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Thread: Plastic spring loaded covers for tonneau cover, how to get back in place?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
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    11,308
    My Cars
    1998 M3 Vert - SC'd

    Plastic spring loaded covers for tonneau cover, how to get back in place?

    Does anybody know how to get the plastic sliding spring loaded cover back in place that sits on each side of the quarter panel that allows the top hardware to go back into place on an e36 convertible?


    My girl hopped on the car with the top down and her babydonk somehow snapped it out of place. I can't get it in right so had to remove piece in order to get top up for car wash.


    It's not broken and I can see the grooves that the nubs go in, but I can't figure it out. It looks like there are two separate channels.

    Pics below

    21743111_519074291768664_3961854254573788377_n.jpg

    21463391_519074215102005_8123345119579064518_n.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    People's Republic of MD
    Posts
    2,291
    My Cars
    22 doors and 4 tops
    You kinda of have to snap it in place. the front tabs go in the lower slot and the rear tabs in the upper slot.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Bangkok, Thailand
    Posts
    356
    My Cars
    E85 Z4
    It's been a while since I had a similar thing happen, but I seem to remember I had to remove the rear panel to correctly slot the sliding cover in place.... I have a spare rear panel in my spare room - I'll try to remember to take a look and report back...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Bangkok, Thailand
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    356
    My Cars
    E85 Z4
    Ok, I just checked... there are actually 4 separate channels with openings at the underneath side. The 4 tabs fit in one of those channels. If you remove the whole panel, there is a metal clip underneath to prevent the cover from overextending and popping out of the channels underneath - remove that and the cover will easily slide into place.

    You 'may' be able to snap it back into position from the top, but risk breaking either tabs or channels, which could lead to the cover coming out of place again.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Mb, Canada
    Posts
    75
    My Cars
    1998 BMW 328ic
    Align the inside two studs on the cover and press inwards (towards the car interior) which will spring the plastic cover enough so that you should be able to lever the outwards studs in place. The studs are on two differant levels as there are two groved tracks for them. Not too difficult but if your covers are old the plastic may be brittle.

    Don B.

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