Targa Top Seals

[donk]

Anyone have a source for the top seals. Last time I looked they were about a grand each and I will need shortly. Am experimenting with some 3/8 o.d. hose coated with ShinEtsu grease in the circular channel. Tried the foam channel stuff and it doesn't work for more than a couple of hours. Am thinking the stiffer hose and the ability to transfer air pressure might work. Any other ideas would be appreciated as a paleative procedure till I can get the TB/WP and this done. TB/WP obviously comes first, but hate the clunking noise. It appears there was no grease used prior to my ownership. All the posts on the subject are old, (5-7 years) so figured someone else was dealing with the same issue. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Thanks,
Don

 

[shawn110975]

if they are ripped you can use bicycle tire rubber cement glue to glue the puzzles pieces back it last for a long time. trick is getting the rip to match up to the other side with the glue on the seams

try it.... wipe/scratch off excess glue after it drys with an exacto knife and done

 

[boca rat]

What clunking noise? Doors closing? Or wind noise?

 

[donk]

What clunking noise? Doors closing? Or wind noise?

If the right window isn't up all the way, the top is loose on the right hand side as the seal is broken, and it isn't metal on metal, however it does make a clunking sound like the seal is collapsed and it bounces when I hit a bump. I think the foam is crushed by the weight of the top, so as mentioned earlier, I am going to try inserting some 3/8" o.d. rubber tubing 1/8" i.d. in the channel, (outside size is right) coated with ShinEtsu grease to seal it, to see if the air passage will keep the seal inflated. I'm afraid with the weight on the right window, it will damage the control arm etc and cause more damage. If this doesn't work, I guess I will have to drop the grand immediately to get it fixed properly.
D

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks Shawn for the idea on cement. Will try that once I get the rubber hose installed.
D

 

[silver2002]

When you secure the top, a rod comes out and goes into the A pillar [and B pillar in back]. That may be the clunk [front "A" pillar] - a short term fix /test is to cut a plastic bag corner push it corner end first into the hole [A pillar] and then secure the top and see if sound goes away. A longer term fix* [besides a good seal] is to put some silicon in the hole, place Vaseline on the shaft, secure the top and let it cure.

* that's what I did, not sure its the most professional way to do it.

 

[FF Drifter]

Could this help? http://sugru.com/

 

[jwmelvin]

Could this help? http://sugru.com/

Sugru is pretty stiff when cured. I think RTV or two-part silicone would work better if you need make-up material.

 

[robbiedawg]

When you secure the top, a rod comes out and goes into the A pillar [and B pillar in back]. That may be the clunk [front "A" pillar] - a short term fix /test is to cut a plastic bag corner push it corner end first into the hole [A pillar] and then secure the top and see if sound goes away. A longer term fix* [besides a good seal] is to put some silicon in the hole, place Vaseline on the shaft, secure the top and let it cure.

* that's what I did, not sure its the most professional way to do it.

a good material to stop rattling is the dow corning 111 grease as referenced in the wiki section on t-top noise towards the end-
http://www.nsxprime.com/wiki/Noises#Why_Does_The_T-Top_Squeak.3F

i use it and find it helpful,put it on the front and back rods that secure the top,and in the holes they go into.

 

[donk]

In the words of Chicken man "Welllllllllllllllllll". I used a piece of 3/8 OD rubber tubing inside both the front and rear seals and Viola, the clunking stopped. My first fix with the foam had two faults. One was the fact that the weight of the top crushed it into submission and it was flat. Secondly there was no air transfer to the rest of the seal. With the heavier rubber tubing, the crushing problem is fixed and with a 1/8 ID channel, the air is transferred just as original, since I coated the tubing with ShinEtsu grease. The jury is out as to how long this will last, and I need to see if the heavier tubing will withstand the weight of the top. Now to find some glue, (will try the bicycle stuff thanks to Shawn) when I can get some to see if it will seal on the greased seal. Paliative fix for now, 2 grand for later unless someone else has an idea where to get the seals less expensively.
Thanks for all the advice guys.
Don