Installing your Top Newest rewrite new pics.

[89vwcab]

Briano,

Can u pls help me. I'm a little confused on the part where the wire comes out of the top into the cab. You said that u need to make a relief cut. I can't really figure out how to make the cut by the diagram. Do u have any pictures of exactly where to make this cut or can u describe it in a little more detail. I can't seem to get that part of the Fabric to Lay down. Aside from that your post is fabulous.

Thanks in Advance,
Dennis

[Briano1234]

Where the cable leaves the outside of the top, and enters the inside of the top. you have to cut the material that is folding over. This is so that the material can fold up on both sides of the cable with out the cable havine to bind on the material. So where the tube ends on the inside cut the material at that point.

about here... each top is different.


Here is a sample of the top and if you don't make the cut the material will fold over the cable making it look ugly




with the cut the material cal fold up and lay flat.





The difference in appearance is:

[gull]

So that's why that spot always looked awkward on my top. I knew it couldn't be right but never figured it out.

[vanaguy]

I'm looking for clarification on this:

The cable length with the 2 lengths of brass flat chain must be 37 ¼ inches long from the end of one loop to the other. Otherwise the total length of the cables is 37 ¼ inches long period.

Based on the second part of that quote, I made my cables 37 ¼ inches long from loop to loop, and they were too short to work at all. I previously had no intention to use the brass chain.

Now with too-short cables, upon re-reading the quote I suppose you mean that the cables should be 37 ¼ inches loop-to-loop if one intends to use brass chain also.
Taken altogether, the quote seems to say that one should end up with cables 37 ¼ inches long overall whether or not one is using brass chain.

Do you have a figure for the overall length of a functional side cable?

[Briano1234]

The cable length is 37 1/4 to 37 1/2 inches long, that is measured from loop to loop.
If you use flat chain the cable is shorter by 2 chain lengths but the length is the same.

I will tell you flat out that the length is from a original factory set of cables that I removed off a cabby.
The flat chain will take the stress off the Cable when the top is folded, it increases the life of the cable.
I can go 2 top changes..... I just took a top off this summer that the cables were still going strong after 7 years.
The cable usually bends at the Ferrule when folded, that ferrule isn't allowing the cable to bend, and the cable shears at that point.

Now conversely on the other end of the cable is a spring, and that spring fastens on to the side frame finger on the rear frame member.





Those 2 nails are 37 1/4 inches apart.

It makes the Side cables tight, and helps to keep the top from shrinking up.

[vanaguy]

My side cables were still performing pretty well before I removed them, with perhaps just a hint of arch along the side of the top.
They are exactly 40 inches long.
The 37 ¼ cables prevent my top from closing, stopping the forward section at about 30 degrees from horizontal. At that point the springs are stretched way out and there's just no more movement left.

How far down are your hooks on the rear frame member? Mine are 4.5 inches from the top/front edge of the member.

Also, by this-

Now conversely on the other end of the cable is a spring, and that spring fastens on to the side frame finger on the rear frame member.

-Do you mean that you have an additional spring at the REAR of each of the side cables? I only have the front ones, and ETKA doesn't show any rear ones, but I could see where that would bring the length to something usable.

[Briano1234]

The side cables have only one spring.
It attaches on the rear frame in the rear.

[vanaguy]

Interesting. I've replaced two tops (first one had premade cables and no fuss) and both had the springs at the front. ETKA shows it to be this way for all years, also.

Looking closer at my top, the reason it's coming to a stop is because the front cable ferrule is hitting the inside of the plastic cable bushing when the spring extends far enough. I'll extend my cable a little and see what I get.

[Briano1234]

Interesting. I've replaced two tops (first one had premade cables and no fuss) and both had the springs at the front. ETKA shows it to be this way for all years, also.

tensionspring.jpg

Looking closer at my top, the reason it's coming to a stop is because the front cable ferrule is hitting the inside of the plastic cable bushing when the spring extends far enough. I'll extend my cable a little and see what I get.

That is wrong. Every Cabby top that I have installed, and every cabby top I deconstructed in the wrecking yards has the spring on the rear frame finger... If you look at the rear frame by the quarter window, that is where you should be attacking your non-spring end, that finger is what I am talking about. The spring is about 3 inches long, and about 1/2 inch in diameter.....

psst I am up to about 10 installs, and I have deconstructed at least that many in the yards.... I have never found a spring in the front. If you view the VW top video of factory workers installing tops you will see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kdZDCnd ... re=related There are usually 2 parts that is the one I found.

[vanaguy]

psst I am up to about 10 installs, and I have deconstructed at least that many in the yards.... I have never found a spring in the front. If you view the VW top video of factory workers installing tops you will see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kdZDCnd ... re=related There are usually 2 parts that is the one I found.

At 1:02 you can clearly see the end of a spring sticking out of the protective sheath at the front of the roof. It's right at the bottom of the screen, after the guy moves his arm to pull back the padding.

I'm not here for a pissing match. If I'm on your turf, fine. I'll go back to VW Vortex.
I originally wanted clarification on one part of your very helpful post, and now I'm interested in sharing information.
I think that between the rest of this video, your experiences, my experiences, and VW's own parts catalog, there is sufficient evidence that these cars got assembled with springs placed wherever the hell Hans und Dieter felt like putting them.

[Briano1234]

Not a chance, learn new crap all the time I just never ever have seen that.
I don't think you could use the big assed springs in there.
As I said all I ever see is ones in the back.

[vanaguy]

Top's in and waterproof!

Thanks for this write-up. I think the best part is that your order of operations is much more logical than the instructions included with the top, which results in a better fit.

[vanaguy]

A little late in the game, I looked much closer at the photos in this guide and also in this one: http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php ... ic&t=12313
Pictures 29 and 33 in that link, and the corresponding ones in this guide, show the front end of the cable being anchored on the outside of the front frame member, right?
On the tops I've done ('86 and '88) there is a plastic bushing on the side of the front frame member that guides the cable inside the frame, where it anchors to the spring (which has plenty of room) which is in turn anchored to a metal post through the frame.
Using the outside anchor point method for front cable attachment, as in these guides, would definitely explain why you're able to use 37.25 inch cables while I needed 40" ones!
I'll try to get photos of the area in question on my top. I'd be interested to find out if others have the cable bushing, and if there's a difference across model years.

[Briano1234]

this pic don't show a front spring

[vanaguy]

this pic don't show a front spring

Exactly. It's anchored to something outside of the front frame member.

Here's a pic of mine. The cable goes through that white bushing and loops over one end of the spring. I couldn't get a picture, but the spring lies inside the frame member parallel to the latch handle and is anchored five inches or so in front of the bushing.