jimmer!

Yo guys,

It's cool in AZ and I'm driving my 04 SC430 with the top up.

While it's been there from the first, I'm really noticing the rattle from both the passenger and driver sides top hinges. Clinking on rough road.

Has anyone else experienced this and fixed it?
If so, what did you do?

Thanks. jimmer

mrblister

Only thing I could tell you would be to check and see if there is any loose screws bolts etc that hold the hing assembles. When you start to put top down I would stop mid way and take a look and get a better angle to see if any thing else looks funny or loose .

Buddy

jimmer!

thanks bubby, I'll take a look.
the jingling noise seems to come from be the multiple metal slats that make up the hinge arm.
thought there might be a way to deaden the clattering of these metal slats.

jimmer

inscents41

I too had a rattle which I thought was coming from the top mechanism. It took me over a year of investigating to solve. I don't know if it's the same as yours but this is what I found. I opened the top half way and removed the 3 clips holding the cover over the mechanism under the rear window. Under there was a cable that had styrofoam attached to prevent the cable from moving around. I moved the cable and tucked it under some of the non moving mechanism and low and behold the rattle stopped.

jimmer!

sounds interesting, inscents41.
I'll take a look and see if I can figure how to get to the cable.
was your fix complicated?
sounds like thing can get messed-up if not done correctly.

mrblister

I am not sure I understand "under the rear window " Do you mean the package tray that flips up when the top is in process of closing or are you referring to the actual rear window itself .

Buddy

inscents41

I'm referring to what looks like a piece of trunk liner, the same color as the trunk liner, under the package tray that flips up. You can see it under the window when the trunk is open but it's not accessible. It's held in place by 3 clips. I got to it by opening the top half way. I removed the 3 clips, tiook off the liner piece and tucked the cable under some stationary parts.

mrblister

thanks i will look for that

buddy

jimmer!

OK, I took a look and saw the cover piece held by the 3 clips.
How to pop off the clips?
I've tried with no luck. Appears that they with break.
What's the process to remove the clips without breaking?
The slot in the clip is so small/thin. Nothing I have will fit.

Thanks. jimmer

inscents41

I was able to get under each clip with a thin needle nose plier. Push down on the liner so you can get under the clip with the plier.

jimmer!

thanks. I'll give it a try.

jimmer!

after a round trip to phoenix this holdiay, the rattle issue has come back full. after inspecting the 'cover piece' and 'three clips' I'm still not sure what I'm looking for. there seems to be two different cover pieces, each with more than 3 clips.
I've raised and lowered the top multiple times, looking for anything elements that would produce the rattling sounds -- with no luck. every element of the hinge mechanism seems tight.
I'm still scratching my head over what would be create this noise over my top-up head.