Rebuilding all Soft Top Hydraulics on Mercedes R129 SL500

With this video you should be able to rebuild and get to all hydraulic cylinders. There is a variety of kits online for seals. Dont overthink it and it wont be hard. The key to removing the clips holding in the ram seals is a thin screwdriver. I recomend buying these scredrivers to start
www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee...

[@discogodfather22]

Very nice work, your videos have been extremely helpful to me. Restoring a 1995 SL600 I got for $3500 last fall, it's been a crazy amount of work, have rebuilt and replaced so many things. This video is giving me the confidence to attempt the hydraulic rebuild. Top hydraulics wants $800 to replace these seals, it's a crazy amount of money. Also doing the IR lock system right now, finally got it working. It is nice to have keyless entry.

[@SamAbraham]

What did you do regarding the IR locks? Ive taken mine apart, cleaned them... never can get them to work consistently. Probably the most annoying part about my SL aside from well.. needing to do the top cylinders as well lol

[@rioraton]

F'ing IMPRESSIVE. It is NOT that ez. I started to replace the Passenger side main lift cylinder and quit. 3900 bucks later it was fixed...I had all cylinders rebuilt like you did it. Then I F around and broke the micro switch and yes the top did not work again. Bought one off ebay 200 MORE bucks and installed my self and it fixed the situation and the roof worked again. I am impressed that you take on these not so ez jobs and you seem to get things fixed. Good Job.... you saved 4K

[@bhesse]

good job, commentary is funny as well

[@enjoyradiosilence]

Well done!! you saved literally 5k doing that yourself.

[@charlesprosser9689]

There is loctite or other thread seal on the threaded end of the piston. You are supposed to use a heat gun to soften it and it will unscrew easily. If you are having to stand on hand wrenches you are doing something wrong. Also that scratched piston is ruined. The scratch will will either leak right away or it will cause the seal under it to abrade prematurely. That being said thanks for the video as it is helpful in showing the construction of the pistons

[@sarifbuksh1317]

Cool

[@ignaciomoralejo729]

No hablo en English estoy reparando todos los cilindros del techo tienen fuga y no consigo los kit

[@Maybe1Someday]

Ebay for the seals

[@joez1966]

Props on doing this without a vise and with regular hand tools. That's pretty legendary. I am about halfway through the job myself. Now looking back is there anything you would have done differently? Any leaks develop? Thanks for the video. You're an R129 legend now.

[@Maybe1Someday]

Made sure the hydraulic tank was full at very start after wine tasting

[@adoniscastillo]

Great video, did you connect the left main cylinder’s rod prior to installing the left bow extension cylinder. I’m having a tough time installing the left bow extension cylinder

[@Maybe1Someday]

3/4 through the video is what you are looking for

[@ignaciomoralejo729]

Dónde compraste los kit de gomas o sellos tengo un Mercedez 500 slc y tiene muchas fugas

[@Maybe1Someday]

Ebay

[@njlarry100]

A tripod would help!

[@Maybe1Someday]

I told my financiers to increase the budget

[@JohnnyD0406]

Thanks for the video. I was able to replace my top hydraulics earlier this summer. I did purchase the same seals you have AND I stabbed myself trying to pry out the seal ring. I will use your video as a reference for my winter project! I’ve seen a few videos where the mechanic used a dremmel to cut a seam in the aluminum case to access the ring seal. Curious if you think that maybe a good solution to avoid the digging with a screw driver and potentially losing that ring. Again. Thanks! 02r129SilverArrow

[@Maybe1Someday]

That ruins every cylinder you do that to