Targa Roof Creaks

The age of the car has little to do with it - The targa tops could be squeaky when the cars were new.

(Not a 308/328 but: Jeremy Clarkson bought his F355 brand new "back in the day". One of his bugbears with the car whilst it was still new? - The targa roof squeaking!)

Some people are more sensitive too creaks, squeaks, clicks, ticks, knocks and such like, than others are - It's a bit unfair to criticise them for being more sensitive.

 

Even Ferrari dealers used to suggest using Vaseline on the seals in the past (it's what they told Jeremy Clarkson to do with his F355's targa seals - Much to his disgust: "I should apply Vaseline to the seals? - It's a bl**dy new car!")

It works in the short term, but in the long term, it wrecks the seals, resulting in them needing replacing.

 

This is not only a problem with old F cars. Lots of chatter about this on brand new Porsche targa tops. They recommend a marine product called SailKote. Apparently a form of Fluoropolymer dispersion. Here's the MSD sheet. Anyone know any negative long term effects of Fluoropolymers on rubber? I am actually considering this now.

https://www.flints.co.uk/pdffiles/HARML08 SAILKOTE AEROSOL F.pdf

 

Targa top squeeks and rattles is an industry wide problem. A lot of GM cars it will drown out the radio.

 

Material science has advanced so much and we’re launching hundreds of rockets to space every year but manufacturers can’t figure out a way to keep Targa tops from squeaking

 

FWIW, if you see references to Di-electric grease and/or silicone grease, they are the same thing.

"Material science has advanced so much and we’re launching hundreds of rockets to space every year"

Yeah, we sent men to the moon 6 times 50 years ago using slide rules and mechanical drawings and now, with more computer power in an iPhone than existed in the entire NASA infrastructure back then, we don't seem to be able to get an unmanned "moon rocket" off the ground for a test flight.

 

i thought silicone is bad for rubber products?

 

I think the problem is something other than technical.

SpaceX - $10 per kilogram to orbit
NASA - $60,000 per kilogram to orbit

if they can actually get the rocket to takeoff. They called it off again today SMH!!

 

Well they have - They've stopped making cars with targa tops

Before that they found that applying Vaseline to the seals on a regular basis cured the squeaking (but broke the rubber down)

Then they discovered that silicone grease solved the squeaking seals, and didn't cause a deterioration to the rubber material.

What they haven't managed to figure out after over 30 years, is how to stop plastic surfaces from going sticky! (Apart from not using the soft touch plastics)

 

Just use the silicone grease and the problem's solved.

 

The wife's MB top and windows squeak. The goto product is a little pricey, but I've had the same 30ml for about 10 years. It works well spread on by finger :
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Mercedes-Benz Special lubricant Fluid A0009893660 30ml

 

Another vote for Shinetsu magic... was recommended it by NSX community when I had mine to preserve all the seals, rubber, etc. And speaking of squeaky targa tops, Honda perfected that -- light, no noise, easy to put on, easy to store, etc.

 

Funny thing is, my 1990 Corvette ZR-1 targa top makes zero noise even when it’s cold outside. Maybe because they are bolted in with a tool instead of just latches. My 89 328 is not too bad but it does creak if you listen for it especially when it’s cold outside.

 

The corvette top is held on far more rigidly than the Ferrari top, and, I suspect the Corvette's body shell has less flex in it than the Ferrari does.

However, having to bolt the roof panel in place is not quite as convenient as using latches (not the end of the World, but it does take a little bit longer)

 

Mine squeaked really bad. I found this stuff, I think its recommended by Porsche, I use it on all the soft rubber moldings and it works wonders. Not sticky and no residue. I put it on every couple of months. Real easy as it comes with a applicator. Amazon $16.00

Barry
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Used this stuff on my wife's Benz SLK, which is a hard top convertible. Stopped the squeaks...T