Still new to the XJ8 I am wondering what these straps or nylon hooks on the soft top cover do? Is there something that threads through the loop? There are three of these loops on the cover and it seems like it should connect to something...

 

To pull it loose from the car to remove it ???
No idea really, just a guess, mine have sun, or moon roofs

 

XJ ... soft top cover ... erm ... am I missing something here ? It's certainly missing on mine.

 

It's to keep the hydraulic hoses out of the way

 

you need the xk8 forum

 

there is a plastic tube the goes into the end of the straps. Once you have the cover clipped into place, pull it tight from those straps, then shut the trunk lid and the pressure of the trunk lid on the plastic ends will keep the back of the cover in place

 

short bits of wooden dowels work just as well

 

Okay thanks. Can you advise on the approximate length of the tube or dowel? Will try that next.

 

Make the dowel an inch longer than the strap.
Advice: go to home depot, purchase rubber plugs or washers that will tightly fit over the ends of each dowel. These will hold the dowels in place or trust me, you'll be hunting them down all over your trunk! They will slip out easily!

John

 

As Johnken says, I used 9mm wooden dowel cut 20mm longer than the strap width, insert into the loop and put a 8mm diameter rubber foot/cap on each end, a very tight fit which will NOT come off, the wood is hidden inside the loop and all you can see are the rubber caps, looks like oem, happy days.

 

Here's what an original one looks like -

 

Should be easy enough to duplicate

 

These are called Moss plugs.....7.2mm x 10.00mm. Available on line from Accu at 27 cents each or less in bulk. I bet every XK8/XKR in the world needs one or more (six in total). Anyone want to place a bulk order for Forum Members?

 

Wow, another word to add to my Jaguar dictionary. When I google moss plugs everything comes up green. Thanks for the offer to do a bulk order, but I think I'm going to make the ones for my XK8 using parts in stock. Others may want to join. https://www.accu.co.uk/us/1602-moss-plugs

 

Your missing a plastic tube thing that goes inside it. It helps hold it down when the trunk is closed onto the straps

 

I didn't know what they were called until now. Soon after I purchased my car in 2005 I discovered one was missing. I went to the dealer where I bought the car and they didn't have any in stock. At 49 cents each, I guess they didn't want to tie all their working capital up in inventory. So they ordered one and I made a second trip to pick it up and spent more in gas driving back and forth than the cost of the item. FYI, I still have all six plugs.

 

They hold the cover down! Let them lie flat just like in the pic. When the trunk lid closes it will hold your tonneau from being blown away.

 

As was noted the tabs tuck under the trunk lid (er boot) to hold your cover in place and to keep it from flapping about and possibly damaging the paint or blowing away if the snaps let go. The rods keep the tabs from pulling through the gap between the trunk and the rest of the bodywork. However, when I got my XK8, it was missing the cover. I located a factory one of the correct color on ebay but of course it was missing the rods and caps. What worked well for me were a couple of short pieces of rubber fuel line cut to protrude slightly from the edges of the tabs. 5/16 inch diameter if I recall correctly. Fit snugly but with the rubber outer skin of the hose, it doesn't slide about or fall out of the tabs. Plus being soft and hollow, they can crush without any worry of them damaging something like a gasket or edge of the body work if it were to become pinched inadvertently. I put them in a couple of years ago and haven't had to fiddle with them since.

 

^^ Great idea....

 

Not sure if it helps but I used 3 core electrical flex in lieu of the tube. For the rubber caps I used brake bleed nipple rubber caps. These items available far more readily than the tube and moss caps.