Convertible Rear Window Support Bracket Repair

[klauberm]

To create the foam pad I went to HDepot and found a sponge & double sided tape for under 10 dollars

Cut it down to measure 3x6x1.5 & apply double sided tape

Start with removing the back seat bottom and back so you can access underneath the convertible top deck.Your rear seat cushion (where your butt goes) simply pops out of the car. There are two clips you have to press down to get it out. The clips are located just under the front edge of the cushion, one on each side. Push them and then pop the cushion out. Remove the two bolts one on each side of the seat back and then lift up on each side to unhook the seat back. At this point you now have access to place the foam under the deck.

Location of the foam block is key, start by raising the top until the bottom of the back window touches the deck. Take a piece of masking tape and mark that point, now place the top back up.

Remove the double sided tape on the foam block and carefully reach between the deck and the covering. Place the foam long ways with the car so the foam is center to the tape mark as well as center to the car.

I needed to change both clips on the support brackets because the locking tabs on one side were broken off, the part # for each clip is FR3Z-76422B34-A

Cycle the top a few times to confirm the brackets stay in and then re-assemble the back seat.

This resolved my issue with the brackets popping out, I want to give a special thanks to RACERTTX for his assistance in this repair.

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[davekro]

Klauberm,
So the foam goes under the carpet like liner of the area where the top folds into. It sits flat horizontally under cover oriented longs way (w/ length of car), right?

So what is the purpose of the foam? Does the window bounce up and down (unsupported) when down/stored in rear top area? Does this cause wear on the rod end clips to cause them to wear out?

Is the orientation of the clip attachment slots next to the glass (and opposite)?

Thanks for the great write up!!! :cheers:

 

[racerttx]

I believe sometimes the glass simply does not know which way to fold or lay, the foam block is there to assist in directing the glass to fold/lay a certain way relieving the stress on the support bars.

 

[Benjamin]

Nice write up.

 

[Fordever]

good write OP.

Does anyone know if this problem has been resolved by Ford as well? Just trying to know what I am in for when my vert shows up in a month or two.:headbonk:

 

[Benjamin]

good write OP.

Does anyone know if this problem has been resolved by Ford as well? Just trying to know what I am in for when my vert shows up in a month or two.:headbonk:

Nope, quite the opposite, they claim to not know about any issue.

 

[davekro]

To create the foam pad I went to HDepot and found a sponge & double sided tape for under 10 dollars

Cut it down to measure 3x6x1.5 & apply double sided tape

Location of the foam block is key, start by raising the top until the bottom of the back window touches the deck. Take a piece of masking tape and mark that point, now place the top back up.

Remove the double sided tape on the foam block and carefully reach between the deck and the covering. Place the foam long ways with the car so the foam is center to the tape mark as well as center to the car.

I needed to change both clips on the support brackets because the locking tabs on one side were broken off, the part # for each clip is FR3Z-76422B34-A

This resolved my issue with the brackets popping out, I want to give a special thanks to RACERTTX for his assistance in this repair.

klauberm,
The place marked by the tape (top of the raised window outline in carpet) is where the bottom of the window initially contacts the carpet, then it slides backwards a few inches. From the placement of your foam, it is assumed that the back (bottom) edge of the glass needs to be raised/ supported to keep the rod ends from being stressed and hence popping out. I had a larger piece of soft foam on hand so I made it wider than yours. It had a bevel on one side so I just duplicated it on the front side. I mistakenly did not take your instruction, have my larger piece of foam starting at and forward of the location of your masking tape. I was assuming more of the window needed support, but I see it may just be the back edge from your work.

My driver's side rod has finally remained in for two months (long before my foam added mod a few days ago). My passenger side clip had one side broken off. I could easily pull it out by hand. But even this broken passenger clip has remained in for ≈ 7 top cycles in the past few days. This says your foam 'support' does it's job. Thank you.

Now I just need to try to get Ford to give me two of those $9-12 each clips... Not likely. Regional Ford rep says I need to go to a dealer and have them 'diagnose' the issue. I think I'll see how long my rods remain in (including one w/ broken clip) now that I have the foam support mod in place just to know. Then either order/buy 2 clips or make a few trips to dealer for them to diagnose & order, then install them.

Thanks again klauberm for helping find then documenting the foam fix and orientation of the clips.

3/4" nylon strap location: I am still not sure if these straps should be outside the rod or inside of the rod. Mine are on the outside now, but they might be a bit tight when top is closed. These 'pull in' the white plastic pieces sewn into the headliner near the hinge assembly.

Foam piece I used:

 

[bcdstang]

It's my opinion that the straps should be positioned outside of the bracket. Until my dealer receives the kit to repair, I have reinserted the brackets back in place and they stay put for a couple of cycles. With the straps inside the bracket they pop out on the first cycle. I may be all wrong on this but, let's see how the dealer handles it next week (I hope).

 

[davekro]

Pretty sure 3/4" staps go inside of the rods, but the FOAM IS THE FIX!!!

I went for my appointment to a small local dealer to get my rod end clips replaced. [ I had already installed a 6" x 9" x 1.5" piece of soft foam under the lining three weeks ago. Amazingly, both rods remained in, even though the psgr side clip had only one of the two tabs left (I had placed the 3/4" straps 'outside' of the rods thinking it would keep them held in). A testament to the foam as I had the straps outside the rods for weeks prior and the passenger side still popped out.]

At the dealer, I already had the seat back and bottom removed. The tech came out to where I was with the clips. As I described exactly how he needed to orient the clips (12 & 6 o'clock relative to the window bracket), before inserting, he said he had never worked on a convertible top and since I knew how it was done, would I like to do it. I said yes, please. ;)

Since I had read no definitive answer to straps in or outside the rods, I asked if he or the service writer could get that info from Ford. The tech said he highly doubted they'd know that level of detail. I found a dealer 20 mins. away that had a used 2015 'vert on their lot, so I went there to see how it's straps were oriented (I left rods out until I got there). First checking that both rods were 'in' on the used '15 vert. , I reached under from the cavity and the straps were INSIDE of the rods. I noticed that the inside of the rods has a piece of felt attached that is not on the outside of the rod.

Since the headliner covered 'plastic piece' (driver's side) that folds in just behind the rear window is worn in two places on my car from being hit by the hinge just before it retracts into it's cavity, I went with 'straps inside of rods', thinking I did not want to add the extra tension by going around/outside and diverting the strap's direct path from below the window to the 'plastic piece'. Next time I am at a dealer with new verts, I'll try to remember to check the strap orientation. If it's easy for anyone else to check new verts for this, please do and report/ confirm back.

Bottom line, for my vert, even with a broken clip and falling out rod, the FOAM FIX allowed that rods to stay in, period. Do not waste your time having a dealer install new clips w/o either you or him putting a piece of foam under the liner in the roof cavity. Getting the seat back out and back in can be a royal PIA. So if you choose not to do this before going to the dealer, bring a piece of foam (like OP's in post #1 or mine in post #7) and ask them if they will let you insert the foam while they have the seat out. Bring some pictures from this thread to either instruct them how to place the foam* (and orient clips) – OR – make them roll their eyes and let YOU do it. :lol: My tech said they send any vert top work out to a vert shop. He had no idea what to do and was glad I was willing to do it.

* (IMHO, since the foam was pretty difficult for me to slide under the liner, I can't see it moving if you do not use double sticky tape.)

Huge thanks to klauberm and Racerttx for figuring out this Foam Fix. I am not sure 'how it works', I just know from experience using the foam keeps the rods in! :cheers:

 

[bcdstang]

Went to the dealer today to have the fixit kit installed but to no avail the bars pulled out again. Service manager once again to communicate with ford for additional help. The kit also included the foam.

 

[davekro]

Went to the dealer today to have the fixit kit installed but to no avail the bars pulled out again. Service manager once again to communicate with ford for additional help. The kit also included the foam.

Did they show you the kit by chance? I'd ask to speak to the tech who worked on the car. Did he place the foam in the proper location? Was he sure to orient the rod end clips so they audibly clicked into the window bracket? (at 12 & 6 o;clock where 12 o'clock is closest to the glass).

The tech that came out to my car with the clips in hand, hearing me describe exactly how to install the clips, asked if I wanted to install them since I had done it many times. I said heck yes. He said he had never worked on a vert top. They usually send anything top related out to a vert shop.

 

[bcdstang]

Finally, after many attempts by the dealer and Ford engineer to resolve the support bar popping out problem, a complete top assembly has been installed. It has only been a day since picking the car up and a couple of cycles of up and down but all seems to be working fine.

 

[davekro]

The foam support fix works!

Update on my version of the foam pad fix:
3 months after installing new plastic rod end clips AND placing a piece of foam under where the rear window lays, my rods have stayed in. The OP detailed his foam fix (post #1) and I detailed my slight variation of it (post #7).

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