2002 Hardtop alignment & adjustment

[tweak89]

So, I finally put the hardtop back onto my 2002 T-bird. It had the top on when I bought it, and I drove it home and promptly removed. It hasn't been on the car since. Well, cooler weather is finally getting here to Texas and I thought I'd put it on. Went on no problem, but I noticed that the two front corners where the tort bolts secure it aren't even. What I mean is the passenger side pretty much rests flush, the driver side has a small gap (where I can see space between the top and a-pillar mount. Is this a problem? Nothing seems off when looked at from the outside, no gaps etc.

Driver Side:

Passenger Side:

Also, is there a consensus on the best solution for the creaking that comes with using the hard top? The Ford strips? Lubing the weatherstripping? Something new? I noticed most links to some solutions are dead except for QAA and the Ford Strips.

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[Bubblehog]

So, I finally put the hardtop back onto my 2002 T-bird. It had the top on when I bought it, and I drove it home and promptly removed. It hasn't been on the car since. Well, cooler weather is finally getting here to Texas and I thought I'd put it on. Went on no problem, but I noticed that the two front corners where the tort bolts secure it aren't even. What I mean is the passenger side pretty much rests flush, the driver side has a small gap (where I can see space between the top and a-pillar mount. Is this a problem? Nothing seems off when looked at from the outside, no gaps etc.

Driver Side:

Passenger Side:

Also, is there a consensus on the best solution for the creaking that comes with using the hard top? The Ford strips? Lubing the weatherstripping? Something new? I noticed most links to some solutions are dead except for QAA and the Ford Strips.

Are you sure the driver side screw is actually engaged? It looks like the Torx screw might not be engaged. The top should draw down tight on both sides, and it's flexible enough that unless there's something between the pieces, they will come together.

Your hardtop's mounting blocks might be out of alignment. You can check by gently pulling the plastic trim across the front of the hardtop's headliner down from the side- it's just held in by some friction clips. Start with a fingernail between the plastic and the fabric at the outside over the driver door, and gently pull it down. Once it's down, you'll see a metal block held by 3 Torx bolts at each front corner- the Torx screws from the windshield corners go into threaded holes in these blocks. Use the same T-40 wrench you use for the hardtop screws to loosen the 3 bolts on the driver side block so it can move, and let it line up with the screw from the windshield. Tighten the three hardtop bolts then the windshield bolt, and gently snap the plastic trim back on.

I had to do this to the hardtop I bought for my own '05 T-Bird. The driver side screw didn't engage the threaded hole.

 

[tweak89]

Bubblehog,

It's definitely engaged, but I will check our the alignment of the mounting blocks for sure.

Thanks.

 

[Marshall]

Bubblehog,

It's definitely engaged, but I will check our the alignment of the mounting blocks for sure.

Thanks.

I get the best results when I go from corner to corner tightening a little at a time otherwise the top does skew. Don’t latch the back down first

 

[fdf3280]

I agree that it may not be seated correctly. Loosen the rear handles and make sure it is sitting flush on all four corners, then secure the rear handles (lock them) and then tighten the front screws. Make sure the front screws are loosened as when you remove the top. That should do it.

 

[tweak89]

Loosened the driver side corner mount and tightened the top before tightening the mount back up. That did the trick, everything is flush now. Thanks for the suggestions all!

 

[edward301]

Had not installed the hard top for 15 years, I put a small drop of oil on each screw to help them
tighten up. Worked wonders.

 

[Gus Gutz]

The removable top has adjustment bolts. The bolts use the same T-40 Torx bit as the lock down screw. Pull off the molding on the inside front edge of the top. If it is difficult, get a set of plastic pry tools. Mine popped off easily. On each side there are three bolts that can be adjusted to line up the screw and the top. It needs to be done if you change tops with another car or when your top gets out of alignment.

 

[Rusty_G]

The removable top has adjustment bolts. The bolts use the same T-40 Torx bit as the lock down screw. Pull off the molding on the inside front edge of the top. If it is difficult, get a set of plastic pry tools. Mine popped off easily. On each side there are three bolts that can be adjusted to line up the screw and the top. It needs to be done if you change tops with another car or when your top gets out of alignment.

Thanks Gus! My wife and I picked up an 05 Monday and on the way home when I hit a bump in the road the top would make a loud thumping sound. After inspecting it, the dealer did not have either of the front bolts engaged. I had to adjust the driver side mount to get them to engage. I had read your post before buying the car, and it was nice to know exactly where to look and what could be done. Thanks again!

 

[stevedaphotoman]

When I took ours out for a test drive at the dealers, every little bump or flex of the body caused a thump or creak in my hard top.. Again as with Rusty's account the bolts were not engaged and there was no sign of the wrench in the car.. I had to buy a torx #40 with the handle on eBay and since then, the limited times I use the hard top, the noise is gone..

 

[Mach5]

When I bought my 04 Merlot back in May the seller didn't know anything about the two front bolts ( or the wrench) and actually insisted there weren't any front bolts. During the entire time he owned it, as the second owner from 2006 to 2018, he had only engaged the rear latches on the hard top. We found the original wrench in the trunk and were able to tighten the bolts before driving it home (to its new home!)
ps: I made sure I had a T-40 bit in my toolbox that day, just in case the seller didn't have the wrench.

 

[Gus Gutz]

When I bought my 04 Merlot back in May the seller didn't know anything about the two front bolts ( or the wrench) and actually insisted there weren't any front bolts. During the entire time he owned it, as the second owner from 2006 to 2018, he had only engaged the rear latches on the hard top. We found the original wrench in the trunk and were able to tighten the bolts before driving it home (to its new home!)
ps: I made sure I had a T-40 bit in my toolbox that day, just in case the seller didn't have the wrench.

While going through the service manual I see there is an adjustment for the latches on the back, but no mention of the adjustment on the front of the top.

 

[Mach5]

Yup. Yet another reason why this forum is so great. The collective knowledge of the members is shared - and often includes pictures! (like the ones Gus and Tweak89 posted)

 

[BluByeU]

I may be too late to add this and if you do not have the original directions to putting on the HT or removing the HT there is a sequence, a very important step. This is that the rear latches should not be fully latched until the windshield header bolts are well started into the HT receiver blocks. After the front bolts are well started but not completely snug then go back to the rear latch handles & fully latch them. Next go back to the front bolts & snug up tight. The owners manual also suggests that after driving the car a few times to recheck the front bolts & tighten if necessary.

It is important to know that each HT is custom fitted to each Retro body at the factory. If you have a HT that did not leave the factory with your car, in other words bought a HT from someone then that HT needed to be fitted to your car and this is when you will need to pull down the plastic header on the HT to reveal the front receiver blocks to re-align them to the windshield bolts. It is a very easy thing to do & once it is done it should never need to be done again.

 

[pdigirolamo]

I just had the top replaced for the first time and when closing, the top does not line up any longer. Needs to be jimmeyed into place to lock. The installer (highly rated) tried to make some adjustments but said it would take some time for the top to stretch. Does this make sense? Or is there another way to adjust and align the top?

 

[JoseG]

This is normal, over the years I have replaced a few tops and they have always told me to leave the top up for a few days and let the sun do its work, it has always worked out.