How To How to Video: Repair the cable latches on a Mini Cooper Convertible top

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Jul 12, 2019 | 10:33 AM

#51

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Undo the convertible top cover, pull the sunroof motor out and dont touch the gear. hand push the top close tight, then put the motor back in the same way. Boom.. your top will close tight, I did this to adjust may cables when i installed new ones. The parameters were off a hair on final close.

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Oct 4, 2019 | 10:02 AM

#52

2old

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Remove soft top frame complete

Please any advice to take the top completely
From r52 2005 cooper will be appreciating your help keep the good work

Quote:

Originally Posted by tullid

Well, my 2005 MCS top broke again for the second time

, and just like the first time the cables separated from the locking mechanism. This time I decided to record the entire repair in the hopes that if this happens to someone else ( i hope it doesn't) that they can use this as a reference to repair the latches and cables w/o breaking the bank in parts and labor.

After researching the best way to keep this from happening again, I came across this great product called J-B Weld, which some of you may already know about. With the right amount applied, the cables are never coming out from the latches again.

You will need several things for the repair:

T20 and T30 torx bits
screwdriver, flat and phillips
wrenches, pliers
rags
J-B Weld (MUST USE GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES WITH THIS)
degreaser or Comet or some sort of cleaning agent to remove grease, toothbrush
q-tips or small baby bottle wire brush
4 to 6 hours of time, preferably on a nice sunny day

I had to break the video into 4 parts, total length is about 45 minutes.

DISCLAIMER: If you attempt this repair and break something in the process, do not blame me. This is an advanced repair on the Mini Cooper Convertible. I'm not telling anyone to do this, and I'm only providing this information for educational purposes only. Any damage you do to your car is your own fault.

Also, sorry for all the jitter and handshaking of the camera during the recording, I was shooting the video with one hand and doing the repair with the other

. I am in no way an expert videographer so don't hold some of the bad video parts against me

I am also going to apologize for using the term "locking mechanism" so many times in the video to describe several different parts

. I didn't take the time to learn the proper names for the parts.

Here are the videos, parts 1 - 4:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

If anyone has any questions, please post them in this thread, I will try to help as best as possible.

Oct 31, 2019 | 12:28 PM

#53

GearheadS

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Joined: Dec 2013

Posts: 247

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From: Tucson, AZ

Broken mechanism link, missing slider plate bushings

I'll add my experience thus far to this mix. 2005 MCS, 160k miles. The front of the top has been whistling, gradually increasing. I started asking on the forum about that in the last few months. I recently spent some time investigating and learning about the mechanism, then one of the slider plate bushings providentially fell in my lap as I got in the car to check it out. Oh, that's not good. At that point I realized all 4 of those bushings (2 each side) are missing. They only come as part of the $500+ mechanism assembly - damn! I was considering trying to model the bushings in CAD and 3D print them. But yesterday that all changed when our Mini top "popped" while sliding the sunroof portion closed, then jammed crooked, like in the excellent Tullid1 videos in this thread. It had been functioning without the bushings before that.

This morning I checked it out and took the attached pics. In my case the cable didn't pull out on the end like on the video, rather one of the plastic links broke. Thank God the broken piece hangs out visibly as shown and has a distinctive shape which I was able to definitively match to part of the mechanism assembly - thanks ECS for posting so many great pics of your parts!

So I don't like having to buy a $500+ assembly. But it will fix all my broken parts, and by the accounts above should make the top function totally properly and stop the wind whistling. Thanks again to Tullid for the vids, and I'll let you all know how it goes.

Jeremy

Nov 1, 2019 | 05:27 AM

#54

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Welcome. Yes, you have to replace it. I would replace it and then grease the whole system, I had mine replaced once and its good to go now and this give you chance to clean and re-grease the rails. The reason why we see most failures is the top is not greased regularly or it on the original cable sets. I spray the flex hinges once a year and then every so often once a year or every tow years inspect and grease the rails from where i can see them with removing that inner trim. I spray some grease/oil up near the main looking place once a year also. Seems to be working as i am near 300,000 miles now and top functions fine, I would say most of those miles I had the top down.

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Nov 4, 2019 | 09:04 AM

#55

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

When I install the new mechanism assembly, do the cables themselves need lubrication? Or do they come lubed? Or Teflon lined?

Thanks!

Nov 4, 2019 | 09:15 AM

#56

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

They have light grease oil, clean the rails out to get all the gunk and oil dirt in the grease then grease with that sunroof lubricant or similar a couple threads back. Light oil in spray with tub to get into those hard to reach areas. Have paper towels ready to wipe up the overspray and some of the oil that drips down.

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Nov 5, 2019 | 09:47 AM

#57

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

Thx, I'll do all this. The drive cables, with the green fuzz on them...do they need lube, or do they come pre-lubed?

Nov 7, 2019 | 05:35 PM

#58

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

Bump...do the drive cables need lube, or do they come new with the proper lube? Thanks!

Dec 9, 2019 | 04:48 PM

#59

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

I did this job a few weekends ago, replacing the drive mechanism on both sides. I'm always the slowest, but pretty thorough, so it took me the better part of a couple days. As for the lube question, I thought the cables were a Bowden type and the green part with the spiral was part of the housing, but that's actually the cable itself which travels inside a tube in the top. So, I put some of the special sunroof grease on the outside of the drive cables before installing.

Man it's working sweet! I don't know how long my 4 plastic guide bushings were missing, but the air leak at the windshield seal is GONE and the sunroof motion is tight and smooth.

Thanks again to Tullid and ECS and several others who provided tips and tricks!

Jeremy

Dec 10, 2019 | 05:53 AM

#60

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Thats great, now for some top down motoring

In AZ you get that most of the year.

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Jan 13, 2020 | 10:14 AM

#61

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Just an update, We just got some more cables in stock. Free shipping. https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...h/54347174761/

and

Convertible Top Front Linkage - Pair
Free shipping

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...h/54347174763/

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Last edited by ECSTuning; Jan 13, 2020 at 10:29 AM.

Jun 12, 2020 | 09:01 PM

#62

mstorck33

1st Gear

Joined: Dec 2017

Posts: 44

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From: Baltimore, MD

I'm currently dealing with this same problem, wound up scoring replacement parts at the scrapyard as well as some other odds and ends the R52 needs. I've taken some photos and a little bit of video which I'll share later, but right now just trying to figure out why the top is closing just shy of "totally closed" with the front windshield weatherstrip. It's about an inch shy of fully closed, which is leaving a visible gap when I look up at it from inside the car. It didn't seem like there was much wiggle room when attaching the metal front bow, so I don't know what to adjust or tweak. I'm trying to find the part# of the piece I'm referring to, but any idea or suggestions are welcome. The gap between the soft top and the windshield rubber seal is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch which leaves enough room for whistling etc.

Jun 13, 2020 | 06:11 AM

#63

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

Are all the little plastic guides good? I think there are 4 of them, two different types, that slide on the rails. When those are bad the metal bow / carriage piece wiggles up and down excessively and does not go all the way forward.

Jeremy

Jun 13, 2020 | 07:09 AM

#64

mstorck33

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From: Baltimore, MD

They are all intact, yes. I went back into the garage after an hour or so and it seemed like it was a little more closed, maybe gravity took over? I'm going to take it on a test ride later and see if it makes noise and leaks air, but the gap still seems a bit wide looking at it from the top. Going to measure it and take pics just as a reference point.

Jun 14, 2020 | 05:45 AM

#65

GearheadS

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From: Tucson, AZ

Hmm, well, the fabric edge should be only about 1/16 to 1/8" away from the rubber at the front. Yours closed normally before it broke?

Jun 15, 2020 | 12:18 PM

#66

mstorck33

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Joined: Dec 2017

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From: Baltimore, MD

Yes it was closing normally, and I think the gap was fine. I'm not sure if the hydraulics bled off a bit, or if basic gravity pulled the top down to a more closed position, but the gap seems smaller now and I haven't touched it since the other day. Going to take it on a test drive to check for air leaks, and maybe get video of the mechanism in action (might be helpful to someone in the future)

Jun 16, 2020 | 02:04 PM

#67

GearheadS

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Joined: Dec 2013

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From: Tucson, AZ

Huh, well cool! If it's not tight at the front it will whistle at speed.

Feb 2, 2021 | 06:38 AM

#68

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Just an update, we just landed some more stock of these cables.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Sit...h/54347174761/

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Aug 10, 2021 | 12:02 AM

#69

Mickeyb2021

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Roof wont close

Quote:

Originally Posted by tullid

Well, my 2005 MCS top broke again for the second time

T20 and T30 torx bits
screwdriver, flat and phillips
wrenches, pliers
rags
J-B Weld (MUST USE GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES WITH THIS)
degreaser or Comet or some sort of cleaning agent to remove grease, toothbrush
q-tips or small baby bottle wire brush
4 to 6 hours of time, preferably on a nice sunny day

. I am in no way an expert videographer so don't hold some of the bad video parts against me

I am also going to apologize for using the term "locking mechanism" so many times in the video to describe several different parts

. I didn't take the time to learn the proper names for the parts.

Here are the videos, parts 1 - 4:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

If anyone has any questions, please post them in this thread, I will try to help as best as possible.

Hi ,I wonder if you can help ,great video by the way….I have renewed both cables and latches following your videos.Everthing went well until the final manual closing of the roof.In video 4 …..I cannot find those rear latches that you show .I open front locks and let roof down near to close.When I push roof forward it won’t go forward on the right hand side,I have a gap of about an inch,left hand side closes….
I have bin over video many times without success ,would the fault be the rear locks(hooks) that I see in video ,which I can’t locate.
many thanks

Aug 10, 2021 | 06:36 AM

#70

GearheadS

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Joined: Dec 2013

Posts: 247

Likes: 20

From: Tucson, AZ

Hi there. I did this 2+ years ago and don't remember exactly, but I looked at vid 4 and found the rear hooks you mentioned. I do have some recollection of them being hard to find. But they are def there. I think they lock that middle joint in the roof rail so it stays rigid. So if they are in the wrong place they could keep it all from closing. Make sure the top is in the right place (up-down wise). And figure out the exact angle the video is looking. Get a flashlight. It should be there.

Jeremy

Aug 10, 2021 | 10:03 AM

#71

ECSTuning

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From: Wadsworth, Ohio

Rear locks hooks are on each side and its near where the main front cassette meets main top. Its at the end of each top window seal about.

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Sep 8, 2021 | 08:32 AM

#72

Bklyn1971

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I had a guy repair replace the cables a couple of weeks ago. The sunroof portion works fine but when going into the next phase the hooks unlatch half way and stop. I can hear it clicking every time I press the button but it doesn't move back any farther. Beyond taking it to Mini is there something I can troubleshoot? I hate to take it to the guy who replaced the cables since it took him 3 months to finish at least that part of the job. Any help would be appreciated.

Sep 9, 2021 | 09:15 AM

#73

GearheadS

3rd Gear

Joined: Dec 2013

Posts: 247

Likes: 20

From: Tucson, AZ

Man, I that sucks. I did mine at least 2 years ago and don't remember enough detail to troubleshoot your problem. I can just say, it's a VERY detailed, finicky job. There are lots of opportunities to get something a little bit wrong.

Mine is working fine, but if I coulda had a manually operated top, I'd have chosen that in a heartbeat!

Apr 23, 2022 | 11:08 AM

#74

bps

1st Gear

Joined: Apr 2022

Posts: 16

Likes: 9

I know this may be the wrong subject group, but my F57 (Gen 3) Mini Cooper S Cabrio has a similar problem as discussed in this forum, but I cannot find any information to help repair or diagnose the problem. Did the design of the sunroof/top change dramatically from Gen 2 to Gen 3? When I try to open the top, I hear motor sound, grinding sounds, but sunroof does not move. I hear what sounds like a "cable" moving around inside the top above my head hitting the canvas material. When I search for these cable parts for 2016 model, do not see them available on realoem website either. I am to replace the ENTIRE sunroof assembly ($2700!) part 54347364804?? Or can the cables be repaired in a similar manner as described in the 4 part video series with epoxy? Or can you order JUST the cable assemble for this model year (F57). Thanks again for all the helpful info in advance.

Apr 23, 2022 | 11:28 AM

#75

bps

1st Gear

Joined: Apr 2022

Posts: 16

Likes: 9

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