Re: BJ7/BJ8 Convertible top Q&A
Hi Johnny, who's this guy Rick?...lol.
My reseach on the web came up with...
A quick word to the wise: If you have the opportunity to protect your convertible top—whether it's vinyl or fabric—do it the very first day you bring it home, before it has a chance to get dirty. Pay special attention to the stitching. Manufacturers use poly-cotton thread—comparatively weak, and always the first thing to go. The stitching needs a UV sealant or protectant, if it's to hold things together for any amount of time.
We have found in our testing RaggTopp is one of the top products on the market. 303 High Tech Fabric Guard is also a quality product. Either will restore the repellence to factory specifications and keep your fabric top looking good. Be sure to apply protectant to a clean, dry top. Never saturate; light, even coats are always best. Reapply monthly to maintain an optimum level of water repellency.
Johnny, I can't say if the water beaded on my top from what Robbins applied. I put two coats of RaggTopp sealer on my top before it left my garage. Maybe because my top is new, I found the process very easy. I used the RaggTopp kit.
1. I washed the fabric with RaggTopp cleaner and a horse hair brush.
2. Rinsed it off well with a garden hose.
3. Dryed it with a waffel weave micro fiber towel, and made sure it was absolutely dry by letting it sit in the sun.
4. Applied a light coat of sealer from the spray can. Let it dry, then I applied another coat.
When I wash the top, the water beads.
Roger, aka Rick