F355 spider roof questions | Page 5 | FerrariChat

F355 spider roof questions

Discussion in '348/355' started by Jonkheer, Nov 14, 2012.

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  1. ready321now

    ready321now Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2013
    484
    New Jersey
    Thanks. As I was undoing things, I noticed that when trying to push the top closed, it bound up a lot. some gentle taps with a mallet got the frame to nudge it back . Moving on, I tried to loosen the 19mm bolt that has the nut on it (the one that gets replaced)...and it just spins with the nut spinning as well. How did you get those bolts out? Do I take them all of the way out or just try to get the nut loose? Seems like I am stuck now on this step. How in the world did you get the OEM nut off/ out of there?!

    Thanks...
     
  2. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Watch the video...you have to replace the org nut with a thin 17mm nut for this to work.The 19mm wrench is to hold the long bolt so it doesn't turn when your removing the org thick nut.Remember
    the little bracket that held your rams has to be pushed all the way down towards the bottom of the car..or the top will bind going down.also remember when you put on the thin nut,dont tighten it to much..just snug or the top will be to hard to put up or down if to tight.
    Michael
     
  3. ready321now

    ready321now Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2013
    484
    New Jersey
    Ok thanks....I watched the video 3x previously. So are you saying that the top has to be pushed down somewhat to access the 17 mm nut? Otherwise it seems inaccessible. ..
     
  4. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    No leave the top up.
    You have to remove the side cover..the 19mm head is very thin on the long bolt.look very close and you will see what I mean.
     
  5. ready321now

    ready321now Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2013
    484
    New Jersey
    Ok cool, removed the cover but can't access the nut...I see the 19...but the 17 looks buried under the fork.
     
  6. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Good
    How did you remove your rams without removing the covers?
    If you look at the video the 17mm nut is in clear view.I don't see what the problem is.
    19mm wrench on one end and a 17mm wrench on the nut.Make sure your top is up.
     
  7. ready321now

    ready321now Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2013
    484
    New Jersey
    I guess I will take a picture of it tomorrow morning. It seems right now that the 17 millimeter nut basically seems inaccessible
     
  8. Carbuilder

    Carbuilder Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2012
    550
    Bolton, ON
    Full Name:
    Rick
    I cut a normal open end wrench "thinner" to access this nut.
     
  9. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    I just used a thin open end 17mm snap on wrench,I think I know what your problem is.
    As you unbolt the nut use a screw driver to push in the long bolt so you can remove your nut.
     
  10. Thomas Iannella

    May 12, 2014
    8
    After four years of driving my 1995 F355 Spider, i ran into a roof problem. At first the top would not go down so I checked the hydraulic reservoir and found the level to be at MINIMUM. I went on the chat line and a suggestion to use a turkey baster to fill the reservoir.. The turkey baster worked BUT it was very messy because the moment you move the baster from the refill hole, the fluid gushes back out at high pressure. After several attempts and about 3/4 of liter of fluid in rags, i learned that i needed to have the pin ready and re-insert it as quickly as possible into the refill hole. It worked but I did waste a lot of oil. I tested the top and it opened half way down but now it would not come back up.... the forks were not releasing from the round pin. After some friendly persuasion, the forks released and the top moved downwards to about 3/4 of the way.. I tried to cycle the top back up BUT now the forks would not realign with the round pins. the forks kept hitting the pins at about the middle position. After many hours of trying to put the top up, I disconnected both forks and was able to close the top. Frustrated, I brought the car to a garage and they are now trying to find the problem. I was told that the 355 tops have been a problem since day one. Turning the system to a manual process eliminates potential problems but who wants to do a manual process on a Ferrari with a very expensive top.. AND whenever a problem is encountered on a Ferrari, there are always spectators around to record the malfunction. Frustrating and the car is still at the garage.... That's a good things since its been raining for the last three days...
     
  11. Thomas Iannella

    May 12, 2014
    8
    Can some post the link for the video that is mentioned?
     
  12. drbob101

    drbob101 F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Nov 26, 2012
    3,814
    Tinton Falls, NJ
    Full Name:
    Bob Ferraris
  13. BucksTifoso

    BucksTifoso Karting

    Nov 24, 2013
    91
    Furlong, PA
    Full Name:
    Randy Crownover
    Michael: It seems your video is very appreciated by many 355 owners. However, the video seems rushed and I think in an attempt to keep it short, you assumed certain steps would be understood but seems like there are still a lot of questions over small details you left out. I don't know if it cost you much to do the video, but I think another conversion of a 355 ( I'm sure there would be volunteers), from beginning to end, showing all the steps, would go over very well.
     
  14. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Randy
    The video cost me nothing but my time.Read post #23 and watch the video at the same time.Many have sent me a message and had no problems making there top manual.
    Like i said if anybody wants to bring there car to me i will do it for Free and we can video the whole thing again.I don't know what more i can say.Remember the most important thing is the thin 17mm nut..very clear in the video.the rest is just removing a few parts.
    I dont know what more i can say.
    Michael
     
  15. Carbuilder

    Carbuilder Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2012
    550
    Bolton, ON
    Full Name:
    Rick
    This doesn't make sense. The fluid in the reservoir is under no pressure at all when the plug is removed to fill it. Maybe you had the turkey blaster pressed hard against the opening when filling it and pressurized it? It is just open to air like a brake master cylinder being refilled. I had no problem at all adding fluid.
     
  16. Shootfighter65

    Shootfighter65 Formula 3

    May 13, 2014
    1,372
    Charleston SC
    Full Name:
    Randy..alluneedtokno
    I just completed this... my top seems to be quite a bit stiffer. Any theory why?
     
  17. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    The 17mm nuts are to tight.Just make them snug.
     
  18. Markphd

    Markphd Formula Junior

    Mar 10, 2012
    713
    I agree, mine takes pretty heavy effort to lift up without the rams in place. Modifying it was pretty easy and fast, but I do want to get the top to work as it was initially intended without all the silly gyrations like the parking break and moving the seats.

    Mark
     
  19. vracer

    vracer Formula 3

    Jun 23, 2014
    1,098
    NorCal
    Full Name:
    Richard
    Amazing! It has only taken 15 years - and a mechanical genius to figure this out. I guess I can buy one now. And I've saved $70,000 by waiting until the problem was solved. Thank you, Michael!
     
  20. Dino Chang

    Dino Chang Guest

    Dec 29, 2012
    772
    Exactly, as I said earlier in this thread, many claimed they did it. Michael actually did it for real and posted a instructional video, with a little prompting, ribbing and poking ;)
    But the man came through, I hope now he sees were I was coming from, now owners are showing there gratitude.
     
  21. tr512

    tr512 Formula 3

    Apr 12, 2007
    1,600
    canada burnaby bc
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Thanks guys for the kind words.maybe now our spiders will go up abit in value because people will not fear our power tops so much.
    Michael
     
  22. eyboro

    eyboro Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 30, 2004
    988
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Eitan
    I have had my 355 Spider for the past 13 yrs now, so I would say I've had pretty good experience, most of the issues with the top are attributed to the 2 straps that over time become too stretched on either side and eventually loose their elasticity all together therefore causing the top to be misaligned when moving and all sorts of other issues.

    You can check out this thread for more info.

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/440553-how-do-you-install-355-spider-elastic-top-straps.html
     
  23. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    #123 f355spider, Jun 27, 2014
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2014
    +1. The previous owner of my car allowed the reservoir to go dry and damaged two rams, that had to be replaced. Also a seat potentiometer failed on him. During my 9.5 years of ownership, I never had an issue, other than topping up the reservoir every three years. About two years ago the dealer suggested having the elastic straps replaced...they farmed it out to a convertible top specialist in Seattle, it was only $140 or so sublet charge. They did a perfect job.
     
  24. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    BTW, at a recent technical session at Ferrari of Seattle, Mark Glenwood, their technical director (and master technician) stated that if you have slow top operation on a 355 or 360 and the fluid level is good, the probable issue is old, thick fluid. He said the fluid does get lost past the seals on the rams and from evaporation, and constant topping every two or three years, at the reservoir, forces all the old fluid toward the lines and rams. A complete purging and fluid flush will usually restore operation back to the way intended.
     
  25. ready321now

    ready321now Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2013
    484
    New Jersey
    #125 ready321now, Aug 28, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2014
    Hello again. I made my F 355 top manual last night. With the help of two friends and a few Corona's, we got it done.

    IT WAS NOT EASY. We did, however, get it done. It took 3 hours.

    Here is my input on what others need to know:

    To access the screws on the black ram covers (hiding the rams behind your seats), find a very short phillips head and feel around back there like Stevie Wonder for about an hour....then remove the ram covers, backwards and up, basically. Take note of which screws came from where.

    When you remove the plastic tabs on the panel under the rear window plastic, the screws might be at a slight angle, as were mine. Angle the screwdriver toward the front of the car if need be.

    If the top is completely bound up....take note of the way the bolt slides down that metal shaft. You want the mechanism to slide down. Understand what you are trying to get the top to do...

    To remove the nut on the main bolt: mine was 19 MM on a 19mm bolt. The Ferrari wrench in your toolkit is the only one thin enough to wedge in there, from what I found.

    Here's where you need to really do a meditation exercise to help you keep cool while trying to remove that nut...seriously, this part drove us nuts. Not fun. Not easy.

    If it were not for the fork being in the way of the nut, you would not have a problem removing it. I was told to keep the top UP while removing this nut. It wouldn't go down manually much anyway after removing the 4 rams from the system....so we could not get the fork to pivot down and away from the nut. The fork hung up on the collar of the nut (see the video on this tread).

    We had to (using a large flathead screwdriver) WEDGE the fork aside and WEDGE a 19 mm Ferrari wrench in AND onto the nut, whilst simultaneously trying fiercely to hold a 19mm open-ended wrench on that super-shallow/thin bolt head. It was a massive knuckle-banger.
    SO once you get that nut cracked and backed off the bolt a bit, push the bolt OUT to allow MORE OF THE BOLT-HEAD TO STICK OUT. Use a flathead screwdriver to get behind that bolt-head. When you do, you will be able to get a 19mm socket onto it. THEN have your friend kneel one knee behind the other seat and hold and turn that socket while you hold the nut with the wrench.THEN YOU DO A TURN OF THE WRENCH< AND HE RESETS THE BOLT WITH THE SOCKET SO YOU DONT HAVE TO REMOVE AND RESET THE WRENCH AFTER EVERY TURN. That was the secret. It took...FOREVER. Both BOLTS stripped off bits of metal from the nut itself. I think the bolt is a harder alloy.

    When the nuts were finally unthreaded, the fork still held one in place. With a LOT of wiggling and prying, we got the nut off. That sucked. That joint was so bound up it made things very difficult. Driver's side, btw.

    When we got both NUTS out.... (bolts are still in of course)...we we then and only then able to move the top back ....BUT: We had not disconnected the hydraulic lines yet. We wanted to see if we could even get the nuts off. Many many many 1/4 turns of that 19mm Ferrari wrench, and it happened.

    When we moved the top down, it hung up on a cross-brace that is in the front portion of the top. We were staring at the JOINTS baffled, unable to get the top to move DOWN after it went BACK. My other friend said "No. look...that cross bar is getting pinched up. Move it with your hand...move it back....its not the joints that are bound up, its the top."

    Viola. it moved down very suddenly and almost took off my friend's fingers.Anyway...it hung up on a ram that was resting on the back panel...since I had not bothered to fully disconnect them from the hydraulic lines without getting the nuts off first. I moved the rams down and rested them on the back ledge under the window.

    Then the top went down, all the way...without disconnecting the lines or putting a new nut on either of the bolts. I'm sure I will get a new, machined nut on there this week, but the top opens and closes just fine without them.

    The reason they need to be machined down is that the fork will hang up on a thick nut while trying to put the top back up....just as it hung up on the collar of the OEM nut while trying to remove it. It seemed the passenger side fork moved enough to get the nut off while trying to remove it, but it was still not easy.

    I will probably remove the rams this week, with a rag ready.

    Good luck. Hope your experience is much easier than mine. If I knew a simpler way, I would have done it. In the end, it was great to get the top down for the first time since I have owned the car. Now its time to enjoy a convertible.
     

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