Hood Tensioner?

Anonymous · December 7, 2003, 16:36

[MOD moved from General to Problems as it would be better placed there. - Victor]

Hi everybody,

I took delivery of my Sable 2 couple of days ago, and whilst being chuffed to bits with it, I have a little question.

Inside the soft top there is a long webbing strap that runs the width of the hood and fastens each side with a popper to an elasticated strap. I only noticed it as one end was undone and it fell out whilst putting the hood down. Initially I thought is was something to be pulled out and fastened across the width of the hood to help keep it in place when it was folded down.

I couldn't see any explanation as to what it was for in the handbook, so I rang the agent. After asking the technician he told me it was some kind of tensioner.

Anyway I've got it fastened to the other end now, but it doesn't seem to do much, whatever it is.

Does anybody know what it's for?

Anonymous · December 7, 2003, 16:45

Welcome and nice choice of colour s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Right then tensioner is "MENT" to when you fold down the roof you are left with what we call "dog ears" these are flaps of the roof that dont fold in at the corners.

This tensioner is ment to pull these flaps in so that you dont need to tuck them in but it's not a very good method that toyota use so i just tuck mine in looks neater s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · December 7, 2003, 17:32

Many thanks for your help Buster.

<satisfied smirk>Yes, Sable is a nice colour, whilst it may not be the 'fastest' colour, I think it's one of the most 'suave'. </satisfied smirk>

markiii · December 7, 2003, 18:06

it works fine

only problem is when under tension the studs pop off. If you put it back and it still isn'y pulling the ears in then you will have missed the tunnel.

What I mean by that is there is a fabric procket that runs most of teh width id the hood. In addition to the bits you have to get right at each side the strap must run through this pocket for it to work properly. It's a major ballache to get it back through tihs so I suggest my methof for ensureing it doesn't come loose again.

Drill a small hole through the preststiuds on each side and cable tie through it so they can't come apart.

Chris · December 8, 2003, 23:05

I've got the same problem with my hood, as the stud you have to connect the popper to has somehow bent out of shape on the drivers side.

I've attempted to coax it back into shape with pliers and the like, but it's not having any of it, so there is currently a big safety pin holding the strap on. I'll have to check it it's run through the pocket or not though...

Do you reckon it's worth replacing under warranty or would that just unlease more problems that it's worth (misfitted hood, leaks, rattles from catches etc...?)

markiii · December 8, 2003, 23:50

half of me says change under warrantym but they woudl need to change the entire hood, and from reading the manual thats a major ballache of a job. If you r happy with the rest of the hoods operation I'd leave well alone as they will probably make it worse.

There is a better solution than my cable ties I just need to find the right kind of fastner an I'll post you a pic. That way it won't go again.

Chris · December 10, 2003, 23:03

Quote from: "markiii"I'd leave well alone as they will probably make it worse.

That's what I was worrying about - I think it'll stay for now and have a good check and play with the hood in the summer...

markiii · December 10, 2003, 23:22

well the problem you had is the same one I had.

tis fixed now.

zud · December 11, 2003, 00:33

I think my strap has come undone...again! I'll have to try the cable ties, or something similar. Please post any alternatives.

The other thing I'm tempted to try is making the strap an inch or two shorter. My '2 was a yr old when I bought it, and the strap was in the luggage compartment, so it never fully folds the "ears" in even when connected. I thought making it shorter, and therefore tighter, might help. Anyone else tried this?

markiii · December 11, 2003, 00:54

nice thought, however the reason the studs keep popping off is that is under major tension when the hood is up. If you shortent the strap either the hood won't close or the strap itself will snap.

ref the ears this isn't the only thing that affects them. If you feel around the general area of the strap, I forget if it's a little forward or behind, there is a steel wire that also runs the width of the hood. at each end is a spring sheathed in plastic that connects the wire to the hood frame. These springs stretch over time.

I had both mine changed under warranty (dealer reckoned it would make no difference) it took them 5 mins total to swap the parts and the hood has been fine ever since.

aaronjb · December 12, 2003, 11:29

Y'know.. I wondered what the dangly bit with popstuds on it was for!

I don't think mine even has the strap though, just the two attachment points.. No wonder I have ears to tuck in before I can put the hartop on.. D'oh!

Anonymous · December 14, 2003, 13:23

It's no problem to thread the strap through the canvas pocket in the hood if you attach one end to a long stick and just poke it through.

I can't say it makes any difference on my car though, whether the strap is attached or not, I still get the dog ears that I have to fold in myself when lowering the hood.

markiii · December 14, 2003, 17:59

usually needs a little training time after everythings in place.

I kid you not, manualy tuck them in a for a few weeks and the hood seems to learn where it should go.

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 13:51

Andrew:

Well done with your colour choice! We collected our Sable roadster 2 weeks ago now and I've yet to see another, will look out for you!

Cheers
Andy

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 14:48

I've only managed to put the hood down once since picking her up (for a piccy) but it was a bugger of a job to get it to click down into place.(very very stiff) Will this ease with time or am I likely to need an adjustment of some sort? I only ask as the demo I first saw went fully down easily and could have been done from the drivers seat no probs.

Slacey · December 23, 2003, 14:56

Perry, the hood is very much affected by temperature - when it's cold, it is a bugger to drop, as you found out, whereas in the summer and the material is warm (or hot, even), it is really easy to drop, as you said you can do it from the drivers seat. If you want to drop the top when it is cold, run the heater for a few minutes on maximum setting, this helps.
I bet the demo was indoors, wasn't it?

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:37

Oh yes!

Thanks for that, panic over thne I'll give the heater trick a shot next time, thanks for your help very much appreciated

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:39

Be careful to make sure the glass slides properly into place when it's cold too. If the glass doesn't fully slide down then the rest will not go down (unless of course you push hard enough to bend and break things).

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:45

I've taken off the label from the hood release button, as I got fed up with it pinging off when trying to slam the roof down in winter, and then having to search the footwells for it. It's really such a b'st'd to put down in winter due to its 'ingenious' method of folding, you really have to push down on the rear screen 'gently' (haha) to get it to go flat. mind you, next to my Stag, it's a breeze.

However, in summer, you can beat all those ugly Z4s with their 10 second roofs though, with your clip, clip, throw-back s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:48

Quote from: "Jonny Turbo"I've taken off the label from the hood release button, as I got fed up with it pinging off when trying to slam the roof down in winter, and then having to search the footwells for it.

There's another dimension containing all the pull tabs that have flown off when the hood went down.

I recovered mine and used a bit of sellotape wrapped back on itself to hold the tab on and quiet.

Slacey · December 23, 2003, 15:50

Quote from: "phil4"There's another dimension containing all the pull tabs that have flown off when the hood went down.

I recovered mine and used a bit of sellotape wrapped back on itself to hold the tab on and quiet.

This seems to be another of those little 'foibles' that everyone but me has trouble with! Mine has never come off, bar fitting the Style Bars s:)

s:)

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:55

Quote from: "Slacey"
Quote from: "phil4"There's another dimension containing all the pull tabs that have flown off when the hood went down.

I recovered mine and used a bit of sellotape wrapped back on itself to hold the tab on and quiet.
This seems to be another of those little 'foibles' that everyone but me has trouble with! Mine has never come off, bar fitting the Style Bars s:) s:)

Anyone care to tell me the point of style (non-roll-over) bars?

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 15:55

Quote from: "Jonny Turbo"
Quote from: "Slacey"
Quote from: "phil4"There's another dimension containing all the pull tabs that have flown off when the hood went down.

I recovered mine and used a bit of sellotape wrapped back on itself to hold the tab on and quiet.
This seems to be another of those little 'foibles' that everyone but me has trouble with! Mine has never come off, bar fitting the Style Bars s:) s:)

Anyone care to tell me the point of style (non-roll-over) bars?

'cause they're "pretty" s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

aaronjb · December 23, 2003, 16:15

Quote from: "phil4"
Quote from: "Jonny Turbo"I've taken off the label from the hood release button, as I got fed up with it pinging off when trying to slam the roof down in winter, and then having to search the footwells for it.

There's another dimension containing all the pull tabs that have flown off when the hood went down.

I recovered mine and used a bit of sellotape wrapped back on itself to hold the tab on and quiet.

Pull tabs?

Guess that went missing before I got my car...

Anonymous · December 23, 2003, 16:58

It'll ease with time, and warmer weather.