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SmartTOP questions

  • I have a R170 SmartTOP and had no issues installing it

    Votes: 24 10.1%
  • I have a R170 SmartTOP and had issues of my own fault but got it working

    Votes: 7 3.0%
  • I have a R170 SmartTOP and had hardware/software issues that needed replacing

    Votes: 2 0.8%
  • I have a R170 SmartTOP and used the Slkworld DIY by thunderstorm

    Votes: 1 0.4%
  • I have a R171 SmartTOP and had no issues installing it

    Votes: 80 33.8%
  • I have a R171 SmartTOP and had issues of my own fault but got it working

    Votes: 18 7.6%
  • I have a R171 SmartTOP and had hardware/software issues that needed replacing

    Votes: 9 3.8%
  • I have a R171 SmartTOP and used the Slkworld DIY

    Votes: 52 21.9%
  • I have a R172 SmartTOP and had no issues installing it

    Votes: 59 24.9%
  • I have a R172 SmartTOP and had issues of my own fault but got it working

    Votes: 13 5.5%
  • I have a R172 SmartTOP and had hardware/software issues that needed replacing

    Votes: 2 0.8%
  • I have a R172 SmartTOP and used the Slkworld DIY by White Rabbit

    Votes: 28 11.8%
  • Eddy Installed Mine :)

    Votes: 5 2.1%
  • Woolly Installed Mine

    Votes: 1 0.4%
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Discussion starter · #82 ·
Take the poll at the top please
 
Installed my ( used ) Smarttop in my 172. No problems at all and a very simple install.

I can't vote more than once but I have now done tops in my own 170, 171 and now 172 as well as for other people.
 
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Discussion starter · #86 ·
Installed my ( used ) Smarttop in my 172. No problems at all and a very simple install.

I can't vote more than once but I have now done tops in my own 170, 171 and now 172 as well as for other people.
I will +1 the r172 no issue vote for you :D
 
I voted but forgot to write it would seem.

Installed a brand new smart-top in my R170 earlier this year, was easier than I expected by following their instructions and a video tutorial I found on YouTube had it done inside 2 hours.

My wiring skills still leave something to be desired but all of the splices and wiring fit back into the box and i still has space to stick the module in also, to win win.

Thanks again to all the forum members for putting me onto it and also also the preparation reading I did here. Posters you rock!
 
I voted in the poll, R171 with self inflicted issues brought on by my 2 false steps.

1) I installed one pin in the wrong plastic connector piece and then had a struggle to get it back out.

2) On the tab that held the plug harness in foot well tray, I snapped one of the clips off the end by prying too hard, I didn't feel it until it had already snapped before releasing all the plugs. It only snapped the little tab so it wasn't absolutely necessary as the plug snaps held the clip in place anyway.

I did not use the power and ground taps as supplied, I do not like how they cut the wire they tap into, and I don't know what circuit I'm connected to. Therefore, I used an add a fuse block that plugs into a regular fuse, and used a 5 amp fuse (smallest I had on hand) to power the Smartop controller, added a ground lug to the existing ground connection where the 10mm nut behind the hood release handle. I tapped the power door lock fuse so I knew I had 12v power on the lock/unlock circuit.
 
90 minutes, three beers, one dropped bolt.

Probably last 10 minutes went to reinstalling rollbar cover piece correctly on side end weatherstrips. Pays to pay attention how these were before removal.

Besides the dropped bolt, presumably nothing else got broken, as started with unplugging all three rear speakers and parktronic display.. Watchmaker's tiny flat-head screwdriver released locking catches on these, and started with the middle one for practice (car is HK equipped).

The "surprise" drop bolt candidates are those two "silver" ones mentioned on mods4car's installation manual step 9. They're shorter than everything else, and machine threaded instead of plastic/coarse threaded like the rest.

Have to say, though, disassembling anything badly takes some of the magic out. HK speakers and their wiring look pieces of sh..
If you want to keep your high opinion up, get someone else to do this and don't go to follow it >:D
 
Smartop module fitted to my 2015 R172. Total time was 90 minutes from the first swig of tea to tapping the remote and standing back nodding my head in satisfaction

Biggest drama was stuffing all the cables in the small voids either side of the OEM controller. Also there are an extra couple of screws in the metal panel. No problems with speaker wires.

Righto, Poll completed now off out in the unusually glorious sunshine to have a pose down the high street.

Laters

Derek
 
Less than an hour to install and fit on my SLC43 that I had delivered by the dealer today.


It is the new SLC build from June 2018 with the boot / trunk LTE communications antenna and the new 390bhp engine.


I was interrupted by two neighbours who noticed the growl of the engine as I got it out of the garage and came to see why I was "dismantling" a new car!).


This was just with the in Comfort mode on the Dynamic Select where it is pretty quiet - in Sport+ mode there is a real growl at rest and on moving and some hilarious chuckles, sneezes, crackles and hiccups on slowing down when the 9GTronic selects lower gears.) Did this car REALLY pass noise control testing!!! :eek:)
 
Less than an hour to install and fit on my SLC43 that I had delivered by the dealer today.


It is the new SLC build from June 2018 with the boot / trunk LTE communications antenna and the new 390bhp engine.


I was interrupted by two neighbours who noticed the growl of the engine as I got it out of the garage and came to see why I was "dismantling" a new car!).


This was just with the in Comfort mode on the Dynamic Select where it is pretty quiet - in Sport+ mode there is a real growl at rest and on moving and some hilarious chuckles, sneezes, crackles and hiccups on slowing down when the 9GTronic selects lower gears.) Did this car REALLY pass noise control testing!!! <img src="http://www.slkworld.com/images/smilies/redface.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Embarrassment" class="inlineimg" />)
Congrats on the new arrival!

So no significant differences between the 43 and the older 172s? Planning on putting a smarttop on mine. It was built on July 3rd and has been sitting at the port since the 9th. It has a ship assigned but apparently hasnt left port yet. Hopefully itll be here by mid august.
 
Discussion starter · #95 ·
Congrats on the new arrival!

So no significant differences between the 43 and the older 172s? Planning on putting a smarttop on mine. It was built on July 3rd and has been sitting at the port since the 9th. It has a ship assigned but apparently hasnt left port yet. Hopefully itll be here by mid august.
This is a dedicated thread :D
please send Mark a pm or he has a slc 43 thread somewhere....Thanks JB
 
Honestly, it is so easy.
I would recommend programming it on a PC first as it is easier than the in-car interface, but not a disaster if you don’t.

The only restriction for some people is you need the correct Torx screwdriver bits - that is something that even DIY-ears may not have around.

The biggest thing is simply having the balls and confidence to just follow the very well elaborated instructions on the Mods4Cars site, augmented in advance by the ones on SLKWorld which will help you understand the Mods4Cars ones better.

In my excitement, I confess to not checking the fit of the Torx bit in the first bolt I tried to remove and it chattered as it spun in the bolt head when I fired up my electric screwdriver and polished the recess a little! Oops! The correct size Torx subsequently removed and replaced it without issue, but learn from my mistake!

It is all reversible and you cannot do any damage to your cars electrics unless you force connectors and bend pins but there is no reason to have to do this.

(the only problem I can foresee to this is if Mods4Cars starts up an AMG style hand building manufacture plant. If you happen to get one of these signed-by-builder SmartTops rather than one that came off the automated assembly line then you are at the mercy of the "one-man-one-module" builder having a good day or a bad day and it may be cack-handedly assembled.
Thankfully Mods4Cars don’t seem to have gone down this route and even modern companies like Mercedes, for example, are seeing the benefits of automated production lines over eyeballing and are changing manufacture processes away from one-hungover-man-one-engine production systems and delivering some mighty fine products) >:D
 
And for those that are new and saying,"What is a Smarttop'?
What's a smart top? Is it anything like a smartbutt :wink: Oh, I gotcha there...0:) See what I did?
 
2013 SLK installed a Smart top, Help a person at an auto audio shop to do the install. He had not heard of ST so the install was new to him. It is really simple to install just about 24 screws you will need to deal with. There is a harness that makes it a true plug and play. Just follow the instruction that you download. Like other have said you should update the firmware and do the programming of function before you install. The USB cable leave attached and there is a hole in the wall and an X cut in the carpet board to run the USB cable into the pocket on the carpet wall. Looking back I could have done this on my own but it was nice to have another person helping Took about 45 minutes to do the install,
 
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