Manual Roof won't go down...

Forsh

Forsh

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Points
50
Location
Warrington
Model of Z
Z3 1.9i Sport
Since getting my Z3 back on the road, I made the most of the clear days over the past couple of weeks with no problems. However, I came to lower my manual roof yesterday, and it won't go down.

The latches 'unlatch', the very front section pivots up, the rear baton is free to pivot from where it joins the car, but the centre section will not pivot.

There is no give in the middle section of the folding mechanism. It can't be seized since the roof was down on Wednesday, and I noticed nothing upon putting the roof back up that would raise alarm.

If anybody has had this problem before - how did you solve it?

Also, just so I know how the roof is supposed to fold, could somebody kindly post a photo of their roof semi-folded? This would help me see where the centre section is supposed to pivot from.

Thanks in advance,
Forsh
 
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image.webp
Forsh said:
Since getting my Z3 back on the road, I made the most of the clear days over the past couple of weeks with no problems. However, I came to lower my manual roof yesterday, and it won't go down.

The latches 'unlatch', the very front section pivots up, the rear baton is free to pivot from where it joins the car, but the centre section will not pivot.

There is no give in the middle section of the folding mechanism. It can't be seized since the roof was down on Wednesday, and I noticed nothing upon putting the roof back up that would raise alarm.

If anybody has had this problem before - how did you solve it?

Also, just so I know how the roof is supposed to fold, could somebody kindly post a photo of their roof semi-folded? This would help me see where the centre section is supposed to pivot from.

Thanks in advance,
Forsh
Click to expand...
Took this when replacing top
 
I think Frankie means the tensioning cables which run along each side of the soft top fabric.

Tony.
 
Carhoods Direct said:
The cables have nothing to do with it, they merely help keep the sides of the soft-top to the frame when driving at speed.
Click to expand...
Nice to know, from someone who knows. ;)

Tony.
 
Mystery solved!

Turns out there is a pressurised ram behind the passengers shoulder, attached by one end to the frame, about 4 inches from the pivot point. This aids the user in putting the hood up and down by taking some of the weight. You can see it here as number 32: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CM12-EUR-03-2002-Z3-BMW-Z3_19&diagId=54_0194

Somehow the ram had become 'stuck' and wouldn't compress and it was this that was not letting the roof down. I prised the top of the ram from the frame and, voila! The roof was free to move.

I still need to investigate what made the ram not want to move, but for now the roof goes up and down as it pleases, albeit with a tiny bit more effort from myself.
 
Forsh said:
I still need to investigate what made the ram not want to move, but for now the roof goes up and down as it pleases, albeit with a tiny bit more effort from myself.
Click to expand...

Early cars did not have the gas strut, my Oct 96, I would just bin it, you don't need it.
 
If I can't salvage this one, there's no way I'd be buying another. Works seamlessly without :thumbsup:
 
Forsh said:
If I can't salvage this one, there's no way I'd be buying another. Works seamlessly without :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
My '96 didn't have one. Earlier, I and mentioned the cables only in the respect that a part of it might have rusted or broke or deteriorated to the point that a piece of it might have caught somewhere in the top's frame causing it to bind. Frankie
 
Excellent news Forsh. Once you know what the problem your on to a winner
 
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