Thanks for your reply. At least I know I'm not the only one with problems. I did find the metal spring you were talking about after more searches yesterday on forums. One suggestion was to turn it over so it would be tighter. I tried that late yesterday evening. I will put the top down today for a few hours and see if that fixed the alignment problem. I've got my finger's crossed.

Mine doesn't go all the way shut to the windscreen but if I push just a little it locks into place. I prefer it to be really tight anyway. I'm not sure you would be able to loosen along the back rail or the rear seam will show when the top is up. My front corners bulge just a bit where the seams are located but I'm guessing this may flatten a bit over time. And I do have a small wrinkle in one corner. I could take it all apart again on that side and glue it a bit to get rid of the wrinkle. I'll live with it for now because I'm tired of messing with it. I've also got wrinkles on both sides at the back where the top meets the back fenders. I don't think any adjustment will get rid of this. But I can live with these if I have to. They are not too noticeable. If I can figure out how I will attach a pic.

One thing I found with my top which you might want to watch our for is that the top actually separated where it is glued in the back. Right below the rear window the factory glue just didn't hold. I had to glue it back. I would have sent the top back but I'm in Australia and the shipping would have been too much, plus the hassle with customs here. This has made me worry about the quality of this top. So far the glue is holding except in one small spot. I'm waiting to see if it separates more before gluing that spot back.

Anyway, good luck getting yours sorted.

Cheers,

Will

I have the same top on the same year 99. There is a little metal "finger" that bolts into the arm which holds the top at a position so that it slides into the guide. I don't have a picture at the moment but if that piece is not in, it will not go into the guide. I can take some pictures for you if you need.

For me, I have the following issues

- the front of the top (along the windshield, there is two plastic guides on the canvas, they are too wide for the slots in the top (metal piece)

- I have the top set too tight, front of top will not touch the windshield, I have to pull on it. I am thinkinig I can fix that by resetting the back rail (along the trunk cover) looser

- I am not sure how to get the front corners to not bulge

- there are a few small rinkles (sp?)

I haven't had time to work on these issues yet. I needed to get the top on because the previous was leaking slightly. I'm hoping to get to these issues soon.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense

Will and Honda:

If I read your posts correctly, I believe that you are not making the correct adjustments.

In order to adjust how the front edge of the canvas top lines up with the top edge of the windshield frame so that the two tongues on the front edge of the canvas top can easily be guided into the two receptacles on the top edge of the windshield frame, you must make an adjustment at the push rods (or "joint arms") that are attached to the forwardmost part of the V-levers (when the top is almost closed).

The easiest way to access the nut that you must loosen is to open the top about 12 to 18 inches and reach under the rear of the convertible top frame bow.

Here is a photo of the push rod, with the red arrow pointing to the nut that must be loosened. The V-lever and the subject push rod have been removed from the car for this photo:

You must loosen the 10mm nut (with the thick washer) that holds the two sections of each pushrod (one on passenger's side and one on driver's side), and then loosen or shorten the overall length of the pushrod so as to get the correct engagement at the front windshiled frame receptacles.

The longer you make the overall length of the pushrod, the closer that side of the front of the canvas top will be to the top of the windshield frame. The shorter the length of the pushrod, the further away that side of the front of the canvas top will end up when the top has reached its forwardmost travel.

Regards, Maurice.

[honda_nos]

Maurice, thank you! That is indeed what I needed to do. Five minutes resolved the latching issue!!!

[1schoir]

Maurice, thank you! That is indeed what I needed to do. Five minutes resolved the latching issue!!!

Honda:

Good job! Let's hope Will has the same success.

If you are up to tackling the front bulges at the front corners, let me know and I'll give you a procedure that will probably solve or ameliorate the problem.

Regards, Maurice.

[honda_nos]

Yea your advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Maurice, thank you! That is indeed what I needed to do. Five minutes resolved the latching issue!!!

Honda:

Good job! Let's hope Will has the same success.

If you are up to tackling the front bulges at the front corners, let me know and I'll give you a procedure that will probably solve or ameliorate the problem.

Regards, Maurice.

[1schoir]

Yea your advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Honda:

To have the best chance to "take out" the wrinkles shown at the front edges of your top in your photos above, you are going to have to "unpeel" the front of the top again. I am going to assume you already know how to do that if you have already removed and installed the top yourself. (If not, let me know).

Once the front edge of the top is peeled back, you first have to clean away any glue or double sided tape residue that is there so that you have a completely clean surface. You can use denatured alcohol for that purpose, it works well and the new double sided tape will stick on that much better.

Once that surface is cleaned, apply two sided tape in the channel between the two ridges that run from left to right across the entire metal rib. I used 3M automotive double sided tape, Item #06384 available at any auto paint store.

The front edge of the canvas top will have a leather or cardboard strip to help you line it up parallel and tight. Stretch the canvas top by pulling it forward, wrap it around the metal rib and press it onto the double sided tape that you just applied. The adhesive will hold it in place but I also used a couple plastic spring wood clamps to pinch it in place so I can walk around and make sure it was even and straight.

Now, this is the crucial part for getting rid of the wrinkles: To line up this part of the front edge correctly, make sure that the leather or cardboard strip lays in between the two slight metal ridges that run from left to right, and that it lines up snug against the rearmost of the two ridges when you are gluing/clamping that part of the canvas top. Work from the center out to each side. When you get to right and left corners, make sure that you pull hard on the canvas so that it is tightly wrapped around the front of the metal rib before you wrap the very corner of the canvas top (with the small indented cutout to allow the screw to go through) around and fasten it with that one screw (after you next install the weatherstrip gasket over it).

Here is a photo showing the method of holding the canvas in place as you are lining it up (click on the photo to blow it up):

The red arrows show the area under which the two ridges are and the clamps used to hold the canvas against the double sided adhesive tape. Note that the front weather strip gasket has been temporarily attached at the right and left corners with one screw in each corner.

If you do the repair, please post photos or questions with any difficulty you may encounter.

Also, if you do this successfully and you feel up to tackling the wrinkles at the rear, we'll give that a shot too.

Good luck!

Regards, Maurice.

Edited November 20, 2007 by 1schoir

[whelton]

Maurice,

Thanks for your assistance with my top issues. Yesterday I noticed that the top is now separating on the other side of the window. I took it to a trim shop today and the owner said nothing would probably hold the pieces together. I also noticed that the side I glued back together is starting to separate again. He believes it is the big temperature changes that we can have here in Australia. I have decided to scrap the Robbins top because I will never be satisfied with all these problems. I'm trying to decide what my best option would be:

1) Try another after market top with a plastic window. I've e-mailed Tops on Line to see if they can tell me how the top is bonded at the back. I don't mind spending another $500 for a plastic window top if it is made closer to OEM than the Robbins top. I wonder if anyone on here has any experience with these tops.

2) I've asked Porsche for a quote on an OEM top. The way prices are for anything Porsche here in Australia, I'm optimistic that I will use that option.

3) Just take off the Robbins top and put my old top back on. It is a bit worn on the sides where it folds and the window is a bit scratched, but it closed properly and still seems very well made. It also gave a lot less wind noise.

I'm waiting to get the answers I've e-mailed to Porsche and Tops on Line and will then decide what to do. This has been a frustrating and expensive exercise just to have a glass window. The good old Boxster chop wasn't such an inconvenience after all. I love my Boxster but if I can't get the top back to working properly and looking decent it will be time for a trade.

Anyway thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Cheers,

William

[sboost]

It's been almost a year now since I replaced (myself) the top on my 2000 Boxster with a glass conversion from Robbins. I have to say that the fit, installation, and operation with the new top were all perfect -or at least as good as the OEM top. After a short time however, the top did begin to separate at one area where it is glued on the inside around the window and also at the back where it installs into the rear bow. It was clearly heat related, because it would disbond only in warm weather. The glue always remained tacky and if I pressed the fabric back together it would hold OK until the next time it was warm and parked in the sun (BTW I'm in Montreal Canada, summers can be warm here, but definitely not the hottest part of the planet). Let me add the fabric was not totally separating or opening, it was just a secondary fold that was becoming unglued. Concerned, I wrote Tops-on-line, (the e-Bay distributor I bought it from) about my problem asking if there was a procedure that they recommend to re-glue it and hopefully stop it from progressing. A couple of weeks later I received a brand new replacement top in the mail - no charge. My car is now in storage for the winter and I haven't yet had the chance to replace the top. For the time being it doesn't appear that the fabric will ever separate totally from the glass window so I'll probably wait and see how long it holds. The new top doesn't appear to be any different from the old one and my guess is that this is a problem with all the Robbins glass tops. I have to commend them for their excellent service in sending me a replacement, but I would feel a lot better with some acknowledgement of the problem from Robbins and confirmation that they have done something to address it.

Steven

[honda_nos]

So I finally had time to tackle the front "looseness" issue and following Maurice's advice I was able to make the fit a whole lot better. However, given the temp has been around 30-40 lately, I didn't get such a good bond with my contact glue. It will do for now though, until summer time. When it gets warmer, I'll try to tighten it up again. Thanks guys!

[1schoir]

So I finally had time to tackle the front "looseness" issue and following Maurice's advice I was able to make the fit a whole lot better. However, given the temp has been around 30-40 lately, I didn't get such a good bond with my contact glue. It will do for now though, until summer time. When it gets warmer, I'll try to tighten it up again. Thanks guys!

Good work! It's very difficult (if not impossible) to work on the top when the temperatures get down that low, because the top material is not as pliable.

Maybe the sun beating down on your top on a sunny day will improve the bond.

Regards, Maurice.

Edited December 31, 2007 by 1schoir