Boot 'install'

[will e]

I have a new boot from OMS. WOW it looks great! But putting one of these things on is a time consuming, nail breaking, vinyl stretching death match.

Any tricks? I know it has to be tight to keep from flying off.

DO you do the snaps first or last?

Start at the corners or the middle?

I have tried a few things and have yet to find a 'trick' to make it easy.

Well, I did figure out that it's harder in the dark..

 

[will e]

AH HA! 24 views and no suggestions... maybe there isn't a trick to it...

 

[OLE PONY]

I usually do the snaps first, then the plastic stripe that slides into the grove on the back of the seat. Then start on the side and work around the back to the other side. Sometimes the stripe comes out of the grove on the back of the seat and that ends up being the last section. I believe the owners manual has these instructions in it.

I try to install it in the sun after the vinyl heats up some to make it easier.

 

[imusa76]

in the owners manual, it recomends the snaps first, then the corners, then finish it off.

thats how I have been doing it for years.

my wife bought our new Boot from OMS a few years back, and i did fit slightly tighter than the original, but it streched out over the years and fits great now.

 

[f117rt]

I always let it sit in sun for a few minutes which makes it more "stretch-able" then follow the same sequence .

 

[OPN PONY]

The old boot cover that came with my car was missing a lot[/u] of the plastic lip so I never managed to get it to work. I just got a new one a few weeks ago and agree that some time in the sun helps. Not sure if the cursing and holding your tongue right helps or not, but I throw a lot of both in anyway...

My biggest problem is probably that I don't have all the nuts on the chrome trim that the boot attaches to. As a result the trim lifts and the boot pops off just as I get to the last section. I guess I really need to finish that off.

 

[OLE PONY]

AH HA! 24 views and no suggestions... maybe there isn't a trick to it...

Those views were the coupe and sportsroof members trying to figure out what a boot is!

 

[will e]

AH HA! 24 views and no suggestions... maybe there isn't a trick to it...

Those views were the coupe and sportsroof members trying to figure out what a boot is!

OMG that is so funny!

 

[jeffdeq]

I always put the snaps first, then rubber locking strip at the seat back, then I start at the center of the trunk and then work both ways out and around so the end of the boot fits correctly at the end of each hockey stick. I also made some foam pads to put over the recessed top frame to give a smoother, padded finish to the boot pulling down over the top frame.

 

[Bill73Ragtop]

I always put the snaps first, then rubber locking strip at the seat back, then I start at the center of the trunk and then work both ways out and around so the end of the boot fits correctly at the end of each hockey stick. I also made some foam pads to put over the recessed top frame to give a smoother, padded finish to the boot pulling down over the top frame.

Same technique I use.

BTW: my cover came with the foam pads (loose). Some folks have glued them to the underside, but I prefer them loose so I can tuck them in at the front corners for a neater look.

 

[whitesoc]

I always put the snaps first, then rubber locking strip at the seat back, then I start at the center of the trunk and then work both ways out and around so the end of the boot fits correctly at the end of each hockey stick. I also made some foam pads to put over the recessed top frame to give a smoother, padded finish to the boot pulling down over the top frame.

Same technique I use.

same here

I also made some foam pads but I put them over the the latches for the top as I noticed that the clamps gave it a bumpy look. The foam has the effect of making it look smooth under the boot plus pulling it a little tighter so you don't get one corner flapping in the wind.

 

[jeffdeq]

same here

I also made some foam pads but I put them over the the latches for the top as I noticed that the clamps gave it a bumpy look. The foam has the effect of making it look smooth under the boot plus pulling it a little tighter so you don't get one corner flapping in the wind.

Agreed, you have better described the top frame as the latches.

 

[Wolverine]

I always let it sit in sun for a few minutes which makes it more "stretch-able" then follow the same sequence .

+1

That vinyl really shrinks/expands. Better for it to be too tight than too loose.

 

[luxstang]

Mine won´t fit at all. I leave it off because I know I´m gonna hurt myself or somebody else. My top does not retract enough when it is down, and the boot just won´t go over it.

 

[jeffdeq]

Mine won´t fit at all. I leave it off because I know I´m gonna hurt myself or somebody else. My top does not retract enough when it is down, and the boot just won´t go over it.

Mine did not go down far enough when I first changed the top years ago. It took a while but I would have to help with the folds in the material until the stffness relaxed and the top eventually went all the way down. Thick top pads makes the top difficult in going all the way down. If your boot still won't fit, it may have shrunk with age.

 

[luxstang]

I don't think it has shrunk because it's new. Well, it was new 3 years ago. The other reason why I don't put it on is that I open and close the top up to 3 or 4 times a day, depending on the weather or the roads. Over the years I enjoy doing over 100 mp/h on the freeway with the top down much less than I used to.