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Author Topic: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.  (Read 5011 times)

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Offline Sly Bob

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LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« on: July 13, 2020, 02:13:55 PM »
One of the members over at Solstice Forum had never lubricated his top and as a result tore a large hole in it. The picture below is one that he uploaded to the thread that he started.

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Don't let this happen to you.

When you read your owners manual you will remember that it states that the following weatherstrip lubricant is to be used (GM Part No. U.S. 3634770, in Canada 10953518) or Dielectric Silicone Grease (GM Part No. U.S. 12345579, in Canada 992887).

Save yourself some money though and go to your favourite auto parts store and buy a tube of Dielectric Silicone Grease for less than $10, that will last you for life.

Hopefully no damage has been done under there from a lack of lubrication as you don't want to lose a top. I hope these pictures help in locating the lubrication points.

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« Last Edit: July 13, 2020, 02:30:07 PM by Sly Bob »
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline LatinVenom

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2020, 04:14:19 PM »
Why not use the same lubricant that is use for the rubber seals?. That is what I have use on all the rubber seals parts, like the windshield, trunk etc.
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Offline TomatoSoup

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2020, 05:09:07 PM »
Why not use the same lubricant that is use for the rubber seals?. That is what I have use on all the rubber seals parts, like the windshield, trunk etc.

That's what he said!

When you read your owners manual you will remember that it states that the following weatherstrip lubricant is to be used (GM Part No. U.S. 3634770, in Canada 10953518) or Dielectric Silicone Grease (GM Part No. U.S. 12345579, in Canada 992887).

Save yourself some money though and go to your favourite auto parts store and buy a tube of Dielectric Silicone Grease for less than $10, that will last you for life.
"That is my theory, it is mine, and belongs to me and I own it, and what it is too." (Monty Python)

Offline Uranium-238

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2020, 09:13:31 PM »
Dielectric grease IS what GM recommends on weatherstripping.

I've still got the can I bought for my Kappa, and use it on both the truck and the Camaro. It's a bout empty at this point, but I've got double the spark plugs to change per engine...
2005 Chevy Silverado Z71 Crew Cab, LM7 4L60E (What I traded my Kappa for. I regret nothing.)
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Offline Steelmesh

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2020, 03:59:25 PM »
Dielectric grease is often silicone grease re-labeled, check out the msds.  Silicone grease is compatible with all rubbers except for silicone.  I'd recommend buying silicone based dielectric grease in the jumbo size and use it as both a gasket/o-ring lubricant along with dielectric uses. 

In my opinion a great application for silicone spray is temporary use when installing certain o-rings or rubber/silicone hoses; because it's so thin it won't over lubricate and won't last as long where I hypothesize there is a risk of blowing off intake tubes or coolant hoses because you greased them up and you don't want to over tighten hose clamps.

Also, only certain types of solvents (ask yourself where do you get heptane?) can prep metal for paint after the metal has been exposed to silicone; a rule of thumb is to ban all silicones in the paint shop for example of how mindful you should be.
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Offline hammy221

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2020, 07:51:37 AM »
hmmmmm didn’t even know this was a thing

Offline Sly Bob

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #6 on: July 17, 2020, 03:33:21 PM »
hmmmmm didn’t even know this was a thing
It isn't, until a hole wears through the top.   :'(
As it wears for the inside out, you don't know it's a thing until it's too late.
A lot of us have had the top pinch to indicate that the mechanism was dragging but that's apparently not always the case.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2020, 03:42:02 PM by Sly Bob »
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline kwtoxman

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2020, 11:31:45 AM »
Thx for the heads up. I completely forgot about this maintenance item.


Anything else many forget about?


Cheers
:ca2:

Offline Ironhide

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2020, 01:45:15 PM »
Thanks for the good advice! :cool:

Lubricated the top last weekend.

Noticed that something wasn't working properly, when the right side of the fabric got stuck between the two seals (during closing the top). :gaah:
Oliver  :usa:

Offline Sly Bob

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2020, 10:46:26 PM »
Glad it was helpful Ironhide. I have had the pinching you describe as well and that's what alerted me to this issue years ago. Problem is, there are some that have issues and never experience the pinching issue and don't realize there is a problem until the top wears through.

When the top wears through it's a little late unfortunately. Glad you got the heads up with your top pinching.
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline Ironhide

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2020, 05:55:36 AM »
Glad it was helpful Ironhide. I have had the pinching you describe as well and that's what alerted me to this issue years ago. Problem is, there are some that have issues and never experience the pinching issue and don't realize there is a problem until the top wears through.

When the top wears through it's a little late unfortunately. Glad you got the heads up with your top pinching.
:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

Since spare parts started to get rare (mostly in Germany)I'm looking for advice how to prevent any damage. :(

So that has been the reason why I've alerted the forum about my rusting driver door. :cool:
Oliver  :usa:

Offline Kappaccino

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2021, 03:13:05 PM »
This thread here kept me up all night when I first came across this forum. I have since slattered DE grease all over it including the leading edge of the plastic piece where it nudges against the canvas.
I wonder for added protection if one can past black electric tape over the screw head. Thanks for the post!
« Last Edit: January 05, 2021, 03:16:57 PM by Kappaccino »

Offline Sly Bob

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2021, 05:28:50 PM »
I don't know that tape would stick especially after you slathered it with grease. If it did, I can't see it staying there long, just make sure it's snug and not backing out.
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline 2wrdr

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2021, 07:14:26 PM »
Can someone help me identify this "plastic tip"?  I see the screw and felt some metal pieces along with some rubber gasket type material so I put dielectric grease on everything in this area hoping I covered what is needed but would feel much more confident if I knew what the "plastic tip" was.

Offline Sly Bob

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2021, 08:15:13 PM »
You can see the tip in the last picture of the first post in this thread. The plastic tip rubs against the rubber fastened to the top as it opens and closes.
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline TomatoSoup

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #15 on: January 11, 2021, 02:29:07 PM »
Warning Wil Robinson!  My top was acting and folding just fine, but I used some dielectric grease to lube it just in case (per this thread).  After a while the top started to bind up!  Seems the grease gets sticky and negates the lube effect and makes the situation worse than it was.

So I wiped it all off and cleaned it with silicone spray squirted onto a rag.  YMMV, but check!
"That is my theory, it is mine, and belongs to me and I own it, and what it is too." (Monty Python)

Offline Sly Bob

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #16 on: January 11, 2021, 02:50:17 PM »
Hmmmmm, interesting! I found that the grease that I used was just as slippery a few years later. I guess you have to choose your grease carefully and be sure that the lubricant won't cure in any way. I used a Loctite product.
« Last Edit: January 11, 2021, 02:59:46 PM by Sly Bob »
Just trying to do my part...

Mods: Lose the chicklets, VentureShield, Dual horns, AfterShock spoiler, Weathershield cover, Lil Chromies, Red calipers with black Solstice stickers, Opel GT antenna and Solo GXP-RCD exhaust with a Solo hi-flow cat!

Offline DeepBlueGXP

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Re: LUBRICATE your top so this does not happen to you.
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2021, 06:27:51 AM »
I used silicone grease and never had an issue. 

 

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