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Top Hydraulics is an XLR owners best friend!

Dr Dan

Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Messages
24
Location
California
My XLR/V(s)
2004 Black XLR
Replaced my top cylinder. It took me 50 minutes from start to finish. I watched the Top Hydraulics video 3 times. I could probably do it in 25-30 minutes now. It was VERY easy and straight forward (after watching the video). Tip to help for everyone that I learned, 1. put a drop cloth or sheet across the seats, so when you drop a clip between the seats it wont take 5 minutes to find it. 2. when you take off the old cylinder DO NOT PLAY WITH IT! I pulled out the plunger and it squirt out fluid all over my shirt (was very funny) 3. Use a small pick to pull off the cylinder clips, this was harder to do than i thought it would be, but that might be from the fluid on my hands ( see tip #2). 4. take a picture of the location of the cylinder before, it helps when you have to put it the new one. Everything else it straight forward and very easy!!! Top Hydraulics is an XLR owners best friend!
 
I have a problem that sounds like yours. Could you please give me call and educate me on how to handle my similar problem. Thanks.
540-220-8350 Jack.
 
the one think they failed to sho i nthe video was you really ned to put a little lube on all the orings before you strt putting the lines back into the housing. they may have said to and I missed it. not sure I replaced all the oring on the one I did a few years ago.
 
you MUST replace the o ring... otherwise the lines will leak! Top Hydraulics included the o rings plus 1 extra. The owner is a great guy who put up the video before I installed my new cylinder. since he has added videos on how to replace all the cylinders. I am very pleased. it cost $350, FOR THE PART HE gives you a return envelope so you send you old part to him and he refunds you $150. so the net cost is just $200.00 for a part that the dealer said they could no longer get!
 
Dan, I also think Top Hydraulics is our best friend.

I loaned my car to him this winter and as you can see in the video's, he went through the entire car showing all of us how relatively easy it is to remove and replace all the cylinders and pump!

I replaced 2 of the cylinders myself before driving the car to his shop to finish the rest, and witnessed first hand how quickly his team can rebuild your cylinders and get them back to you. It took 4 days from the day I removed them to the day I installed them after having them rebuilt by his team. I live just 350 miles away so that explains some of why it was so quick to get back to me. I would estimate that anyone on the East Coast would see them within a week of sending them to him.

He has a top notch shop and he rebuilds all types of high end convertible hydraulic components. As you also see in some of his video's, he has an entire top assembly that he has rigged up to show in more detail the components and their locations.

I also want to emphasize what Long Tall Sally mentioned: You need to lube the o-ring before you put it back on the cylinder. This will help prevent the o-ring getting damaged. I actually cut one trying to figure out how to install the lines back onto the cylinder (remember, this was before the videos!). I mistakenly put the o-ring in the cylinder then put the line in. Yeah, quick lesson learned. That's the reason he gives us one extra, in case we lose it or cut it!
 
Great Info! Thanks : )

Could you please post the link to 'Top Hydraulics'? --- Good job.
 
Excellent Videos

Wow, just watched all his videos. I never would of figured it was as easy to do all them as he showed. Looked to me before I watched the videos like they were a lot harder to get to then they actually are.
Really glad he posted them.

Kevin
 
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Has anyone figured out how to remove and replace the rear cylinders that open the top! They’re held by a bracket with 4 torx screws, the topmost rear screw seemingly impossible to get to
 
Free, "You Tube." If google that I'll get all kinds of crap I'm sure. Can you please be a little more specific as to what to google? I'd really appreciate it, and others on the forum would to.
 
steve just click on the link above that says You Tube and it will take you directly to the video .no google involved
 

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