Topic: Top rubbing glass? Here's how to fix it.

[Sly Bob]

I have yet to see this anywhere so here it is. My top was rubbing until I went to Mecca when the fine people at the Wilmington Boxwood Plant fixed it for me. In fact he fixed it so quickly by the time I turned around from talking to one of the quality engineers about my seat they were done.

I asked the gentleman if he could show me what he had done so I could share it with others here. The following is what he did to fix the rubbing.

First of all, everyone knows what I mean? On my car that top rubbed the side door glass on the passenger side as indicated in the following picture.

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It is necessary to put the top down to make this adjustment. There is one for each side of the car depending on what side the top rubs. Here is a picture showing the location of the stops from the rear of the car with the top down.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
There is a small pal nut on the back of the adjustment holding a strap that we are going to loosen so in order to turn this stop. You will have to loosen the pal nut a bit. Insert a small screwdriver underneath the sheet metal nut and pry it back a bit.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
After loosening the pal nut we have to measure the distance that the stop is from it's mounting point. Mine was about 17 mm.


I was told that a 1mm adjustment of the stop will give you about 3mm of additional clearance between the door glass and the top. Loosen the lock nut for the stop with a 10mm open end wrench.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Raise or extend the stop towards the rear of the car for clearance. After you are done simply tighten the lock nut again, raise the top and check for clearance.

Gotta be one of the easiest adjustments to make on the car and beats the heck out of waiting for a new top after you have worn a hole in your old top. Thanks to the fine people at the Boxwood plant for their help fixing this.

[jonymac]

I have the same issue and did the same fix, but DeepBlueGXP said that there was a better way to do this by lowering the rear of the side window glass - I don't know how to do that though...

[tazz]

I think it may all depend where the rub is located as to what way would better fix the problem.
If the rub is located as in the first pic I could see the adjustment given working great. 
If the rub is located higher and farther up near the top of the glass and the canvass top then lowering the window glass would probably work better.  Just be careful when lowering the glass not to lower it more than just a tiny bit so you don't cause any water leaks.  On most windows there are stops that can be adjusted to adjust the travel up and down and what DeepBlueGXP is probably taking about.  You would probably need to access the stops by taking the door panel off and adjusting the stops at least that's the way it worked on anther vehicle of mine.

[DeepBlueGXP]

Try this way first since it is really simple method, if that doesn't fix it, then the glass has to be adjusted....

To check for proper seal and prevention of leaks, close the door on a dollar bill inserted between the glass and a top seal, if it is difficult to pull out, then you won't have a leak

[tazz]

I was looking at my windows this evening and my pass side window ever so slightly rubs.  I don't think adjusting the back stop will help where my rub is located though.  If you go from the center of the door handle where it cupped out in the door panel and go straight up is where my slight rub is located.  So in my case I proably just need to adjust the window travel down just a tad and Im talking just ever so slightly down.

[jonymac]

Does anyone know if there are instructions on how to do the window adjustment - couldn't find them on the other boards...

[kennysabarese]

Not directly related, but I'm having a problem where the passenger side top does not pop up all the way and gets in the way when i go to open the trunk. Is there an adjustment for this?

[G8TR]

I was looking at my windows this evening and my pass side window ever so slightly rubs.  I don't think adjusting the back stop will help where my rub is located though.  If you go from the center of the door handle where it cupped out in the door panel and go straight up is where my slight rub is located.  So in my case I proably just need to adjust the window travel down just a tad and Im talking just ever so slightly down.

When I talked to the engineers at Mecca this year they told me that even where yours is, (where mine was) may be able to be fixed by doing the adjustment from this thread. If it doesn't then try the window adjustment.

[tazz]

Actually took mine into the dealer since I was having another issue with the drivers side top not going into the door groove properly.  They said they adjusted one of the ribs and adjusted the glass.  For the drivers side they adjusted one of the links that align the base of the top into the groove.  They also noted that every few years Id probably needed to get minor adjustments depending on how much use it gets.

[Gentleman Jack]

Try this way first since it is really simple method, if that doesn't fix it, then the glass has to be adjusted....

To check for proper seal and prevention of leaks, close the door on a dollar bill inserted between the glass and a top seal, if it is difficult to pull out, then you won't have a leak

Hey boss, will 4 quarters work?  All I have is a $5

[Gentleman Jack]

Tazz,

Your original suggestion was spot on.  Just did it after the Patriots beat the Bills.  (sorry Joe...) and it took longer to find a 1/2 " wrench than to complete the whole adjustment.  I think someone really dumb designed this, that's how well it works!

[crappa]

Hey boss, will 4 quarters work?

Oh boy, I hope you never run out of toilet paper.

[Brad Kenny]

Thanks SLYBOB for the easy adjustment for this annoying issue.  I had to adjust my top a lot to get it back in alignment for the windows. Now it is quieter at highway speeds and the door glass is not rubbing anymore... A HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!!

[Helios]

I had to adjust my top last week cause the driver's side window had always rubbed.

[Sly Bob]

Fixed the pictures that were broken with the site "tune".

[Buckinfitch]

I have yet to see this anywhere so here it is. My top was rubbing until I went to Mecca when the fine people at the Wilmington Boxwood Plant fixed it for me. In fact he fixed it so quickly by the time I turned around from talking to one of the quality engineers about my seat they were done.

I asked the gentleman if he could show me what he had done so I could share it with others here. The following is what he did to fix the rubbing.

First of all, everyone knows what I mean? On my car that top rubbed the side door glass on the passenger side as indicated in the following picture.

(Attachment Link)
It is necessary to put the top down to make this adjustment. There is one for each side of the car depending on what side the top rubs. Here is a picture showing the location of the stops from the rear of the car with the top down.


There is a small pal nut on the back of the adjustment holding a strap that we are going to loosen so in order to turn this stop. You will have to loosen the pal nut a bit. Insert a small screwdriver underneath the sheet metal nut and pry it back a bit.


After loosening the pal nut we have to measure the distance that the stop is from it's mounting point. Mine was about 17 mm.


I was told that a 1mm adjustment of the stop will give you about 3mm of additional clearance between the door glass and the top. Loosen the lock nut for the stop with a 10mm open end wrench.


Raise or extend the stop towards the rear of the car for clearance. After you are done simply tighten the lock nut again, raise the top and check for clearance.

Gotta be one of the easiest adjustments to make on the car and beats the heck out of waiting for a new top after you have worn a hole in your old top. Thanks to the fine people at the Boxwood plant for their help fixing this.

Went to the Saturn dealer today, (now called Serra Chevrolet) since last week to have them check out the left and right side seams on the convertible top where the curvature/corners of the windows rubbed and worn almost through but not too bad and I can live with it... but on a good note the 'new' ex Saturn now Chevy dealer retained all their Saturn techs that are well trained on the Skys.
When the service manager came to let me know they were done looking at the top where the seams were worn ( about 1½" of the seam on each side in about the same area in your first photo (circle), then he told me that the tech adjusted the trim adjuster bolts. and it will not rub anymore, ( and I thought that was it..job complete)

then he says, that way after they install the new top it will not get the glass rub anymore and to bring the car back for the install when the new top comes in !!
 
new top ordered... (3/36 warranty work too!) YAY !
he said it'll be about a 4 hr. job and I will have Reputa (the Beauta) back the same day. 
(ie:retained all their Saturn techs that are well experienced with the Skys)

I read on the 'other' forums some have waited days up to a week for new top installs