think know why my conv top not moving up and down..wierd

yellow tang · Apr 30, 2026

I just got this 2004 gt a week ago. bought it knowing the electric/hydrophilic part of it would not move at all it but top would move up and down by hand. After watching videos and things read here I believe I figured it has a leak and low on fluid..or something else. After taking seat out and side panels I found ..on each side laying on the floor way back under.. the brackets that hook on frame in the slot and the other end goes into eyelet of ram. both nuts that held bracket inplace were laying on floor too? Basically the ram was unhooked from framing so just move in and out without connected to frame? I can't image how both sides the nut would come off.. And why in world would anyone do that and throw the nuts and bracket on floor and leave like that? I got my hopes up that they somehow worked loose. I will get the rams reconnected..Check the fluid level and use lock tight on nuts when re-installing. Also wonder if it was a factory mistake and never got tightened up? Last scenario is a ram is seized so unhooked on purpose. who would take all that apart and not just fix it right? The body is mint and 70k miles on it...UPDATE: found the line cracked and squirting fluid out at elbo on lower end of cylinder. maybe ram being unhooked from mentioned earlier did that? Going to order new lines and go from there. maybe see if rams and lines come in kit and just change it all. I know pump is pumping fine..made heck of mess.

96blak54 · Apr 30, 2026

Dang......you get on the ball!

These mustang convertibles mechanics are junk. Probably why there are hundreds of repair videos. Im glad you got it figured out tho

Bronco2Fan · Apr 30, 2026

Good for you. I hate fixing shit that other people jack up. Hope it works for you.

PNW Mike · May 5, 2026

Glad you figured it out.

It seems like the first 10 or so projects I end up doing on any car I buy are just fixing stuff the last person to touch it repairs with questionable or, uh, "creative choices". I have seen enough "what were they thinking" stuff to know to look carefully and assume nothing. Of course, I was also once young, broke, and ignorant, so I'm sure at least a few folks inherited my messes and said the same things about them.