Yearly roof maintenance

[SpectreMech]

Should be yearly...I have sinned. Bought my 2011 35is three or four years ago and haven't done any periodic maintenance other than a yearly oil change.

In my defense, it's garaged for seven months out of the year, and only comes out on sunny weekends for tooling around the countryside. We took her out today, rode the far side of Lake Pend Oreille and it was spectacular.

When I garaged her, I heard a dry joint squeak when I closed the roof. I came back and searched...there must be a dozen threads on lubing the trapeze, but I just want to make sure I'm clear about this - it's okay to stop the roof opening mechanism at the halfway point and shut the car down? What constitutes halfway...is there a specific point that exposes more of the pivots? When I restart the car, do I continue the opening sequence or take it closed?

Sorry, but this process with a complex moving assembly on a BMW makes me nervous. BTW, I was stunned at the number of people using WD40 for a lubricant. Don't do that.

First day of summer:

[bigendbob]

Think recommendation is no to lube but i have with no bad results, cars 14 years old still works fine.

[Tangent]

For what it's worth, I've never lubed the top assembly on my 2011 and it's working flawlessly. I have inspected and cleaned it a few times but I'm sticking with the "no lube" recommendation from BMW. Those aren't high pressure or high speed joints and don't even move all that often all things considered. Typically when "no lube" is specifically called out it's because they decided grease will just trap more contaminants and end up causing more wear long-term. Besides the cleaning the only maintenance I've done is replacing the salmon relays.

[surfwooder]

Hello all, I've just completed a full lub on the top of my 2009 Z4, I also Gummie Fludged all the seals on the top I also took a good look for wear on the wiring harness at each joint it passes through. I have no top problems since ownership. I guess I'm lucky so far. I also keep a close eye on the area where the hydraulic top system lives. Changed the salmon relays, time tested the top/down and up. I also did the same lube, and checks on my wifes 328IC with the same top system.

[bigendbob]

Gummie Fludged, chucked that junk in the bin.

[SpectreMech]

Thanks for the replies. The no-lube recommendation from BMW surprises me, but at this point the car is 12 years old and that was definitely a dry joint I heard. Might go in with just a tiny drop of Mobil 1 at the pivots.

Single owner took meticulous care of the car, and I've zero problems with the top in my three years, I'd just like to keep it that way. Nobody has mentioned a problem with stopping the mechanism at the half way point, so I'll take that as a non-issue.

[eli371]

Originally Posted by SpectreMech

Thanks for the replies. The no-lube recommendation from BMW surprises me, but at this point the car is 12 years old and that was definitely a dry joint I heard. Might go in with just a tiny drop of Mobil 1 at the pivots.

Single owner took meticulous care of the car, and I've zero problems with the top in my three years, I'd just like to keep it that way. Nobody has mentioned a problem with stopping the mechanism at the half way point, so I'll take that as a non-issue.

shutting the car down while operating the roof doesn't matter (you can open the roof via the fob with the car off anyway), neither does the operating direction at any time.

[Tangent]

Originally Posted by SpectreMech

... that was definitely a dry joint I heard. ....

My guess would be a more accurate description is that it's a contaminated joint. Dirt or something else got in there and needs to be cleaned out. I'm not sure what the best way to do that would be but I'd try that before applying lube.

[bigendbob]

I have noticed that if you want to get at the rear glass to clean it, leave ignition on.
Open it till it's on top, then close and stop half way.
With ignition on it seems to lock the valves, if off, after a few seconds glass drops back to closed position.
If you need to work on it, put cardboard box under before glass drops, ignition off.
Had to do fixing broken wires.

[SpectreMech]

Originally Posted by bigendbob

I have noticed that if you want to get at the rear glass to clean it, leave ignition on.
Open it till it's on top, then close and stop half way.
With ignition on it seems to lock the valves, if off, after a few seconds glass drops back to closed position.
If you need to work on it, put cardboard box under before glass drops, ignition off.
Had to do fixing broken wires.

Thanks, that's good stuff, and kind of what I was looking for.

Nice to see a West Midlander posting...my better half is from Wolverhampton, though she hasn't been back in many years. I spent nine years between RAF Fairford and RAF Mildenhall, one day we may make the move back!