Replacing the rear cable on the convertible top - LotusTalk

Chococar · 11-19-2006, 05:09 PM

My rear cable broke next to the adjuster (see photo).

My dealer was kind enough to send me a new cable so that I could install it myself, saving me a 200 mile roundtrip. I didn't realize that it would be very difficult to thread into the sleeve.

You have to disassemble the adjuster to have any chance at all of getting it through the sleeve. I first tried pushing it through with my fingers. Then I tried pushing it with a coat hanger. I got it more than half way through, but progress stopped. It was like pushing on a rope (duh).

So then I switched approaches and made a special little tool that would screw into the adjuster (photo). I just drilled two holes through the head of a screw. I pushed a coat hanger through the sleeve, bent over the end and grabbed a wire. Then I pulled the wire through and attached my special tool. I then screwed it into the adjuster and was able to pull the new cable through very easily. Hooray!

I did a trial fit to determine the adjustment of the adjuster. I couldn't find anything in the service manual, so I set it so that the back rod would drop into the slot without having to be stretched or have any slack. When I snapped over the side rail, it felt good. I do not know if this is the correct adjustment or not, but we'll see.

I then took apart the adjuster and slipped over a piece of shrink tubing (photo), put it back together, heated up the shrink tubing to get it to shrink, then put it on the car.

Note the position of the cable compared to the bracket. Daniel (powerbookguy) told me that he got one that was installed backwards at the factory (probably Lotus' subcontractor, actually). That will tear up the weatherstripping. Check this before beginning your installation :-)

--Joe

Spudboy · 11-19-2006, 05:19 PM

Great job, I'm amazed you could drill those tiny holes in the screw!

Chococar · 11-19-2006, 05:26 PM

Thanks.

I did break a drill bit on my first attempt

glb · 07-03-2009, 05:48 PM

chococar -

Thanks for this post.

The drilling can be skipped. I simply looped the end of the wire under the bolt head and tightened bolt.

Chococar · 07-04-2009, 06:40 PM

Cool. I didn't want to lose it, so I drilled the holes.

Thanks,

Joe

11-19-2006, 05:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Chococar #334 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 1,547	Replacing the rear cable on the convertible top My rear cable broke next to the adjuster (see photo). My dealer was kind enough to send me a new cable so that I could install it myself, saving me a 200 mile roundtrip. I didn't realize that it would be very difficult to thread into the sleeve. You have to disassemble the adjuster to have any chance at all of getting it through the sleeve. I first tried pushing it through with my fingers. Then I tried pushing it with a coat hanger. I got it more than half way through, but progress stopped. It was like pushing on a rope (duh). So then I switched approaches and made a special little tool that would screw into the adjuster (photo). I just drilled two holes through the head of a screw. I pushed a coat hanger through the sleeve, bent over the end and grabbed a wire. Then I pulled the wire through and attached my special tool. I then screwed it into the adjuster and was able to pull the new cable through very easily. Hooray! I did a trial fit to determine the adjustment of the adjuster. I couldn't find anything in the service manual, so I set it so that the back rod would drop into the slot without having to be stretched or have any slack. When I snapped over the side rail, it felt good. I do not know if this is the correct adjustment or not, but we'll see. I then took apart the adjuster and slipped over a piece of shrink tubing (photo), put it back together, heated up the shrink tubing to get it to shrink, then put it on the car. Note the position of the cable compared to the bracket. Daniel (powerbookguy) told me that he got one that was installed backwards at the factory (probably Lotus' subcontractor, actually). That will tear up the weatherstripping. Check this before beginning your installation :-) --Joe Attached Images

11-19-2006, 05:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Spudboy Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,496	Great job, I'm amazed you could drill those tiny holes in the screw! __________________ '05 Elise, Nightfall/Touring (1TON 1G) '94 BMW 325iS '67 Austin Healey 3000

07-03-2009, 05:48 PM	#4 (permalink)
glb Unattractive Nuisance Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chester, NJ Posts: 4,532	chococar - Thanks for this post. The drilling can be skipped. I simply looped the end of the wire under the bolt head and tightened bolt. __________________ 05 elise (PES chip, SSRs, shift tower mods, Multivex; HID low beams); 05 Corolla XRS; 72 Elan Sprint, 170 hp (Sold) "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable." G. Orwell. 6. "A bore is a man who deprives you of solitude without providing you with company." - Gian Vincenzo Gravina

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11-19-2006, 05:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
Chococar #334 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 1,547	Thanks. I did break a drill bit on my first attempt

07-04-2009, 06:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chococar #334 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, CA Posts: 1,547	Cool. I didn't want to lose it, so I drilled the holes. Thanks, Joe

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