Spyder Soft top repair help

[K@12im]

Heeeeeellp! . Got my hand on a 2g Eclipse Spyder GST. The top needs to be replaced (feel very confident). I removed the old head liner and top no issues. But I noticed that there was bent arms and missing bushings. Need help

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[motomattx]

There was a repair kit for this, it was an issue on the Spyders when they started to age, that elastic strap thats hanging loose is not supposed to be loose, its job is to pull on the bar in front of it to allow the top to fold properly, someone attached a makeshift white piece of string to try to repair it, the bent arm is the result of the front arm not being pulled by anything.

1996-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse/Spyder convertible frame repair kit :: Convertible frame rebuild kits :: Convertible Top Specialists

On the 1996-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse/Spyder the convertible top frame linkage is known to bend causing the top not to fold correctly. On the original frame the #2 bow sometimes does not fold properly and can cause the linkage to bind and bend, this can cause a hole in the top as well as the...

www.topsdown.com

 

[98MaroonSpyder]

Motomattx is correct. The repair kit used a length of what looked like aircraft cable that you would install on both sides of the frame to properly pull the frame links instead of the elastic strap. Over the 15 years that I owned my '97 Spyder (assembled in December, 1996), I forget how many times I had to repair the top mechanism, even after installing the repair kit, but in the case of my Spyder, it was the cast aluminum bar that actually moves the top up and down, that would break. Unfortunately, the repair kit was only good for about five years of cycling the top before the cable would fray and snap, breaking the cast control arm on the side that failed. Looks like the bent bar in your pictures may be the part replaced by the repair kit, along with the addition of the pull cable.

Here's the $73 repair kit to do both sides: https://www.ebay.com/itm/195982861692

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5CcAAOSwSRJlBJvL/s-l1600.jpg

Interesting, I just did a little research and found that American Sunroof Company (ASC or later, American Specialty Cars) was the actual designer for Mitsubishi's convertible tops (3000GT Spyder and Eclipse Spyder). You would think that a firm with as long a history of designing these tops wouldn't engineer such a relatively fragile design for its customer, but a light-weight mechanism was probably a requirement to help minimize the added weight of a convertible conversion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Specialty_Cars

 

[DogWhistle]

The link arms will need replacement as said above, however, be sure they attach to the roof bow without twisting. You’ll need to make (or find) plastic spacers to make this happen. We made ours from a spacer from the hardware store, cut at a 45* angle.

We got tired of replacing fraying pull cables and went with a small flexible chain, sleeved in tubing to prevent wear on the mechanism.

You can read and see our repair here:

https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/sun-burned-%E2%80%9999-spyder-gs-revived.483010/page-2

 

[K@12im]

Thank you to all of you this has been very helpful! Will post an update in a few days, hopefully if I can get to the car.

 

[DogWhistle]

Interesting, I just did a little research and found that American Sunroof Company (ASC or later, American Specialty Cars) was the actual designer for Mitsubishi's convertible tops (3000GT Spyder and Eclipse Spyder). You would think that a firm with as long a history of designing these tops wouldn't engineer such a relatively fragile design for its customer, but a light-weight mechanism was probably a requirement to help minimize the added weight of a convertible conversion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Specialty_Cars

Just finished reading this whole article, and was disappointed they skipped over(?) the 2gb Spyder. The 3000gt is mentioned, as is the 4g Spyder in the last sentence of the article.

Regardless, it’s a great reminder of how interrelated the automotive manufacturing company is.

ASC, American Sunroof Corporation, ASC Custom Craft, Heinz C. Prechter, ASC Holdings, American Specialty Cars, ASC/McLaren - Coachbult.com

ASC, American Sunroof Corporation, ASC Custom Craft, Heinz C. Prechter, American Specialty Cars, ASC/McLaren

www.coachbuilt.com

 

[Rubyroo]

Just received the upgraded parts mentioned in post #3. Still unsure how it fits and installs, even with the instructions. 99 Spyder. Thanks

 

[K@12im]

Finally got around to installing the arms hope this helps you

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[Rubyroo]

Finally got around to installing the arms hope this helps you

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Thank you. Got it repaired yesterday. The top now goes up and down smoothly. A little monkey business removing the old fastener but not too bad. Your pics really helped. Parts came from convertible-specialists on eBay.

 

[nice97civic]

I've installed these on mine and the arms bent immediately after. What position should the top be in when doing this repair?

 

[DogWhistle]

I've installed these on mine and the arms bent immediately after. What position should the top be in when doing this repair?

The job of the arms is to retract the support bow #2. We installed ours with the roof closed, and above, @K@12im installed them when the roof was open about 15*.

Once you install these, flip the trunk roof switch to Manual and close and open the top slowly by hand. That way you can check for binding before any arm bending happens again. This is a good time to lube the linkage pivot points.

One of the hardest things to determine with the DSM convertible tops is if both motors are working -- and working fairly evenly -- to avoid binding the roof mechanisms while opening and closing. If your top opens and closes by hand smoothly, but binds during power operation, the drive motors probably need replacement.

 

[nice97civic]

It opens and closes just fine, just have to help it clear the last fold so it doesnt try to crumple itself. I'll take a closer look at it eventually but since it works, I haven't cared enough ha.