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MG MGF Technical - gum cylinder instead unzipping

what do you think about this idea (I've seen it used by a miata owner)? he uses a textile cylinder (or a gum one) instead of to unzip rear PVC screen. He put it in the external part of rear screen, at half height of it, and then open softop. Doing it, he says, he avoids the rear screen damage due to PVC bendings. Can even we do it and, so, spend less time everytimes we open our mgF/TF?

ciao
cnerone

Many *F* owners do just that! Various types employed including plastic pipe lagging.

Personally I just 'assist' the rear window by tapping the screen inwards as I drop the top - which has worked fine for over 7 years now.

Ted
Ted

yes, we use a small piece of carpet rolled up and taped round...
David

Ted
Thanks for the tip.
I have adopted your idea since reading it and have not unzipped the window once.
Much quicker and easier,

Regards
Tony H
Tony H

You only need to unzip it if the hood is staying down for more than 24 hours.

Steve
Steve

Ted,

do you suggest me to unzip or not?
(how many times, and for how much time, your car is

do you think I can do as you do or not?:


a) I live in Italy (in Italy sun is harder than in northern country), do you think my risks of screen damages are more than yours?

b) I open my TF often, every days I come back home, from work, topdowned. So my car has to be one up to several hours topdowned. Cause this, my risks increase?

cnerone

If you unzip often the risk of breaking the zip is bigger than breaking the rear screen (imo). And if you use a rolled up piece of soft cloth or something the screen doesn't scratch that badly.

To prevent damage to the zip rub it with a candlestick for easier operation.

Johan
Johan Slagter

Cnerone

As Ted says, as you open the hood just use your hand to form the screen so there are no crease points and you should be fine, I have never unzipped my screen, and the top is down if its not raining...

You should have less of a problem in italy as the sun will keep the screen soft.. Its the cold that more of a problem

Stu
Wokingham
S.C. Dickens

<<To prevent damage to the zip rub it with a candlestick for easier operation.>>

might be better off rubbing it with the candle instead of the candlestick ;-)

(lost in translation i guess.)

I've got a wax stick specifically for this, not tried it on the F yet though.

paul weatherill

>as you open the hood just use your hand to form the screen so there are no crease points and you should be fine,

This is harder when the screen is hot,
but hot screens bend easier,
but then they bend tighter.... ahgh!

for hot climbs:

I would fold the screen down and leave it poppered open, closing only the hood , make sure the car is double locked, buy a windstop (will stop prying hands). Then the car will not be an oven when you come back to it.

OR I would use the pipe lagging/folded towel when opening the hood
Will Munns

Be careful though, if you use one of these tubes and raise the hood from the drivers seat it'll fly out the back of the car! :-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

>and raise the hood from the drivers seat it'll fly out the back of the car! :-)

Add a piece of string, and you get fenders! great for those supermarket moments ;-)
Will Munns

do you know dimension of plastic pipe?
I bought a pipe used by women and men for watergym activitie. It's 7cm diameter. I think it's ok.

I have to cut it, how length it has to be?

thanks
cnerone

I need to know dimension about this pipe
cnerone

> bought a pipe used by women and men for watergym activitie

Er. Not sure that's what we meant to be honest.

This is the sort of thing some of the guys use. It's insulation for pipes (though I imagine there's not much call for it in Italy though).

http://www.diy.com/bq/product/product.jhtml?PRODID=23898&CATID=172527

Cheers.

Hopefully someone can tell you which size to get. Note - it's meant to be soft (not a solid plastic pipe) and with a fairly big diameter.
Leigh

The pipe you have sounds good, cut it to the width of the screen.
Will Munns

This thread was discussed between 09/05/2003 and 16/05/2003

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