How do you install 355 Spider elastic top straps?

I have a 1996 F355 Spider and am about to install some new elastic top straps I bought from a fellow Fchater. I've only messed with this for an hour so far. I can see how to slip the old ones off the open slot at the rear (I've slipped off one side and temporarily put it back for now) but haven't figured out how to get them off the round top frame rod at the front. Since the rod goes through the strap loop, the only way to get the old strap off (and the new one on) would be to take the rod's end loose from the top somehow. But, so far, I haven't figured out how to do this. Before messing with this some more, I thought I'd check with you guys first since some of you have likely done this before. How do you do this? I certainly don't want to screw anything up. Can someone help me?

Another question. There is a small rubber pad at the end of this rod facing the front on both sides. Mine are both slightly split and worn. Do any of you know where to get replacements for them?

Appreciate any help or advice.

 

I did this this summer and as I remember it was pretty straight forwrad. You have to take off the rubber things and recement them with some rubber adhesive.

I'll look at it later or tomorrow if you need more assistance.

 

Does anyone have a part number for the straps?

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355/402135-f355-top-elastic-2.html

I don't see them on Ricambi site. This is the link that I got my new ones from. I don't know if Mitch has anymore. Maybe he can get some more made. As he says in there it really is a 3 min job. Very visible as to what needs to be done

 

Any chance someone could post a picture of the straps installed. I bought my car with a new roof and it doesn't have the straps. I've read in so many places about replacing them, but when you don't have old ones in place to go by its tough to figure out where they go.

 

I'll take some pics for you

 

Please do. I can't figure out how to install them either.

 

Like I said, the rear connection is intuitive but the front isn't, at least from what I've been able to see so far.

drbob101,

Are you saying that I need to pull the rubber pads off, tearing the old glue joint, and that will expose some kind of spliced connection in the rod that comes apart? If so, then I can see how that would allow me to slide the old strap loop off and put the new one on. However, from the simple proceedure everyone said this was, I didn't think anything needed to be taken apart. I thought the front would be like the back, just slip off the old and slip on the new.

 

Yup. That is it.

 

Okay. Peel off that rubber thing , then pull the part of the top that's there off of the prong , slide the old strap off, new strap on, the part of the top back on , reglue the rubber thing back on

 

I just took the easy way out. I made new straps with snaps on the ends and just stretched then around the old ones and snapped the ends together. Simple, quick and works like a charm.

 

I appreciate the picture, but could you back off a bit so I could actually see where both ends of the straps go?

 

Watch this vid

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_04-cvrdMx0[/ame]

 

OK, thank you very much for that!

Rick

 

My rubber pad is not half round like that shown in the pic. Instead, its flat and partially torn. Anyone know where to find a new replacement or would I have to have something custom made?

 

Did you look at Ricambi?

 

No. I couldn't see the part or find a part number in the diagram. Are you saying Ricambi has something that's not listed?

 

I haven't looked. But I willl.

 

I don't see the rubber cap or the straps on Ricambi. I would call Daniel and as him.

 

OK. Thanks Bob.

 

My roof started giving me grief this summer. Yep, the straps are stretched.
I thought I'd have to stitch new elastic in-place. But puttering around, I saw the end caps come off & the elastic is pretty much a rubber band solution.

Took one off & up to Mom's (I'm not qualified to operate a sewing machine )to have some duplicates made with some 1" wide elastic from wal*mart for $1.50. Let's see how they turn out.

I'll take pics when pulling one off & putting the replacement on.

 

Clyde ,

I did this and made a bunch up.

Go to the fabric store and get heavy duty snaps and do the front loop with a snap. That way you don't have to take anything apart to get the strap around the cross piece.

 

As drbob posted, go to a fabric store or a place that does boat tops, and get heavy duty snaps and elastic. The Walmart stuff might be a cheaper product, and just end up stretching out and be loose in a short period of time.
I did mine without snaps, but an easier idea by far.

 

Thought about this, but I didn't think they'd hold. And it's really minor to just replace what's there. I'll have mom make up some more.

Just came back from a store - They had the same elastic as Walmart And even tracking down rubber cement is getting harder. Home Depot no longer carries it, Staples salesperson gave me a very odd look as to "What the heck is rubber cement" and didn't have it, and the fabric/crafts store took two calls to associates to find it.

So here are a couple pics.
1) Just the rubber foot that needs to come off
2) I used a Harbor Freight Pick to break the seal between the rubber & the metal. Careful not to scratch anything or puncture the foot
3) Foot off & the rear metal tang out of it's cloth pocket (it's a "Y" tang)
4) the rear elastic latch
5) with the elastic removed. Note the opening in the latch & the different leg sizes. You can slide the elastic on & off through there.
6) The foot just before I put some rubber cement in & pushed it back on.
7) HF pick set
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Anyone know where I can get 2 new rubber "feet"? Mine are tearing.