Should we have a referendum with a binding and irrevocable conclusion?
I have a hard top for my NA, through the summer the hard top safely zipped into a strong padded cover out of the sun/heat and vented. The cover has hanging buckles so that the top. can be suspended out of harm’s way. Now here is the nub of the title. Should the hard top be stored front down or back down? I don’t know, does it make a difference? The top is not heavy and it is strong but 6 months in one position it was not designed for. Enlighten me please.
I’ve never stored one in the covers I think you’re meaning, is it like this? If so it looks from the shape, that it would be ‘back down’ as you describe it, i.e. the rear glass section going into the cover first.
My cover isn’t the Mazda original although it is constructed from heavy material, padded and lined with a soft inner. The roof fits either way and each way looks convincing.
The question is largely academic at the moment because it is coming out in 3 weeks after our trip to Isle of Man on 15th.
When it goes back in its cover I don’t want my ignorance to damage the fit of roof and cause leaks or wind noise.
Ade
PS. Why is that whenever I am on the inside lane at a roundabout a sodding great 4x4 pulls up alongside and obscures my view?
I’ve got our hard top stored in the padded bag type, inserted window first, suspended from a garage roof support against a wall.
Ours doesn’t come out much and noticed one time some mustiness, so take it out occasionally and give it a dust off and some air or just unzip the bag to let air circulate. Might depend on your garage (ours isn’t heated).
The bag for my MK3 hardtop has got hanging loops but there’s no way I’m brave enough to test them out. It took me over a year to find the roof and I’m not going to risk the loops giving way and the roof hitting the floor at speed. Having said that I did have my TR6 roof hanging in my garage for many years with a similar set up to Wardy5’s first photo.
Does your bag only fit the roof one way round? If so then the position of the loops would suggest which way to hang it. My loops are at the front of the hardtop so rear screen down.
Thanks for the input, I don’t have any doubts about the effectiveness or load capacity of the hanger shackles. My concern is that prolonged storage in a position that it is not designed to endure may have an effect on the shape(fit) when it goes back on the car in winter. So screen up or screen down, seems there is no definitive or correct way. I’m not inclined to go for a wall fitting, I’ll stay with hanging and maybe alternate the positioning each year. Thanks for all the replies.
Ade
Speaking only as an engineer, and without specific experience of these particular hard-tops, I would suggest always put the heaviest (and thus probably most rigid) bit at the bottom, then there is less weight to distort any “flexible” bits.
Glass is heavy and reasonably rigid, so maybe it should be down (assuming the glass and cover are both clean of any scratchy grit etc).
I can see the logic in that and it is a feasible option, next time it is packed away I’ll do back (glass screen) to the bottom. I’m thinking I might also fashion a spreader for the top of the cover to relieve any lateral compression that might occur to the front of the hard top.
thanks again everyone.
Ade
Look at an official NA/NB Mazda storage cover - that will tell you from the shape and position of the hanging loops etc. My NA/NB hardtop bought secondhand obviously has been stored incorrectly and is slightly distorted - I suspect it was stored on its side. I don’t think front or back will make much difference - I think top at the top as the weight is in the bottom.
