Hi,
The roof latch on one side of my Mk2.5 doesn’t latch shut properly (e.g. flops open without having to press the catch). Have read about fixes for this, but will probably just get used replacements.
Thought I’d better check though - is it as easy a job as I suspect? Just unscrew the old one, and screw in the new one? Or is there any sort of fiddliness involved in making sure the replacement is fitted correctly and fastens tightly?
Thanks!
Agreed just get better secondhand ones as a pair with the bit it latches into.
Just some screwdrivers is all that is required.
I’ve tried the fix you can find online where you dismantle and file the cam inside the mechanism but to be honest the best that will do is turn a latch that doesnt work at all into one that doesn’t work very well.
Check fleabay for second hand ones, they’re probably the best value and the ones I’ve had were good.
The only real problem I have found on one on my hard top is that someone messed up the head, probably using the wrong bit which means if I want to fix that one I’m going to have to drill the bolts out. I can do that but it’s a job too far, the left one is a good catch and the visor will stop the right one from unlatching. Hard top is off for the summer now anyway.
If your bolts are OK replacing is easy.
Cheers
Thanks, good to know it’s as simple a job as I hoped! Yes, those latch quick-fixes looked a bit bodgy to me, may as well just replace.
Autolink sell them (used) for decent price, but will see if anything on fleabay too.
Try and get some from a MK1, they work much better than the ones on MK2’s. They are easy to spot as they have white writing on them.
Fixing these catches is quite easy. Getting the screws out is more difficult. Some advocate using heat on the heads of the fixing screws via soldering iron to melt the threadlock compound used by the manufacturer. The ones on my hard top were held in with “Torx” type screws so a screwdriver was of no use. Heat is probably a good idea; I accidentally stripped the head out of one of mine using the correct Torx bit.
I fixed mine by drilling a small hole in the end of the main catch and putting in a small dome headed self tapping screw. The head of the screw replaces the worn out “pip” on the edge of the catch. The fix worked perfectly, at negligable cost.
Interesting, do the mk1 latches definitely fit on a mk2.5 hood without any modifications needed?
And thanks for the tips on screw removal, will get the soldering iron out!
Yes
As an aside check the condition of the nylon cover on the protrusion on the catch that goes into the socket on the top of the screen while you have the catches off. Mine were broken and replacing them aligns the catch better when closing it and can fix leaks in that area too. MX5 Parts have them for about £2.50 each. They call them Hood/Hardtop Catch Stopper, MX5 Mk1/2/2.5.
Cheers