My new (to me) 96 C2 cab has a broken mounting tab/mounting bolt hole on the pass. side cab top motor (the one on the side of the rear seats). A local shop is saying that I should replace both the motors to get them both in sync and to reduce the chance of the non broken motor breaking and having to start over. Does this make sence or should I save the 400-500 and only replace the broken side. they also say I should replace the cables etc.. at the same time. The quote is for $1225 for both motors and labor. (+ cables)

I searched the archives but found nothing relating to this.

Thanks <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />

 

Your getting ripped. My first question, are you talking the motors (which are located behind the rear seats) or the transmissions (which are located on either side of the passenger compartment)? I believe you are talking about the trx, in which case, one of the bolt holes on mine broke as well. I took it to my body shop who welded new aluminum to build out the hole and redrilled it. Cost me 20.00 to fix an 800.00 part.

See previous threads for detailed instructions about aligning the trx's. Search on my ID, I have written them up a few times.

Maybe I should write them up and submit to Pcar.com?

 

[quote]Originally posted by jerrykrug:
<strong>My new (to me) 96 C2 cab has a broken mounting tab/mounting bolt hole on the pass. side cab top motor (the one on the side of the rear seats). A local shop is saying that I should replace both the motors to get them both in sync and to reduce the chance of the non broken motor breaking and having to start over. Does this make sence or should I save the 400-500 and only replace the broken side. they also say I should replace the cables etc.. at the same time. The quote is for $1225 for both motors and labor. (+ cables)

I searched the archives but found nothing relating to this.

Thanks <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

You didn't mention the symtoms of the problem but it's hard to imagine a loose transmission can mess up the cable even though there is a possibility. What does a broken mounting hole have anything to do with the motors or the transmissions

I'd stay away from this shop.

 

Jerry,

I think you need a second opinion and run away from this shop. In addition to take suggestions below, I would test both motors and determine if in fact it is a motor problem before going anywhere first. Could be one of the connections, but really not clear about your reference to "broken side".

 

My problem is just as RHB desribed above, the motor works fine but the "mount" is broken. Do you think the realignment is a DIY project for the semi willing/able owner. It would be sweet to get my top working for $20 NOT $1500

In addition, I bought the car knowing that it had top "issues" I do need to test the motors etc. Now I raise/lower the top manually and hear the rear motors working & the transmisions are "unlocked" and the front windshield lock work fine with the console switch.

 

My problem is just as JHB desribed above, the motor works fine but the "mount" is broken. Do you think the realignment is a DIY project for the semi willing/able owner. It would be sweet to get my top working for $20 NOT $1500

In addition, I bought the car knowing that it had top "issues" I do need to test the motors etc. Now I raise/lower the top manually and hear the rear motors working & the transmisions are "unlocked" and the front windshield lock work fine with the console switch.

 

I had cab top problems about 9 months ago and took it to the dealer for repairs. The symptom was that the front motors would not engage and pull the top flush with the windshield.

The dealer (Carlsen in Palo Alto) told me that the trx's (they called them "transmission motors") needed to be replaced. They claimed there was a lot of wear in them and that was causing the top to slam against windshield and come out of adjustment. They replaced the trx's which apparantly also included new cables. They adjusted everything and, I must admit, the top ran a lot smoother. I think it ran around $1300.

Did it really need all that? It's hard to say but I've learned a bit more about these contraptions since then and I wish I would've tried to adjust it myself before bringing it in.

Now, 9 months later, I started having top problems again. That's when I decided I was going to learn to adjust it myself. But, I discovered one of the trx's was flopping around because two of the mounts holding it down are stripped out. Grrrr.

If anybody in the SF Bay Area has had their trx mount fixed and can recommend their body shop, I'd apreciate it. I'll put it all back together; I just need the mounts fixed.

In the meantime, I've disconnected the motor, disconnected the top from the trx's and now I have a manually operated top (the button latches/unlatches at the windshield). It actually isn't so bad.

 

[quote]Originally posted by jerrykrug:
<strong>My problem is just as JHB desribed above, the motor works fine but the "mount" is broken. Do you think the realignment is a DIY project for the semi willing/able owner. It would be sweet to get my top working for $20 NOT $1500</strong><hr></blockquote>


Yes, I have done this and even with trial and error, it is not a long process to figure out. Again, search the archives for instructions on setting the top up.

If you are concerned that a motor (not trx motor) is bad, get to the motors, and unplug one, and see if the other operates. If so, plug it back in, and unplug the other, and see if it works. If both work, no need to get motors. FYI, the motors are attached to each other so both sides will spin at the same rate.

 

So..I took the side pannels off last night, and took out the pass. trx. it has 2 out of three mounting tabs broken. The cable came out with the trx and the end looks loke a spedo cable. The drivers side looks good and I can "feel" the cable move inside its cover when I opperate the switch. A few further ?'s

1) can I check the opperation of the pass. side motor by turning the cable out of the trx and putting the cable into the motor and opperating the the switch. Or should I take the rear seats out and test the old fashioned way?
2) Is it normal for all of the top fuctions to stop when I unpluged the rt trx. or is this a good/bad sign of the motor opperation?

Thanks in advance for all the great input.

 

Why do you think you have a bad motor? In any event, you cannot look at one side to check the motors, they are direct connected behind the rear seats, if one motor runs, they both will spin.

What are you going to do about the trx, repair or replace? As I said, I had mine repaired.

Not sure what you mean about the plug, do you mean the microswitch plugs?


A question for all cab owners, when your top is lowered, how high is the top (top header, now upside down) from the rear of the car. Mine looks a little high, and I was thinking of adjusting the microswitches and the parking pins.

 

I am fixing (welding) my existing trx. I dropped the trx off at a local alluminum welder. The "Plug" I am refering to is the electrical plug. When I removed the pass. side trx, all the elctrical components of the top (ie: drivers side trx/motor and the header bow elec. latches @ windshield) stopped working. so to re-latch my top I pluged the pass. side trx back in, tightened down the widshield latches and removed the pass trx for repair. My thought is that the worst thing that can happen if I TRY to fix/align the top is that the bad trx will break again, in which case I will try a different angle.

I think/hope that I will be able to repair/align the top myself.

I will try to measure my top next week when I will be fiddling with the repaired motor.

 

[quote]Originally posted by jhb:
<strong> A question for all cab owners, when your top is lowered, how high is the top (top header, now upside down) from the rear of the car. Mine looks a little high, and I was thinking of adjusting the microswitches and the parking pins.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Hard to say if it's low or high without a reference point. Mine is low enough that it's easy to put the boot on without having to pull it.

Before, i had to really pull the boot to be able to fasten all the nuts due to the pins blocking the fabric preventing the top from going all the way down. Now that i know the cause, I had to get out of the car to push the fabric out of the way of the pins before lower the top all the way down (i need to replace the elastic).

Hope this makes sense.