Spyder Floating Rib Bent

[korupt3d]

I just started replacing my convertible top. I bought an EZ-on top and took of the old. I had the bent link arm problem so I bought new link arms with the wire instead of elastic. While installing these I ran into a problem with my 2nd Bow (Floating Rib).

Before, my top had a huge bump in the top (I called it the cars mohawk) caused by the floating rib being bent and forcing the top canvas to stick up in front. Now that I have replaced the link arms, I am trying to attach them to this second bow, but being that the bow is bent, I cannot get it to line up properly with the link arms to get the screws in.

I have bent the bow back so it was almost flat across, but that seemed to be too long, so I bent it again to put a slight bump in. That also didn't work. Here is a picture of it:

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From the bottom of the end to the top center, there is a four inch difference (a 4" bend, in other words). My questions are:

1. Does anyone have a picture they could send me of a proper floating rib?

2. Would I be best off just buying a new one?

3. How should I go about bending this properly and installing it, if I should not waste the $100+ it costs to get a new one?

4. Does anyone have the dimensions of a properly bent one? what is the height from bottom to top?

Thank you all, this has been my hundredth but definitely not my last problem with my DSM and you all have been extremely helpful in explaining things to me, so I really appreciate the support.

 

[Fourdoor]

Once bent as yours was, it is forever weakened and will be prone to bending again. I would replace it myself with a good used one. There are plenty of crashed sypders out there.

Keith

 

[korupt3d]

Thank you, I appreciate the reply. I'll check around at junk yards.