Top Rubber Bumper Melted

[onalaska]

I was cleaning the top and found another melted rubber bumper. This one is behind the seats under the tonneau cover and only visible when the top is stopped midway in it's travel. It looks like it may hold the top in place when it is lowered. No idea what the part number is for this one. I've already replaced the two in the back for the trunk, they were completely melted just like this one. Car is always garaged and doesn't sit outside in the Sun so it's not due to heat.


<a href="http://s1118.photobucket.com/user/tscolburn/media/IMG_20170114_145407_zpsacp0xjqv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k608/tscolburn/IMG_20170114_145407_zpsacp0xjqv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_20170114_145407_zpsacp0xjqv.jpg"/></a>

 

[PAK XLR8]

Rubber Bumpers

Yes, these rubber bumpers have a limited life. They either squish/melt, or they break off at the stem (to be found somewhere in your trunk.

I have replaced a few on my cars over the years. The reason they are so important is that they keep all the roof parts stowed nice and tight, when the roof is folded in the trunk. If you don't have good solid mounting, you can get the dreaded dings in your roof, with the ends of the bolts that are so very close to the top when stowed. The vibrations of driving allow the top to bounce around a bit - making it worse for any other bumpers that are under there.

I noticed that the rubber bumpers that you are talking about - I think the same ones - get smashed really hard during the top stow. This is true on all of the cars that I have looked at, after I discovered the issue on mine. I wanted to see if mine was normal, or if they were all like that.

Here's the deal - you probably would not have even noticed, except that you are a detail oriented mechanical guy - I know, from talking to you. Most everyone else probably has the same problem, and they are driving around without them! Unless you know where to look on the mechanism, you won't notice they are gone - only a hole remains where the pull through stem used to be.

This is what they look like - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-Pontiac-Oldsmobile-Ford-Rubber-Stop-Bumpers-1-2-OD/111176848327?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Maybe post a photo of yours, so people know where to look. I would, but my car is gone...

PAK

I was cleaning the top and found another melted rubber bumper. This one is behind the seats under the tonneau cover and only visible when the top is stopped midway in it's travel. It looks like it may hold the top in place when it is lowered. No idea what the part number is for this one. I've already replaced the two in the back for the trunk, they were completely melted just like this one. Car is always garaged and doesn't sit outside in the Sun so it's not due to heat.