96 Convertible top rear window leak

[ControllableSaabing]

My newly acquired '96 900s convertible top's rear window seems to have disconnected from the top itself. There is no longer a seal between the top and the top of the rear window, leaving a nice open slot for water to get in.

How does one fix this? Is there some particular glue used for this job?

[99_9-3Mike]

Can't be done...Can't be done...Impossible...Only the factory can do it...No possible glue could be used....Need complete new top....Pay us $1200 ....Blah Blah....

3M Super Weather Strip adhesive 051135-08008 is used to glue the cloth to the frame. I fail to see why it couldn't glue the window to the cloth.

I would start to put the top down, get the 5 bow up, so the window is upside down, glue and clamp. Leave it for 24 hours. Or some variation of this.

There must be a 3M product that will hold up here if properly applied.

[ControllableSaabing]

Nice tip.

It looks like the canvas shrank a bit. I hear there's a place near me (Country Canvas in Rifton, NY) that might be able to add an extender to combat the shrinkage.

Sounds like that 3M stuff might do the trick though. I'll get a quote on the repair and get back to you.

[ControllableSaabing]

Alright. The guy at Country Canvas can't tell me how bad it is without looking at it. He said in '95 convertibles, a situation where the window becomes unglued requires a whole new top.

But he said a '96 convertible like mine has never had that problem and there are actually 30 or so clamps that hold the window on. He said he has to look at it and if he has to take it apart that's 4 or 5 hours of work at $60/hour.

Like you said, Mike, the cost of a new top is $1,200 plus labor.

Sounds like I'm going for the DIY solution here.

I'll post some pics of what I'm dealing with a little later -- now that the rain stopped.

[john bernard]

I can tell you from experience that it is possible, but with the top in place it is a difficult and in my case messy job. Much easier said than done. I'd be surprised if the fabric really did shrink. But when it is together it is under tension, and that is necessary. You have to put the top in a position where the fabric is relaxed, and clamp it til the adhesive cures or sets. In sum, I don't think you can do a really satisfactory job w/o removing the top, at least I couldn't.
One possibility that I never before have considered would be to remove the top and the bows together from the car, and gluing it off the car but still attached to the bows.(I've seen tops attached to the bows for sale on Ebay)
Mine is still on the car, but obviously I am not happy with the results. Wish we could hear from someone else who is. BTW I used an adhesive from Loctite it was a clear gel, I think it was an aquarium sealant, and I gave it a very long cure time(several weeks) which it needs to stand the stress.

[ControllableSaabing]

I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet, but I'm gonna have to try something. Anyone else have any ideas for this?

Here are some shots I took today. You can see the gap and the ring around the window where, supposedly, the glue used to stick to the canvas. The window corner shot shows where the window is still connected and where it was unglued. The interior canvas shot shows two tiny holes which have held some sort of clamp at one point?

Thoughts and feedback on how to remedy this are appreciated. I live in the Northeast, so until I get my garage organized it will have to endure the winter's snow.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

[ControllableSaabing]

BUMP!

Anyone have another solution to deal with this window?

[john bernard]

From the clean appearance and lack of residue adhesive on the glass and on the top, I guess that originally these windows were glued in with a socalled superglue (isocyanoacrylate?).
Saab issued a bulletin to dealers about how to reglue these windows. I've seen it, but don't have a copy. It might be available on Townsend Motors website??

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

I think this what you're looking for:

http://www.townsendimports.com/Saab_...s/811_1711.PDF

... Ron

[john bernard]

Originally Posted by '97 Saab SE Turbo

I think this what you're looking for:

http://www.townsendimports.com/Saab_...s/811_1711.PDF

... Ron

Yes, that is the piece I had in mind. After reading this, I would issue one caution. The piece says that after gluing, one should lower and lock the fifth bow and latch the windshield latches. I think if you follow that instruction you will pull it apart again. I think you would need to give it the full 16 hour cure before moving the fifth bow.

[99_9-3Mike]

Originally Posted by john bernard

The piece says that after gluing, one should lower and lock the fifth bow and latch the windshield latches. I think if you follow that instruction you will pull it apart again. I think you would need to give it the full 16 hour cure before moving the fifth bow.

I thought the same thing when I read it.

[ControllableSaabing]

This is great, guys. Thanks a lot for pointing me in the right direction here. That townsend site is amazing.

A couple things though... where do I find this alleged adhesive kit?? I've been looking around online and haven't had any luck so far. Do you guys know of a place that might have it? Or do you know what adhesive is used with the kit so I can just buy it separately?

And as far as the 9th step about latching the roof after applying the glue goes, couldn't that be a way to bond it while there is tension so that it won't potentially rip the top or cause other problems when tension is applied after it sets? Just a thought.

[john bernard]

Originally Posted by ControllableSaabing

This is great, guys. Thanks a lot for pointing me in the right direction here. That townsend site is amazing.

A couple things though... where do I find this alleged adhesive kit?? I've been looking around online and haven't had any luck so far. Do you guys know of a place that might have it? Or do you know what adhesive is used with the kit so I can just buy it separately?

And as far as the 9th step about latching the roof after applying the glue goes, couldn't that be a way to bond it while there is tension so that it won't potentially rip the top or cause other problems when tension is applied after it sets? Just a thought.

The adhesive kit number might mean something to a Saab dealership, and I suppose that you might even be able to obtain it. Maybe you should try Townsend Imports. The primer they also call a glass activator. The procedure says apply the primer to both the glass and the pvc strip. I don't know why they instruct to apply it to the PVC strip, that doesn't sound right to me. I once reglued a rear view mirror bracket to a windshield using a primer/glue combination,probably like this one, that I bought at a NAPA store. Eventually, the bracket broke loose, but when it did, the bracket took with it a thin coating of GLASS, the glue didn't fail, the glass did.
As to instruction nine, in the illustrations note that the failure they illustrate is not at the top or botttom of the window but at the side. You could probably move the fifth bow down after a repair of a side, but not if the repair is at the top or bottom of the window.