Convertible Top requires big guns to close

[viperfuntime]

For the record, I am a well built male in terms of my physical composition. I am 6 foot, 180, and feel like I am in good shape. I work out routinely.

I bought a 2005 Viper about 3 months ago(mind you I live in so cal) and have only put the convertible top up a couple times since I have owned it because the weather is fantastic this time of year where I live. Anyway, when I attempted to close it the top has been very difficult to latch. I really have to strain, pull down hard, try 3 or 4 times, and then finally if I am lucky with enough force I can latch it. I need a stiff drink afterwards too. Now....if I asked a typical guy to do this, or better yet a female (a select few own these awesome serpeants) it would be almost impossible for them to do this.

I cannot imagine this is the case with all convertible SRT10's. Dodge could not have intended it to be this way. The top should not be this hard to latch closed. I had a convertible C6 prior to this and loved the automatic convertible that came with it and miss it the few times I have had to experience the arm wrestling & back straining required to close the SRT10 top.

Can somebody please tell me how to adjust the slack on the top so when I attempt to close it I don't walk away with a pulled muscle or better yet a hernia!

I avoid it now at all costs - which is great when you have a convertible because after all that is why you got a convertible. But, I should not have to wrestle with it like I am.

Am I alone?

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

Do you have the windows up when your closing it?

Sounds strange. Mine closes very easily and I'm 4'9'' 85lbs.

Good luck

 

[Kenneth Krieger]

dI also have an 05 vert......mine is a piece of cake.......I'm 5'9" and 225 with a 34 inch waist.....maybe that's the reason!!!

 

[theamigo]

When you don't keep it up and latched down the canvas loses its stretchiness.

 

[MikeR]

My 05 is easy too. I always keep doors open or windows down though when latching. Put no extra strong force is needed.

 

[Eldon]

My 05 vert top was hard to latch closed for the first 10-12 times. It is now a piece of cake.

 

[musicncars]

Do you have the windows up when your closing it?

Sounds strange. Mine closes very easily and I'm 4'9'' 85lbs.

Good luck

you are not the artist formerly known as prince are you?

 

[musicncars]

i wear size 10 1/2 shoes, would that make a difference?
I can close the top pretty easily.

 

[wallbanger]

Latching the top up is much easier if you do 2 things.....

1. keep the trunk lid up untill after you latch the top to the windshield
2. Either roll both windows down OR open both doors

Now if i could only figure out how to put the tonneau cover on

 

[viperfuntime]

love the prince question - made me

Anyway, the car is like brand new only 2900 miles now and its a 05, original owner didn't drive it much since it was a play car. With that said, you are probably right it hasn't been up and down much but even if that is the case I can't imagine if this car was on the showroom floor in 2005 and a salesman was trying to show a customer how to close it Dodge would have made a top that was this hard to close. Something is in need of adjustment, slightly.

I do put it up with doors open and with the trunk open so I guess I could rule that out.

Anybody ever made any adjustments to the top that could point me in the right direction? Car is out of warranty period and don't want to bring it to the dealer to mess with it if I don't have to.

 

[musicncars]

love the prince question - made me

Anyway, the car is like brand new only 2900 miles now and its a 05, original owner didn't drive it much since it was a play car. With that said, you are probably right it hasn't been up and down much but even if that is the case I can't imagine if this car was on the showroom floor in 2005 and a salesman was trying to show a customer how to close it Dodge would have made a top that was this hard to close. Something is in need of adjustment, slightly.

I do put it up with doors open and with the trunk open so I guess I could rule that out.

Anybody ever made any adjustments to the top that could point me in the right direction? Car is out of warranty period and don't want to bring it to the dealer to mess with it if I don't have to.

ah, just leave it down down, drive it on really sunny days. its a convertible, that is what it was designed for. lol
seriously, though, it seems strange that it would be THAT hard to close. maybe there is a defect with it, such as a neccessary adjustment, or a problem with the latches.

 

[slaughterj]

Try the Viper Workout* first, should have no problem thereafter.


*Viper Workout = 12 oz. curls of your favorite frosty beverage!

 

[theamigo]

Put it up, and leave it up for a few days. That'll stretch it out. Why not try something simple first?

 

[Phoenix SRT]

When I first had my car, the top was very difficult to latch...quite a fight, actually. But it loosened up after a while. It's an '03, so I don't recall any longer how long it took to loosen up, but it wasn't all that long. So just keep using it and see what happens. And don't forget to put the windows down when putting the top up.

 

[ViperTony]

I think the GenIII tops are a marvel in engineering and assembly ergonomics compared the GenII soft top. I had to slap the soft top on my GenII earlier this week and I was very close to setting it on fire. I'd convert to an SRT for the soft top alone.

 

[CitySnake]

Put it up, and leave it up for a few days. That'll stretch it out. Why not try something simple first?

I've got no experience with a gen 3 top, but I've had converts for MANY years. If the former owner had the top up in the rain and then put it down while wet or still damp, it can shrink the material. As amigo mentioned, try to leave the top up over night a few times to stretch it back out.

 

[viperfuntime]

The few times I did put it up I left it up for a few days as I drove my other vehicle when the SRT was taking a break. It didn't seem to help much the next time I put the top up. I am all for letting it stretch, put it in the sun and warm up the material to allow for more elasticity but I am still torn how something can be this uncomfortable or poorly designed.

Even if I never put it up, even if I lived in cold weather, the top should not have been this taught when it was designed. Either the materials Dodge used for the top are inferior to other soft tops out in the market or my top needs a simple adjustment.

I SHOULD be able to put it up with ease when ever. I was looking for someone who maybe made an adjustment and allowed more slack in the top which helped the latching but it doesn't sound like anybody has done this and succeeded.

 

[viperbilliam]

I'm your size but it shouldn't be that hard. The top may need a little more breaking in before it will get easy but here's what to try (as I did) until it gets broken in to where you can do this with one hand: Pull down with both hands, one on each side and then bump the latch with your forehead.

 

[VIPER R]

I have the same problem with the weather, I have an 04, My top has been up maybe twice in 4 years. I think it's just from lack of use.

 

[Chopper]

Just because your vert is out of warranty doesn't mean you can just stop by your local Dodge dealer and present the question as to how to fix.The guy may say that the have fixed one like it before. Or they may tell you to go s--t in your mess kit.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

If made properly, it should be tough to close in the beginning.
After several times of opening and closing and opening and closing, it will loosen up a bit and be perfectly fine.

I noticed in the beginning it was much tougher to latch than it is today.

I only drive my beast with the top DOWN, but always put the top up when its back in the garage when parked. I also have a 2005 vert., though mine is yellow, so its made better.

And I'm kind of weak and on the small size, I'm only 6'4" 235 lbs of shear muscle and hung like a nat.

 

[slysnake]

My '05 is super easy to open a close the top. I bet the guys that are saying you just need to streach it out are right. Why not close it when you put the car away for the night everytime to get it streached out?

 

[rcl4668]

When my 08 arrived the dealer actually put the top up for several days to strech out the top and reduce the issue you are seeing. This sounds fairly normal and I would agree that if you are going to store the car for a few days keep the top up to stretch it out a bit.

/Rich

 

[theamigo]

My 2003's top is very easy to put up now. It was tight initially. Given that the car can do ~200mph I think it's safe to assume that we all want it tight.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

I'm your size but it shouldn't be that hard. The top may need a little more breaking in before it will get easy but here's what to try (as I did) until it gets broken in to where you can do this with one hand: Pull down with both hands, one on each side and then bump the latch with your forehead.

That's actually the solution, or grow an extra arm.

 

[steponz]

I think you might need to workout a little more.... j/k

Leave it out in the sun for a while and then close it....
Everytime you put her to bed ... put the top up and it will eventually get easier...

Joe

 

[Flexx91]

Same for me. Was difficult in the beginning but eventually loosened up. Consider it normal.

 

[viperfuntime]

I gotta believe you are ALL correct. I will try putting it up the next few times I put her to bed.

The old adage I live by ......."Pay now and Play later" or "Play now and Pay later". In the case of my SRT vert roof, go bust a few knuckles on the stubborn latch, pull a few muscles or if I am lucky get a hernia, go to my local chiropractor to seek help, see a massage specialist to work out the tight muscles, then cap it off and have surgery on my hernia..............and if it all goes as planned after spending weeks of my life in agony I may be able to put up my frickin top with not much effort.

Sounds like a plan!

 

[Venomiss]

I only drive my beast with the top DOWN, but always put the top up when its back in the garage when parked. I also have a 2005 vert., though mine is yellow, so its made better.

.

LOL! I agree with the yellow part.

Our 03 and our current 05 verts were both stiff in the beginning until used.
(no comments from the peanut gallery on that one)
Get the top wet a few times and leave it up might be another solution to try.
Good luck with it.

 

[ROCKET62]

Sorry to bust your chops, but your the first person since 2003 to post this and it's an inferior design.

Might want to post this on the Alley - they're a great bunch of understanding guys that will certainly have loads of advice for you.

The few times I did put it up I left it up for a few days as I drove my other vehicle when the SRT was taking a break. It didn't seem to help much the next time I put the top up. I am all for letting it stretch, put it in the sun and warm up the material to allow for more elasticity but I am still torn how something can be this uncomfortable or poorly designed.

Even if I never put it up, even if I lived in cold weather, the top should not have been this taught when it was designed. Either the materials Dodge used for the top are inferior to other soft tops out in the market or my top needs a simple adjustment.

I SHOULD be able to put it up with ease when ever. I was looking for someone who maybe made an adjustment and allowed more slack in the top which helped the latching but it doesn't sound like anybody has done this and succeeded.