Waterproofing Soft Top ?

[Daktari]

Hi there,

Ok, this might seem like a stupid question but this is the first convertible I have ever owned.

This weekend we removed the hard top and it is now in it's storage place in the back of the garage sat on it's stand and with it's dust cover on. I was pleasantly suprised by the ease of taking off the hard top. I was a little nervous before hand but it all went really well.

My question is: Is the soft top treated from new to be completly waterproof or is it recommended every so often to re-spray it with a can of waterproofing solution, kind of like a tent?

If that is a really dumb questin, please feel free to laugh but I thought it was worth asking just in case the top needed re-coating and it would be better than having water seeping through.

By the way, I already tried a search but that was more on the subject of cleaning the soft top.

Thanks, Gordon.

[wtxbird]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Gordon, I have a 02 and the water still beads off when i wash it, No i have not treated it and it still looks new. You will get a lot of different answers on this one.

[5bird7]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Gordon, there is a finish on the fabric that repells water however that gets compromised the first time soap hits the soft top or after a period of time of use. If yours is brand new, never been used by the previous owner, then it probably is ok.

I don't know of any that leak thru the fabric yet so you're safe so far. If you worry about it though, you can get the Raggtop protectant, designed for fabric softtops, or try one of the others products that I'm sure someone is going to post about now.

[joe166]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Lots of people make adequate top dressings that will make the water bead like crazy. I don't think the failure to bead matters very much. 303 makes superior products. Raggtop is good too. But, there are lots of them. Go to any marine supplies place and get a top dressing which is used for bimini tops in far more dire circumstances than our tops.

My top right now is not beading since it has been up all winter but while it seems to soak up water, there is not one bit of leakage or seeping. Doesn't even feel damp in the car.

When you do treat your top, make sure you mask the windows (especially the back window of the top) because it is not easy to wash off the residue. I find it easiest to put the top slightly down and push newspapers in all the cracks at the back of the top, at the top of the side windows and at the top of the windshield, then let the top go up to where it is up but not latched. Then after the top is sprayed, pull out all the papers and leave the top up in the sunshine to dry quickly.

[Ediron]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

I do the same as Joe 166

[JWS03]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Gordon,
Sunbrella makes marine products for cleaning/re-sealing. They work great on the boat, haven't tried the car yet. I get it at West Marine here in Tampa.

[steelblue5505]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Gordon,
Haartz corp is the maker of our cloth tops for the T-Bird. Their recomendation is to use RAGGTOPP PRODUCTS.
Here's a couple of links;
http://www.haartz.com/en/index.asp

http://www.haartz.com/en/consumer_in...p_cleaning.asp

Been using RAGGTOPP on my 2005 with great satisfaction. Our temps in Eastern Washington State run from the very cold of -10` in the winter to blazing 110-115 in late July early August. The cloth top has held up very well. I treat it with RAGGTOPP protectant once each Spring. Easy to do easy to use. Follow Joel166 advice about masking with newspaper to keep the spray on protectant off of the glass & chrome. It won't hurt the glass & chrome, it is just difficult to clean off once it dries.

[Daktari]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

Hi there,

Thanks for the replies. It seems it wasn't such a stupid question afterall.

If the manufactureres are recommending the Ragtop stuff, then that is what I'll be buying tonight on my way home from work.

We are doing the Blueridge Parkway cruise this coming weekend and this will be our first trip without the hardtop so I'll try and get the top sprayed before then, (just in case it rains).

Thanks again, Gordon.

[Leroy]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

When I run my car through our local soft car wash, the wax they spray on the car also must soak into the top becuase when it gets wet the water just beads up on it and runs off. I've never put anything else on it.
Leroy

[darsinewman]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

When you do treat your top, make sure you mask the windows (especially the back window of the top) because it is not easy to wash off the residue. I find it easiest to put the top slightly down and push newspapers in all the cracks at the back of the top, at the top of the side windows and at the top of the windshield, then let the top go up to where it is up but not latched. Then after the top is sprayed, pull out all the papers and leave the top up in the sunshine to dry quickly.

Yes, it is really NOT EASY to wash off the Raggtop residue! I apparently did a not-so-great job masking the rear window in the soft top and got some residue on it. Any ideas what I can use to get it off without potentially damaging the window? Has anyone used rubbing alcohol?

[Gobird]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

I have used the RaggTop from new back in 02. I never got it on the window but I can't see why you couldn't use alcohol because it is glass.

[Sealy]

Re: Waterproofing Soft Top ?

A black top is both a blessing (easier keep clean) and a curse (well, it's black). The black, I hear, is also a different fabric than the Sand.

I use Raggtop products on mine and it is still a PIA. Had to massage some bird stains out of it this weekend. It's in need of its annual treatment, but just have not had the time for the full scrubb down and re-application. Maybe this long weekend (for me) coming up.