Soft top boot installation

[ramseyt]

I installed my soft top boot this weekend. I feel really good about the material and quality of the stitching, but I suspect there is an ERROR IN THE PATTERN. I saw this before I began the physical installation but figured, worst case, I would not hook the grommet over the stud at the back. Now that I’m finished, it has occurred to me that it may flap in the wind and will not function as originaly was intended.
Here is what I have found: The area where the grommet is located does not extend across the zipper line far enough to hook over the tonneau stud without excessive stretching. The tendency to pull a straight line under this tension causes a big pucker. I didn’t install the snap yet. If I install the snap while it is in tension then it will pucker in toward the car interior and also wads the zipper up. If I install the snap with the material pulled to create the intended radius along the outside then the edge will curl up as it returns to a straight line.
I have photos (2a, 3a, and 4a) of the original piece snapped in place and there is little to no tension on it and the grommet is across the zipper line. Photo (1a) shows the new one laying flat, not hooked to the post, and in no tension. You can see that it is about 1 inch from the stud and does not cross the zipper line. In photos (6a, and 7a) it is stretched tight to hook over the stud. As you can see, it pulls a straight line. In photo (8a) they are both attached to the front stud to depict the difference in the locations of the grommet in question.
I think it is obvious that for it to work as well as the original, the new one should lay flat with no tension. I should also mention that the right and left sides are exactly the same.
Has anyone else ran in to this same problem?

 

[cobrakidz]

Funny that you posted this---I have a friend that is restoring his Alpine and he had me go by the interior shop to look at this exact problem. Thanks for the details, I will pass this on.

 

[ramseyt]

Thanks for your encouragement.

Thanks for your reply. I have sent these photos to the dealer and he thinks I used the incorrect proceedure to install the boot. Some photos make it appear that the main boot section was not installed with the hinge cut-outs centered on the hinges. They are centered and I feel this would not affect the physical distance between the two outer tonneau posts where the flap is being stretched to fit.

Here is what the dealer believes:

I haven't put on one of these because my Tiger is an early one but have seen many installed and know the pattern is correct. Hindsight is 20-20 but now it is apparent that the place to start the installation is by placing the 2 eyelets on the boot over the tonneau studs and then locating the top boot so that it fits evenly around the trunk hinges. Then the fastener locations should be marked & the clips installed at the back. Finally the boot should be attached at the front to the sheet metal. Unfortunately, it appears that your boot was installed at the front first and then worked from left to right at the rear and it didn't line up at the trunk hinges and the eyelet locations at the end of the installation.

I tend to dissagree with his suggested installation proceedure. Where the boot attaches to the sheet metal is a "fixed" location, other than centering the boot and/or positioning for the hinge cut-outs. The eyelets can be a slightly variable location depending on how you choose the final position and I did attach those last.

I'm not sure of the pattern process at Robbins, or how long they have offered this boot, but if it was ever correct, then somehow the pattern has drifted toward the natural appearance of being straight along the zipper side. I hope your friend will contact his dealer, in case we have the same, and Robbins as well. My next step is to establish a contact with an expert at Robbins and send the photos for their review. Hopefully we will get this resolved and prevent further grief for others.

 

[cadreamn67]

FWIW, I have had a somewhat similar problem with a Robbins tonneau cover. The notches for the trunk hinges were too close together by at least 1/2 inch, and it was really difficult to even get close to centering the cover. I managed to get the cover on with a lot of stretching, but there is still a small bit of material overlapping the outside of each hinge. And of course there is a very noticeable gap on the inside side of the hinge.

I started the install thinking I could just overlay my old factory original cover on top of the new one as a pattern to locate all the lift dot snaps. That is when I saw the notches for the hinges were way off. The new cover was also shorter than the old one and would not reach the posts up by the windshield by almost an inch. Now I realize the old canvass cover had probably stretched over the years, but there clearly is less material in the Robbins cover versus the original. Even the design and cut of the material by the corners of the windshield is significantly less generous than the one from the factory.

Unfortunately, I have a bad habit of buying stuff when I have the money and installing it when I have the time. In this case there was about a 2 year gap, so I did not have a comfortable basis for making a compliant.

Anyone else that is buying a Robbins product should immediately make sure it is acceptable, IMHO.

You have my permission to share my experience with Robbins in your continued discussions with them.

Gene

 

[XTIGERX]

I'm sure Robbins has cut many corners, so to speak. My Robbins tonneau was off about half a hinge width inboard on both locations just as Gene mentioned. Not sure if they figure that the top needs to be stretched that much or what. Seems like a lot. The cut up front ditto and different left and right but may be due to steering wheel.

I too bought several years before attempting to install. As I read their warranty it begins from time of install but it has been awhile and I my be incorrect about that. The bugaboo is they require the cover (or a top) to be installed by one of their approved shops. So if it's an owner install you have to bite the bullet.

Also on the original it was longer because there was a rubber dam that was intended to seal against the inside of the glass and direct what water may collect out to the sides (see attached). Don't imagine that worked real well anyway. Looks like Robbins just lopped that material off since they aren't providing the dam seal making the overall tonneau now short of the pegs

It would be interesting to see how an "approved" shop did the install and how many covers they have to go thru to do it right.

 

[ramseyt]

Robbins did not make the soft top boot.

I owe Robbins an apology for starting this discusion about a soft top boot that they didn't make. My supplier gave an example of an issue that Robbins had earlier as if they had also made my boot. I contacted Doug Robbins to discuss the issues with my boot and he said it wasn't his because they don't offer a soft top boot for a Sunbeam. I am still trying to get the supplier to fix the problem or get me in touch with whoever makes the boots for him..

 

[HolyCat]

More Robbins Tonneau Troubles

I had bought a tonneau earlier this year and finally got around to figuring out how to install. Crandall had warned me he had trouble with his. Sure enough, I had the same issue. The cut-outs for the trunk hinges were too close to each other and not big enough. They don't have enough material behind the front of the cut-outs to allow the rear Lift-o-Dots to be installed flat (and off the seam). I did complain to the seller, who contacted Robbins. There was a flurry of e-mails back and forth. Rick took a photo of the size of a cut-out on an original tonneau. I sent Robbins photos to show the problems and compared the size and location of the cut-outs on the tonneau with the cut-outs on my soft-top cover. I also sent Robbins Rick's photo of the cutout on the original tonneau, marked up with the correct dimensions. I also returned my tonneau to them for modifications or replacement. Their pattern maker person is working on it.

The first photo is of the new tonneau held over the trunk hinge on one side. The front of the cut-outs are lined up with each other. Note that the tonneau cut-out is not big enough to go around the hinge. Also notice that the toneeau does not have as much material going towards the back.

The second photo was Rick's, showing the dimensions of a cut-out on an original tonneau. I marked it up with dimesnions.

 

[cadreamn67]

Apology

Ramseyth,

It appears I may have inadvertently hijacked your thread on soft top boot fitment with a somewhat parallel response related to the soft top cover. I saw some parallel to how the trunk hinge cutouts did not seem right and wanted to let you and others know about the same problem with my Robbins tonneau cover.

My apology for the diversion, hope it is all ultimately helpful.

Gene

BTW, I also had the same problem as you with the new soft top cover I installed about 3 - 4 years ago. Again, purchased a year or so before that. I had gotten it from SS. In fairness to SS, I just decided to live with it and never brought this to their attention.