Top to Bottom Begins

[Scalf77]

I used 1/4" Starboard when I replaced mine and made sure both seams were under the padded blocks. I found the starboard at my local Tap Plastic, they will cut to size. The Duotex looks pretty cool. Penthouse Ceiling Retrofit

-greg

[MerlinG]

Fixed the pics, thanks to Twoxcentix's advice on cropping and uploading to an album. The headliner is 53 inches wide so I'll need three 4x8 panels or two 5x5 birch panels but specialty lumber is tough to come by in my neck of the woods.

I learned about the Duotex from a youtube video of a guy who builds out vans. He uses it the back of cabinets etc. to cut weight, apparently they are pretty light. Only place I could find them for sale was Richelieu.com. The site says they only ship to businesses but I was able to sign up and place an order. They are $135 per 1/4inch 4x8 panel. They also come in 15/32 thickness I believe but figured 1/4 would work since current panels are 1/8 and I'm not planning on hanging anything heavy off it. Still looking for LED options up there. Was looking on brightled.com for strip options but want to be able to switch and dim them and they have a lot of strips but having a hard time finding the controls for the strips. Realized during this process that my rear light assembly is missing. I can modify the front and try to find an assembly type for the rear but more searching is needed.

[MerlinG]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

I used 1/4" Starboard when I replaced mine and made sure both seams were under the padded blocks. I found the starboard at my local Tap Plastic, they will cut to size. The Duotex looks pretty cool. Penthouse Ceiling Retrofit

-greg

Read your thread as part of all the research I've been doing and definitely considered the star board but wasn't sure how much they weigh or how flexible they were?

[moorefc]

One thing you might consider for the electric top is some silicone grease on the rear roof crossbow sliding pressure area. Mine had some lubricant in the original build, but the sideways (from wand motion) grain allowed a creaking to occur when raising and lowering. Adding the grease made the bow move more smoothly on the top...


Also, yes, the wands in the electric top appear thicker walled than the manual in the vehicles I have experienced.

[MerlinG]

Good idea, mine does creak at certain spots going up and down. What connection specifically? The one at the actuators or middle cross section? What kind of silicone grease? Does the silicone spray work?

[moorefc]

Originally Posted by MerlinG

What connection specifically? The one at the actuators or middle cross section? What kind of silicone grease? Does the silicone spray work?

Silicone grease, not spray as I don't think it won't last as long, but it might. Home Depot and other places have it. Great for plumbing, o rings, etc....
https://www.amazon.com/Haynes-Silico...19&sr=8-3&th=1


Where the rear wand drags across the rooftop raising and lowering....One could use it on the track where the tapered washers move, etc.....Once on, it stays...
I was tempted on the front (rear wand) pivot bolts due to loading, but didn't bother..
Cheers

[boywonder]

Merlin's crossbars were slathered with what appeared to be surfboard wax when we disassembled the crossbars. I haven't seen that on any other SMB PH roofs so no idea if that's factory applied or not.

[moorefc]

Interesting...Mine had residue that was similar to bar soap or wax, but it creaked as the wand crossed the wood grain....Would have been better to have the grain fore and aft for that reason...A smear of silicone grease solved the old man raising melody.

[Scalf77]

My 2004 electric top was greased also, You can kind of see it in this photo, that was the reason I left bubble wrap on the bar while working on it. I believe it was red in color, I don't remember what I used to regrease, but I did regrease the bar and the wood.

[boywonder]

Merlin's grease looked much the same as that.....

Perhaps I should grease my manual top. I was thinking of replacing the plywood there with HDPE/LDPE etc.

Maybe a few coats of wax on the plywood.......