How to Fit an MX-5 Soft Top (NA & NB)

Replacing the soft top on a Mazda MX⁠-⁠5 Miata NA (1990–1997) or NB / NB‑FL (1998–2005) is a job a patient DIYer can do at home. Our replacement soft tops mount to your car’s original frame and mechanism, so you reuse your existing hardware. This guide combines the steps with the most useful tips from owners who have done the job – if you’re unsure at any point, a professional car upholsterer can fit the top for you.

  • Time: about 4–8 hours for a first-timer (a pro does it in ~2 hours)
  • People: 2 – a helper makes stretching and the first closing much easier
  • Difficulty: advanced DIY – patience matters more than special skills

Important: the rain rail is NOT included. Our soft top is a single piece of vinyl with the clear plastic rear window built in – nothing else is in the box. You reuse the rain rails from your current top, or fit new ones.

About the rain rail

The rain rails are the metal strips along both sides of the top that seal it against the side windows. Each side is made of 3 pieces, and the top is riveted to them. Whether you can reuse yours depends on their condition:

  • Good condition (straight, no corrosion): reuse them. Worn or leaking seals can be repaired with self-adhesive sealing tape (foam or butyl).
  • Bent, corroded or with hard, cracked seals: fit new rain rails. A new rain rail is always the better choice for a watertight top.

Before you start

  • Work in warm conditions. Vinyl stretches much more easily when it’s warm – pick a warm day or a heated garage (ideally 20 °C or more).
  • Take photos of the old top at every step – especially how the tension cables are routed and how the fabric is fixed to the frame bows. Owners agree this is the single most useful thing you can do.
  • Remove the seats (4 bolts each, unplug any connectors underneath). You’ll be working behind them for a long time.
  • Remove the roll bar if your car has one – it can block access to the bolts next to the doors.
  • Block the drain holes behind the seats with a rag or paper. The small rain-rail nuts love to fall into them.
  • Never cut, grind or drill out welded bolts or nuts. They don’t need to come off to change the top.

Tools you’ll need

  • Metric socket set (incl. 10 mm) and screwdrivers, including a #3 Phillips bit
  • Drill, pop-rivet gun, rivets and small washers to put behind the rivets
  • Trim removal tool – a fork or a claw hammer also works for the plastic carpet pins
  • Utility knife, marker, clamps or clothes pegs, masking tape
  • Heat gun or hair dryer (used carefully on low heat)
  • Weatherstrip adhesive and sealing tape for the rain rails

Step by step

Experienced installers leave the frame on the car: it stays fixed, the top is easier to stretch and you’re not kneeling on the floor. Work from the back to the front.

  1. Prepare the interior. Remove the seats, the carpet pins and the trim behind the seats to reach the rear fixings. Block the drain holes.
  2. Remove the rain rails. Undo the nuts along each side and take off the 3 rail pieces per side. Each piece has one fixed hole with no adjustment – mark which piece goes where.
  3. Remove the old top. Release the front edge from the windshield header, unbolt the rear retaining strip from the body and drill out the rivets that hold the fabric to the frame bows and rain rails. If you’re throwing the old top away, it’s fine to cut it off rather than forcing parts of the frame.
  4. Clean and check. Remove old rivets, clean the frame and rear deck, make sure the drain holes are clear (blocked drains are a classic cause of water inside an MX⁠-⁠5) and check the rain rails.
  5. Rivet the rain rails to the new top first. This is the most common mistake: attach the rails to the new top before it goes onto the car. Put a washer on the back of each rivet so you don’t damage the rail, and fit fresh foam seals between the rivets.
  6. Fit the rear first. Centre the new top on the frame, attach it to the rear retaining strip using the centre marks and bolt the strip back to the body.
  7. Cables and flaps. Route the tension cables through the new top and fix the side flaps to the frame bows exactly as on the old top (check your photos).
  8. Bolt the rain rails to the car with new seals at the bolt holes – correct alignment here is key to a watertight top.
  9. Attach the front edge. Close the top, pull the front edge forward evenly and secure it to the header rail with weatherstrip adhesive. The first closing is tight – it can take 2–3 people. Don’t over-stretch the vinyl when it’s cold.
  10. Let it settle. Leave the top closed and latched for several days, ideally a week in the sun. The vinyl relaxes, wrinkles disappear and the latches close more easily.
  11. Water test before refitting the interior. Pour water along the back and both sides and check the boot and cabin for leaks, then refit the trim, carpets and seats.

Alternative: some owners remove the whole frame from the car to fit the top on the bench (as in two of the videos below). It gives more access but means more bolts and more work.

Video guides

These videos are made by independent MX⁠-⁠5 owners and show tops from other brands, so small details can differ from ours – but the process is the same.

How to replace a Miata soft top – CARS ONBOARD. A clear walkthrough on a 1992 NA, with the frame removed.

Mazda Miata NA soft top install (full guide) – Surreal Ent. A full 25-minute install on a 1990–93 NA. Tip: rivet the rain rails to the top before refitting – it saves the struggle you’ll see in the video.

Replacing the top on my Mazda Miata – Tony Crispin. A recent DIY install showing what to expect when closing the new top for the first time.

Troubleshooting

  • The top won’t latch. Normal with a new top – get a helper to pull it forward, and leave it closed in the sun for a few days. If it still won’t lock, the latch buttons may be worn; replacement latch parts are available aftermarket.
  • Water gets in along the sides. Check the rain-rail alignment and the seals between the rivets and at the bolt holes. Sealing tape (foam or butyl) fixes most small leaks; badly worn rails are best replaced.
  • Water inside the cabin or boot. Check the drain holes behind the seats – they block easily.

Caring for your new top

  • The clear rear window is part of the top, so treat it gently: clean it with water and a soft microfibre cloth only – no abrasive cleaners.
  • Avoid folding the top in very cold weather, when the window is stiffest, to prevent creases.
  • Clean the vinyl with water and a mild soap; avoid harsh solvents.

Need help choosing?

Not sure which top fits your car? Check our FAQ or contact us – we’re happy to help.

Shop MX⁠-⁠5 soft tops

This guide is a general overview based on common practice and owners’ experience. Details can vary by model year and previous repairs; if in doubt, we recommend professional installation.