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Earlier there was a thread on here about adjusting the strap for one of the bow pulls on the convertible to fix the problem of the cover hitting the back of the glass when the top goes up and down.
Well, I did the fix a year or two ago and all it resulted in was the strap stretching out more.
So today, I went to Wal Mart and picked up a $3 flat bungee cord and made a new strap out of it. I cut the stitches out of the old strap and simply sewed the new one right onto the front section of the strap (I enlisted my wife to help with the sewing part). The bungee strap is much thicker and stronger and provides more elastic pull strength. I had to experiment with lengths a little to get the right amount of "pull". I'm happy to report it now work perfectly, and I'm confident this bungee cord will last much longer than the weak elastic strap the factory used.
Glad to hear you got it fixed. Hopefully it holds up with time...that seems to be the real question with these repairs.
The pictures also illustrate that you have a different elastic strap design than the later models. The later models don't have that leather/vinyl portion and the top strap and it attaches in a different place. This only furthers to complicate streamlining any one type of repair. A repair on one strap type may not necessarily work on the other. (ie - There is nothing to sew a new strap to on the later models and would require drilling a rivet out that's in a much more challenging place to reach).
A great option for repairing if you have the earlier type of strap.
I cut the new strap the same length as the old strap I took out but I don't know how much the old strap has stretched. I ended up having to move the end screw up about 47mm from the end of the new strap I cut. So the one I cut was about 1.75 inches too long. The old strap I took out was 6.5 inches long. So a 5 inch new strap probably would be about the right length if you're using the same bungy strap I used.
It's safer to just cut it a bit too long and then just move the screw on the end up further on the strap so it pulls the bow in properly.
The bungy also stretches a lot further than the old elastic it replaced. The elastic strap fully stretched tight could only get about 9.5 inches long. The bungy would stretch well beyond a foot, so you should be able to safely "pre-load" it with more initial stretch than you can the elastic, because if the elastic band reaches it limit before the bow is fully deployed, you're going to have a problem with the top going all the way up properly. No danger in that happening with this bungy.
Glad to hear you got it fixed. Hopefully it holds up with time...that seems to be the real question with these repairs.
The pictures also illustrate that you have a different elastic strap design than the later models. The later models don't have that leather/vinyl portion and the top strap and it attaches in a different place. This only furthers to complicate streamlining any one type of repair. A repair on one strap type may not necessarily work on the other. (ie - There is nothing to sew a new strap to on the later models and would require drilling a rivet out that's in a much more challenging place to reach).
A great option for repairing if you have the earlier type of strap.
On the later models, all you would have to do is cut the existing strap a few inches from where it is riveted on, and then sew on the new bungy strap to the end of the old strap. This way you don't have to mess with drilling out and replacing the rivet.
Or you could just drill out the pop rivet and replace it. You can get pop rivet kits at just about any hardware store or even Wal Mart, and they are very easy to drill out and replace.
By the way, it is interesting to note how this problem was fixed on the C7 convertible. They changed the way the toneau cover opens and closes, so it no longer has to pivot up at the rear, but instead lifts and slides back over the trunk. The top on the C7 can also be raised and lowered while moving, and you no longer have to manually latch and unlatch it at the front, it now self latches and unlatches. Overall it looks like they made quite a few improvements to the top.
FYI it has been over 6 months now through a brutal Texas summer and the replacement straps are still working great and haven't stretched out like the OEM ones did. My cover no longer hits the glass and this appears to be a long term fix.
There is a workaround as well. I shortened the straps by using cable ties to hold the excess length of strap to the metal arm. Worked well, enough.
Then I found out that, by putting one's right arm behind the passenger seat, one is able to put a finger onto the glass panel to hold it in as the tonneau cover passes in its motion, without touching.
And the new C7 solution is much better.
My old straps had been taken in twice, once on the screw end, and once on the rivet end. They had NO elasticity left. Rather than sewing, I pop riveted the bungee directly to the arm. Since I only had 1/8" rivets, I drilled new holes slighty forward of the old holes and used a washer for extra support. I also found it was easier to attach the screw end first, then stretch and rivet the otherend. My straps ended up being about 8" long each before installation.
Old Strap. New Strap installed with pop-rivet and washer.
Last edited by thedperrys; 02-28-2017 at 02:58 PM.
Dumb question but how did you sew the old strap to the new bungee cord to avoid drilling the pop rivet?
My wife's sewing machine is kinda big for me to hold next to the car while she sews it.
I am always amazed at the cleverness of you guys on this site.Thanks.
In the Top-Hydraulic states, you could have a week pump, a couple of places sell rebuild kist has anyone here done this? Seem a little steep for the company to charge $500 to rebuild one. I am not certain but I believe mine needs to be serviced. I am considering just going manual with it.
04-22-2016, 05:23 PM
Toneau Cover Hits Top - a more permenant fix
