Hard top front corner rattles and whistles cure. (Z3)

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zedebee
Joined: Sat 19 Feb, 2005 16:25
Posts: 35

  M roadster S50
Location: Broadstone

Hard top front corner rattles and whistles cure. (Z3)

Post by zedebee »

Problem – Whenever I drove over a bump in the road there was this ‘thump’ (rattle is putting it mildly) from the front offside corner of the hard top. At speed, anything over 40mph, there was a whistling noise coming from the same location. At motorway cruising speeds I was in fear of the top suddenly departing from the car!

Investigation – I checked the 3 Torx screws (T-30) holding the corner securing plate were tight. They were ok. (These can be accessed by gently prising off the corner plastic cover plate with the hard top in situ)
I checked the single T-40 Torx screw that secures the hard top to the plate was tight. This was ok. But I could still ‘feel’ about a mm of play in the assembly by lifting the corner of the hard top!
I then remembered that the T-40 Torx screw on the front nearside of the hard top was held captive whereas the offside screw fell out of it’s hole when unscrewed!

Solution – Add a spring washer to the T-40 Torx screw. Simple but effective. The outside diameter of the washer must not be greater than the largest diameter of the Torx screw otherwise it may jam in its hole. The thickness of the washer I used was between 1 and 2mm.
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