SuperAmerica Roof Carrier Mechanism Drive Belts

Heres a new one to me. We all know about the foibles of the SA Revochromico roof and with a little care and attention they can be managed, such as the small gas spring struts. It has never been a probelm for me until now when th whole thing stopped working. Turns out there are 4 (2 per side) toothed drive belts from the motors to the Roof to turn it open. All but one of mine have sheared/stripped.

If it were a cam belt, Ferrari would be mandating to change every 5 years and there would be a spare part in the parts catalogue. Well in this case, I have had my SA from new and for 18 years (still going/looking well, apart from this new issue) and the parts catalogue does not show or list any drive belts in the roof and mechanism, (and there is no mandate to change them after a period from Ferrari, which seems a strange omission). Ferrari do not have the part an suggested replacing the Carrier Mechanism complete at about US$25K. Ouch!!!!

Anyway, working with the local agent here in HK we extracted one of the torn belts and were able to find its OEM part number (Megadyne RPP Gold 450 GLD5). There appears to be various suppliers around the world that can provide at about US$50 each, so we are going to get a set of 4 and try it out.

Hopefully they will work and we are back to normal?

Does anyone else have any experience of these belts getting old and needing replacing, and where obtained?

Thanks. PAUL

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Thanks Terry. Once replaced and confirmed working I can let you know in order to add to the part equivalent thread. Im still surprised that the Ferrari parts catalogue does not even identify these belts being present and the service manual does not call for periodic belt replacement like it does for cam belts. I guess with only 559 cars made they did not go into every detail of the documentation or indeed detailed testing of this unique feature of the car!!

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/Ferrari/575/575_Superamerica/PartDiagrams/119/Sun_Roof_Movement_and_Closing

 

My theory (as it happened at the agents showroom, where they borrowed it for display with other V12s leading up to the new unpronounceable V12 launch) was that the drivers there (not near the service centre) were just car jockeys and were unfamiliar with the nuances of opening and closing the roof with a little help and the old belts started jumping and shredding (which might be expected at 18 years old rubber). Imagine if the engine cam belt was 18 years old!! Anyway the car looked great on show during the exhibition and they did a fantastic polish on the car beforehand.

 

Thanks! Indeed!


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Just to confirm that the replecement Megadyne drive belts quoted above work just fine. I also understand that there is a Continental equivalent too although I dont know the cross reference. Doing some research I saw that Megadyne state their toothed belts are good for a) 10,000 hours (not applicable for the SA roof!) and b) should last UP TO 15 years. Mine were 18 years old but kind of explains both the shredding and why Ferrari dont mention them in the service replacement guide like they do 5 years for cam belts.
So Terry, this should be something to go in your cross reference or parts equivalent thread.
SuperAmerica owners should also now be aware that these belts are good up to 15 years and should consider replacing them as all SAs have aged beyond this.
Thanks and regards
PAUL

 

Great thanks. It would be good to know if anyone knew about these aging belts as Ferrari surely did not include in service interval schedules (like the do for Cam Belts) or parts catalogue.

The gas spring/struts are much more well known. I too have changed a couple of times but given up now in favour of giving the roof a “helping hand”. May change them again if and when I want to sell the car. If ever. After 18 years I don’t think I could bear to part with it!


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I don’t know where my local Ferrari dealer ultimately obtained them from but if you look up the part number stamped on the broken belt we retrieved from the car (Megadyne RPP Gold 450 GLD 5) there are lots of sites on the web carrying them. There are four of them needed in the carrier mechanism.


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