MTFCA Forum

Hello,
when doing my first test drive last Saturday ('16 Touring), I had the top closed. The upper half of windshield was one click backwards from vertical. So it was a little bit behind the flap of the top. It was a cold day, so I tried to push it in completely upright position (hereby lifting this flap so the windshield was below of it), but when driving 45-50km/h (28-31 mph), the windshield repeatedly moved back one click.

Can I adjust the hinges mechanism to be a bit stronger (needing a little more force for snapping to next position)? If yes, how? I do not want to disassemble the mechanism to finally find out that I can't adjust it at all.

Tightening the nut may/should help.

What the other Tim said....I had a similar problem with my '17.

Rainer, you could simply back off to a more reasonable speed for a T. The car will appreciate it.

Allan from down under.

Allan wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 17, 2021 5:01 pm

Rainer, you could simply back off to a more reasonable speed for a T. The car will appreciate it.

Allan from down under.

28-31 mph is not reasonable for a T?

Eric

Sorry Rainer, my mistake. I read your KM/h as miles per hour. You are fine at 30 mph. It is good to see someone driving at reasonable speeds for a T.

Allan from down under.

If it is the same as mine, remove the cotter pin, rotate the castle nut one click, re-install the cotter pin. That is probably all you need. Put a little oil in the hinge as well. Take her out for a ride and see if that is tight enough. Just one click at a time - it doesn't take much.

That 15-16 nut takes a special wrench. You can easily make it yourself.

Thanks for this hint.

According to the picture: My hinges have normal Crown nuts, secured by a cotter pin. But all the rest looks very identical .

I was asking because the metal part (where the hook for TOP belt goes in) is already very hard to rotate, so I thought there is no further tightening possible.

Has anybody pictures from inside the hinges? I guess there will be a big washer with a few holes inside, and every hole guides one steel ball to ensure that the balls remain in their relative assignment (similar to the ball cage of a ball bearing). At least I would produce the hinge this way...
But I hesitate to disassemble the hinge, I could loose the balls.

About lubrication: So I shall simply put a few drops of oil into the gap, or should I take it apart and put some grease inside?

The hinges are adjustable. If the hinges haven’t been lubricated in a while spray them with WD-40 to lube them then back off the adjusting nuts some and move your windshield up and down a few times. Then adjust the nuts so you can drive the car without the windshield tilting back.
I have a 1919 Touring without a top and I have the windshield adjusted to where it is secure but still can be tilted back in different positions.
The hinges are pretty simple and not hard to adjust, dissemble and work on. If you take them apart, clean them up and use a light coat of grease inside them. Once you take one apart you can see how they function and see how they work.
The hinges have dimples pressed into them. The outside hinge has the dimples outward while the back hinge side has the dimples pressed inward. That is what give the adjustment for the hinge tilt or going straight up. The spring and nut hold the two halves together and the tension is given by the spring and nut pressing the two halves together.

Thank you so much. So no parts can drop out from hinges. In this case I will try to disassemble and put some grease inside.

No grease! It will make that windshield top move back to easy.