Top Struts
Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:01 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Top Struts
Can someone tell me where the top struts are located and if you can see them with the top up, down, etc? I'm not convinced I actually have any.
- gull
- Posts: 817
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- What year is your cabby?: 1989
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
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Re: Top Struts
D-pillar area, extending slightly down into the trunk. I think you can get a pretty good view of them with the top partway down, or you could unhook the bottom of the headliner and pull it back slightly.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a couple shots from when I was redoing the top on my car. These are taken from the outside, after removing the top shell, but they give you a bit of an "X-ray view" of where the struts are.
![Image](http://www.gull.us/auto/cabby-top/top-strut-1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.gull.us/auto/cabby-top/top-strut-2.jpg)
A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a couple shots from when I was redoing the top on my car. These are taken from the outside, after removing the top shell, but they give you a bit of an "X-ray view" of where the struts are.
![Image](http://www.gull.us/auto/cabby-top/top-strut-1.jpg)
![Image](http://www.gull.us/auto/cabby-top/top-strut-2.jpg)
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
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Re: Top Struts
Where to get replacements:
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2280
I personally would get the 150 pound ones after having installed 2 sets of 120's
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2280
I personally would get the 150 pound ones after having installed 2 sets of 120's
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
![Screwy :screwy:](./images/smilies/screwy.gif)
- gull
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1989
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
- Location: Auburn, WA
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Re: Top Struts
I should probably replace mine. Also the trunk lid strut, so the stupid thing will stop hitting me in the head...
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- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:01 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Top Struts
Thanks. I definitely don't have any struts. I assume I can replace those with the top still on?
- gull
- Posts: 817
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:30 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1989
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- Location: Auburn, WA
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Re: Top Struts
I think you can probably do it. You'll need to remove the interior trunk panels and parcel shelf, and probably pull back the bottom of the headliner. (It's just hooked over some tabs on the underside of the parcel shelf brackets.) Open and close the top and see what position gives you the best access to the mounting points. You can prop it partially open with a broom handle or something if need be; just watch your fingers. ![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
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Re: Top Struts
Yes you can replace them with the top up.dpawlows wrote:Thanks. I definitely don't have any struts. I assume I can replace those with the top still on?
Remove the Carboard covers on the top and you will see the pivot on the extreme edge of the parcel shelf permanent pieces.
Pull the cir-clip and washer.
![Image](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/briano1234/topadds/S5030999.jpg)
On the top you can get to it from inside.
Roll the window down (rear)
Put your hand in between the headliner and the top frame, if you feel for the strut you can feel the top cir-clip and washer. Remove it and pull the strut off the fixed upper pivot.
You don't need to remove the Parcel shelf.
Bottom pivot.
![Image](http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y65/briano1234/topinstall/21.jpg)
When replacing the cartridge body connects to the top fixed strut.
The lower you may have to swing the pivot up or down to get it on the bottom of the shaft.
Rubber cap over the eyes
Over the pivot
washer
cir-clip
Washer is next to the cir-clip
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
![Screwy :screwy:](./images/smilies/screwy.gif)
-
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:01 pm
- What year is your cabby?: 1987
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Re: Top Struts
I got the replacement struts from McMaster yesterday. It took less than 2 days somehow. Anyway, went to install them, and of course, the bottom pivots have been removed. Should have figured to look before ordering. Any suggestions on where to get those other than trying the classifieds at vwvortex?
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
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- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1992
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Re: Top Struts
Well with the irregularities of the Vortex as of late (They are rebuilding their site from scratchola), I would doubt that they are there.dpawlows wrote:I got the replacement struts from McMaster yesterday. It took less than 2 days somehow. Anyway, went to install them, and of course, the bottom pivots have been removed. Should have figured to look before ordering. Any suggestions on where to get those other than trying the classifieds at vwvortex?
Ebay and www.thesamba.com come to mind.
I can run by the "pull-a-part local and if the cabbies are still there pull a set.
I would only charge ya what it cost me plus shipping finger around a Bazillion and a Half Dollars. send me a email if you want.
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
![Screwy :screwy:](./images/smilies/screwy.gif)
- kamzcab86
- Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
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Re: Top Struts
VMG is not starting over from scratch; they transferred the forum data from ZeroForum over to vB. The forums have been up and running since Tuesday night (they went down briefly yesterday while they continued working on configuration settings). The Cabriolet forum is at http://forums.vwvortex.com/forumdisplay ... -Cabriolet. The Cabriolet Classifieds is at http://forums.vwvortex.com/forumdisplay ... brio-Parts .
Junkyards would probably be the quickest way though.![Thumbs Up :thumbup:](./images/smilies/emthup.gif)
Junkyards would probably be the quickest way though.
![Thumbs Up :thumbup:](./images/smilies/emthup.gif)
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
- Posts: 4105
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1992
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
- Location: Duluth, Ga
- Contact:
Re: Top Struts
Naw Briano is faster.... as the parts are on the way.kamzcab86 wrote:
Junkyards would probably be the quickest way though.
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
![Screwy :screwy:](./images/smilies/screwy.gif)
- kamzcab86
- Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
- Posts: 1277
- Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:54 pm
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- Location: Arizona
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Re: Top Struts
That's what I meant! ![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
- Briano1234
- Whats that smell?
- Posts: 4105
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
- What year is your cabby?: 1992
- Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
- Location: Duluth, Ga
- Contact:
Re: Top Struts
"Who you calling a junk yard, Willis?"kamzcab86 wrote:That's what I meant!
Wait I resemble that remark, I just spent the past 2 days cleaning up my basement to get one more daughters stuff in from storage to save me the storage fees. One moves out, another moves in... I didn't raise Children I raised yo-yo's.
Briano
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click....
![Screwy :screwy:](./images/smilies/screwy.gif)