Roof rear clamshell

[ManiacGT]

Would someone/a few people be so kind as to video the closing procedure of their roof with focus on and as close to the rear clamshell closing? My roof over the last year has started to slam on to the rear deck enough to make it bounce back up a quarter inch before settling and locking down. I've gotten around this by padding the two rear rubber bump stops for the clamshell because these are adjustable and I think they may have moved over time given bmw had to fiddle with it a fair bit when new to stop noises (first gen 2009 car bugs I guess). I admit I fiddled with some extra padding on the rear deck at one point but I've since reversed all those changes.

The reason I'd like to see someone else's close is mainly to see how it comes to a rest and the noises it makes.

Thanks.

[nicknaz]

the clamshell doesn't "slam" or "bounce" on my car. It makes a "thunk" similar to closing the door or trunk lid normally.

I'll try and post a vid later



EDIT: I put a vid onto photobucket. Let me know if it doesn't work out

roof

[redhot]

Yeah, I hear a "thunk" however even that is of a concern to me as it seems to hit the back shelf pretty hard. The techs had adjusted the stops to all the way up to reduce the pressure clamshell puts on the parcel shelf.

[BMWZ4RIDER]

My 09 makes a firm drop on to the rear clam shell, but not anything near a heavy bounce.

[ManiacGT]

Thanks for the vid nicknaz, that does sound likely a fairly heavy thump. Mines just a bit heavier than that to the point it appears to jump back up a little as the rubber seal hits the rear deck. It was quieter when I first got the car. It's my guess that the rubber bump stops have moved (car is nearly 5 years old) a little causing this. They were altered a long time ago and perhaps not tightened properly by the dealer. In any event I've padded mine and the roof no longer even thumps, it now just stops with hardly a noise.

I'm quite surprised that BMW didn't make it slow before the end of the cycle to avoid this thump.

In any event, thanks for the vid as it doesn't seem like mines that much different and is certainly better now it's padded on the bump stops.

[nicknaz]

Glad the vid help.

Personally, I'm ok with the noise, since the seal of the roof is quite good. It has been like this since the car went into service 2 years ago, and the top is used 2 to 6 times a day year round.

[Crazykoh]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Glad the vid help.

Personally, I'm ok with the noise, since the seal of the roof is quite good. It has been like this since the car went into service 2 years ago, and the top is used 2 to 6 times a day year round.

I have to hate you now.

[z4z4z4]

Hmm....mine doesn't hit with Any force. It comes in contact and then I hear a motor whine as it draws closed similar to boot/trunk soft closure system. I'll Zeo tomorrow.
One comment, mine has always bounced on top of the roof when opening.

[ManiacGT]

The same rams that move the clamshell also then push the locking hooks at the end if the cycle. There are no motors it's all hydraulic. I can only assume that the fiddling bmw did in my early days of ownership have come back to bite me here but it's solved enough just by padding the rubber bump stops so that is a cheap and easy fix to the loud thump.

[redhot]

Can you share a pic Maniac? I do not want to break my glass or the shelf. Seems like a lot of force being applied when it closes...

[Lurcher]

Originally Posted by Crazykoh

I have to hate you now.

Look where he lives (San Diego) - he's just playing with us- he probably only puts it up a few times times a year just to wash it

[rking117]

Originally Posted by Lurcher

Look where he lives (San Diego) - he's just playing with us- he probably only puts it up a few times times a year just to wash it

+1

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by Lurcher

Look where he lives (San Diego) - he's just playing with us- he probably only puts it up a few times times a year just to wash it

The weather is so good I've thought about removing the roof completely to save weight

(just kidding)

Maniac, I've been paying a bit more attention to this the last few times and it seems like there is some variance in how the roof operates (i.e. sometimes it goes down on the deck lid more softly and sometimes it slams down with a bigger thunk)

I can't find a pattern and am filing it into the "don't care" bin.

Is there a reason you are keeping an eye on this, or do you just get annoyed by the "thunk"?

[STR3T]

Originally Posted by nicknaz

...and it seems like there is some variance in how the roof operates (i.e. sometimes it goes down on the deck lid more softly and sometimes it slams down with a bigger thunk)

I can't find a pattern and am filing it into the "don't care" bin.

If it's all hydraulic, wouldn't hydraulic fluid level and the angle of the car itself (down hill or flat land) play a part in how the roof operation vaires?

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by STR3T

If it's all hydraulic, wouldn't hydraulic fluid level and the angle of the car itself (down hill or flat land) play a part in how the roof operation vaires?

Maybe?

I use the same two parking spots for almost all of the roof operations and still seems like there is a difference

[bigendbob]

There's a motor in the front roof panel to lock, I hear it operate.
I noticed my bus.partners car, this motor didn't operate when she had problems with her roof getting stuck open.
When "fixed" everything was crashy and I said that's not right.
The rear panel came down with a bang.
It went back to be sorted but I think still not 100%

Bare in mind warmer temp. will have effect on the viscosity of the fluid.

Check the fluid level at the pump.
Having compared two vehicles the level looks to be half tank or slightly less.

[rking117]

Originally Posted by bigendbob

...Having compared two vehicles the level looks to be half tank or slightly less.

There could be a variance depending on if the roof is up or down. I dont think the fluid drains back to the reseviour after operation. If it did i think you would hear the fluid escaping the lines after moving the top and ar when you start. The other reason i think this is most hydrolc systems are self contained and require constant positive and negatve pressure to operate.

[bigendbob]

The fluid is probably used to regulate the speed of movement. If it were to drain too quickly the movement would be speeded up so provide no damping and system become crashy. So control speed by regulating how a cylinder empties rather than rate at which it is filled. That's how we controlled hydraulics 20 years ago. Whether there is adjustment is anyone guess.

Either some adjustment on the valves or the narrowness of the hyd. pipes regulate the flow.

[ManiacGT]

Sussed it out...

So it appears that the rear clamshell has a bar running from each hinge into the front part of the roof. This bar inserts into dampers which make the rear clamshell smooth when operating. It looks like mine may have partially failed/worn or require adjustment as there's a distinct jerkiness to the clamshell closing and without damping this also explains why it bangs on to the rear deck. I'd sorted the banging part with some padding but the jerkiness is seems to be a bit more than normal having compared it to another car so I either live with it or $$$ out to the dealer for them to have a look at it. I think I might be getting a bit perfectionist about it and so I'm fighting myself to wait until its worse as they may just say 'well its fairly normal for a 5 year old car'...

Mine closing ;

Having compared it with such as ;