Can't latch top.

I'm also S K, JazzAzz on my PC :-).

Anyway after posting my last reply, I went out to check for any adjustment. Can it be adjusted?? The left one not only clicks into place, but locks, necessitating pushing that button to unlock it.

The Right one does not Lock in place, but fortunately has always stayed in place. Any suggestion??

TIA

There's an adjustment barrel nut, but your latch might be broken. Here's one repair tip:

Thanks for that Larry, but looking at that disassembly (??SP??), I'd screw it up for sure>>LOL, then for sure necessitating a new one.

I think since the left one does lock, I'll leave well enough alone. I may go as far as loosening the two phillips screws to see whether or not I can slightly move it into locking properly. But so far it has never dropped down on its' own. And even though my 2000 Miata, doesn't get driven that often (Only slightly more than 32,000 mi.). When we to go, it is usually a trip to the beach/coast, and that 2>4 1/2 hr. trip has never caused it to drop off. I do think that it locked at one time, but then all of a sudden stopped, even if I try giving it a good palm of my hand, won't lock.

Larry>>I dismounted the latch today to see if there was any leeway in the way it mounts. There's not. I also checked out the mechanism, also seeing that barrel adjustment, and wondering what that does, what it is for. How do you move that?? Do you just take the tip of a screw driver moving it one way or another?? And do you have any idea how that should be adjusted?? That adjustment must have a purpose :-). I lubricated the working, with some vaseline, while in there. Also noticing how the edge of the release button makes contact with a certain area of the back end of the latch, adding some lubricant there also. It appears to be better now, with SOME lock resistance, but not that much. I can still pull it down without pushing the button. But at least there is some resistance now.

Just for grins, I'm going to check out J.C. Whitney's site yo see if they carry them. I have purchased from them, and their prices beat the heck out of any dealer's prices.

I called the dealer today. Man, that part is well over $100.00, near

TIA for any help, anyone.

It adjusts the latch tension. If it's too tight, the latch won't go over center and close all the way; too loose, the top won't be tight against the windshield header and will leak. It's normally adjusted only after installing a new top, and doesn't get out of adjustment on its own. If your latch snaps into place but the button doesn't pop out, then the Garage repair article I posted is what you need.

You haven't yet told us exactly what the problem is, so our advice is just guesswork.

Nah J.C Whitney surprisingly does not carry them. They do carry so much stuff though. I have bought and repaired a couple of items on my

Anyway, I made a post here yesterday evening that did not show up, asking if ANYONE knew about adjusting that barrel nut adjustment (How). After researching on Google and not finding a thing, I went out to the garage to experiment. I discovered that the thing (Clip) that holds the nut into position is a little clip that easily pops off and is hinged. Turning the nut one way increases the amount of pressure that it takes to push the latch down, increasing its' hold, and the other way of course decreases it. I didn't want to make it too tight for fear of it putting too much pressure on itself or the part that it latches on to, possibly breaking either one. So I set it so it is firm enough IMO. This does nothing to the ability to lock in place, but firmer ought to keep it in place. I also notice that what gives the latch its' lock ability is the way the inside edge of the release button, sits against the top edge (Button side end) of the latch. Greasing that and working both back and forth has appeared to give the latch SOME locking ability, but can still be popped down without pushing the button. But still is better (Slightly) than before. Heck leaving the sun visor up in place, seems to put more pressure against it than the button does>>LOL. Also I did Google and find one other place that sells them, but still around $153.00. Now that is insane. I wouldn't expect to have to pay more than $50.00 or so $$ U.S.

Anyway, I made a post here yesterday evening that did not show up, asking if ANYONE knew about adjusting that barrel nut adjustment (How). After researching on Google and not finding a thing, I went out to the garage to experiment. I discovered that the thing (Clip) that holds the nut into position is a little clip that easily pops off and is hinged. Turning the nut one way increases the amount of pressure that it takes to push the latch down, increasing its' hold, and the other way of course decreases it. I didn't want to make it too tight for fear of it putting too much pressure on itself or the part that it latches on to, possibly breaking either one. So I set it so it is firm enough IMO. This does nothing to the ability to lock in place, but firmer ought to keep it in place. I also notice that what gives the latch its' lock ability is the way the inside edge of the release button, sits against the top edge (Button side end) of the latch. Greasing that and working both back and forth has appeared to give the latch SOME locking ability, but can still be popped down without pushing the button. But still is better (Slightly) than before. Heck leaving the sun visor up in place, seems to put more pressure against it than the button does>>LOL. Also I did Google and find one other place that sells them, but still around $153.00. Now that is insane. I wouldn't expect to have to pay more than $50.00 or so $$ U.S.

Have you checked with Planet Miata? IIRC, they quoted me around $125 for BOTH latches when I was thinking of replacing the ones on my hardtop.

Iva & Vixen

Yes, I did, that the latch does not lock in. But I have it sort of locking in now.

Iva>> Thanks for that info. I will check that out tomorrow, when I am back online with my PC in the morning. At the moment I am online with my trusty old MSNTV (Webtv) box, because on my PC I access this grp. via Google Grps, which is having a big problem since yesterday. And many, if not any posts since yesterday have been showing up. So I came over here. The MSNTV2 news reader, lists this grp. and all is well here. But the browser on MSNTVs earlier generation box is so old (An equivalent to IE4.0) that that site may or may not work. So I'll save it for the PC.

I do use a news reader on Outlook Express, news.mozarella.org to read one of the grps that I am always in. But unfortunately that news reader does not have this grp. in its' line up. But I can always trust in this

Thanks again.

Frank>>Probably because you have had your top down so long without putting it up. I read about that problem in another thread very recently. And in my inspection of that barrel adjustment nut, it doesn't extend the movement of the latch. But just increases or decreases (Depending on the direction you're turning it) the amount of pressure needed to push the latch into place. Too much must be bad on the latching surfaces IMO.

Someone said in another thread, that if your top has been down that long that it just takes brute strength to get it up and seated properly.

GOOD LUCK!!

Iva>>Surprising I could get on the planetmiata site with this MSNTV box. And I see that they are a recycler.

We also have one,"Mazda Recycler," here near Sacramento, Calif, in Rancho Cordova, that teammiata.com had recommened to me once. I tried calling them today, and their site says open on Saturdays. So I am thinking that maybe because of the economy, they are now closed on Saturdays. I plan to call them on Monday, or try. if nothing I 'll try planet. I had bought from the one near Sacto that plastic piece (Can't recall what is called) that sits across the bottom of the front windshield. It was extremely reasonable compared to a new one one from the rip off dealer. And came very quickly, and I was very satisfied.

I have put this fix in here before, but here it is again:

Remove the latch from the top .

Take it apart.

Take the little tab part that moves to lock the latch inplace and drill a hole in the face that contactes the main locking tab.

Drill and tap it for a 5-40 screw.

Screw a round head 5-40 screw into that little tab.

Put the latch back together. Put it back on the top and it will lock every time.

The guts of the latch streach over time and so they do not interfear like they should. Some of the 200o and on latches were just made with too much clearance.

I had to rework the latches on my 2003 LS because they wouldn't lock.

Bruce Bing '03 LS

Sounds like a good fix, for someone not like Tim Allen in Home Improvement. If I tried that (Taking it apart), I'd have a unit that worked somewhat to one that is pure junk>>LOL LOL :-).

But thanks for the tip :-).