Has anyone ever done this? What are the different methods? I don't want to replace it since I plan on getting a hardtop down the road, and I really don't think it's worth it. I don't mind having patch on it. I'm assuming you can't stitch it, and tape on the inside doesn't hold up thanks to the Florida sun beating down on it.

 

Graff told me you can patch it. I don't remember how ask him. I know it can be done with stuff from an arts and crafts store...

 

I've had honda patch my roof 3 times under warrenty and it came off within 1 or 2 times of lowering the roof. Just get some roof fabric from honda or whatever and buy some silicone based adhesive like "black silicone adhesive sealant 16B". I have tried the same thing only 16C and it worked the best out of all of them. its been about 2 weeks now, its peeled a little on the corner but i think i never used enough.

 

Ill have a soft top I can cut up soon for people to use once Im not lazy and put my new one on... do you have a link to a web page for any of the stuff to patch it up with?

 

I've patched mine in two places using the following method with good luck thus far.

Just got to your local store and get some black iron-on patches, (like for a pair of jeans) they're like $2. Buy or borrow some ones heat gun. Cut the patch to fit a fairly large area around the tear, do not leave square corners on the patches, round off all corners. Warm the area the patch will be applied to with the heat gun, then do the same to the patch to get the glue tacky. Stick the patch and continue warming it, <FONT COLOR="red">DO NOT GET THE TOP TOO HOT, IT WILL MELT!!!</FONT> If you can't stand to touch the top, you're getting it too hot. It takes a bit for the glue to really stick well so just be careful with the heat and keep warming the patch. Once it is stuck very well to the top let everything cool for a bit. Once every thing is back to room temp apply some black silicone sealant (Permatex "The Right Stuff" works very well) around just the edges of the patch, smooth the silicone with your finger to make it look nice. Now all you have to do is wait until the silicone is fully dry to lower the top!

 

Thanks a bunch. Did you do this on the outside?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sean Juan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks a bunch. Did you do this on the outside?</TD></TR></TABLE>

noooo cuz that will look like ***...

take it to a canvas installer... a lot of boat places will do it for you cheap... my buddy had 2 patches installed for $30... this way its done right, and itll stay...

 

What he said ^^^^

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sean Juan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks a bunch. Did you do this on the outside?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The method I described needs to be done on the inside of the top. You will still see the tear from the outside, but the idea of oversizing the patch is to cover a good deal of area and prevent the tear from growing. I haven't come up with a good solution to minimize the appearance of the tear from the outside. Any ideas???

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 96-EJ6 B18C &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The method I described needs to be done on the inside of the top. You will still see the tear from the outside, but the idea of oversizing the patch is to cover a good deal of area and prevent the tear from growing. I haven't come up with a good solution to minimize the appearance of the tear from the outside. Any ideas???

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ehhh depending on how big the tear is, sometimes its not noticeable... honestly i would just leave well enough alone... how big is ur tear?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by S2KILLA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ehhh depending on how big the tear is, sometimes its not noticeable... honestly i would just leave well enough alone... how big is ur tear?</TD></TR></TABLE> I have two really small ones. No one notices and some times I forget they are there. Water never got into the little holes also... plastic window broke or I wouldnt of got a new top...

 

I've used many methods to patch tops over the years. My current favorite is Gorilla Tape. Seems to work as good as anything I've tried before.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My current favorite is Gorilla Tape.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've used it... It's just black duck tape and it does not stay on very long. I would try something else.

 

I've had to make many small patches to my 2002 S2K top. Between the neighbor's cat, the sun, and age, I have about 8-10 small tears that I have had to patch. They started about 2006 (just after the warranty expired). I took it back to the dealership, and they were adamant that it was not covered (even under the warranty - normal wear and tear!). I took it to an upholstery place, and he said it would cost $50, look crappy, and they wouldn't stick. After seeing the cost of a new roof with installation, I decided to try a few patches myself. It took a few attempts, but I finally found some secrets that make it look a lot better (and hold up longer).

Materials needed -
Fiberglass window screen or strong cloth
outdoor cloth thread
medium-sized needles
black windshield-repair silicon caulk (or whatever color you need)
an ice cube

1) Cut a small piece of the fiberglass window screen to be about 1/2 inch larger on all sides than the tear. "Glue" this patch to the back of the tear (on the inside of the roof) using the black caulk. Make sure the caulk completely permeates the patch and a little caulk comes out through the tear. Wipe off any caulk that comes out of the top. Allow the caulk to cure for 24 hours. The fiberglass patch will provide a solid surface for the stitching in the next step. (NOTE - if the tear is large/long, you may need to put a few stitches in to pull the tear back together!) If the caulk seems rough or uneven, use an ice cube to smooth it out.

2) Once the caulk has dried, carefully stitch the tear together, making sure that you loop the thread through the fiberglass screen/cloth. Do not pull the tear together so tightly that the cloth bunches in the middle - just bring the sides together! The stitching if just to prevent further tearing.

3) Place just enough caulk on the outside thread/tear to cover it and smooth it out. Here is the secret - use a smooth ice cube to work the caulk smooth. An ice cube will not stick to the caulk and will firm it up without setting it. Use just enough caulk to cover the stitches and smooth it down flush with the roof in all directions for about 1/4 inch from the edge of the stitches.

4) Once you have a surface you are happy with, let cure for 24-36 hours.

I have only had to replace one patch so far - which was the original patch! Each time I do it it gets a little cleaner. (NOTE - do not make a repair outside during pollen season unless you want a yellow-black patch - LOL)

 

I posted up this question before and someone suggested some vinyl and goop from Advance or Autozone. I've done this and has held up for awhile.

 

^

hi, any pictures to show how "vinyl and goop" looks like on your roof?

 

The roof looks kind of nasty because I kind of put too much on it, but if it were black, it wouldn't be TOO noticable. It works, that's all that matters to me anyway. I have the top down 97% of the time so not everyone sees the top of my 'top'. lol

 

I'm curious, do you have any pics?

I have a pin hole-sized one on my '02 top and i'm wondering if your method is too much for it.

 

I'll try to get some pics out this week if it ever stops raining!.

With any type of repair, you will be able to tell it was a repair - the goal is to make it look like a good repair. The silicon will not match seamlessly with the cloth fabric, and it will look shinier. That said, you may not even need to stitch it if it is just a pinhole. Put a drop of black silicon on the outside, and a drop on the inside. Put just enough to cover the hole and smooth it out using the ice cube technique.

 

ughh.. i need to take my girl's CLK500 to get patch... freakin haters man. thank god i ordered my hard top