I just received my second set of top bows for my 13 Touring. When I measured the first set, the angle on one end was 90 degrees as expected, but the other side was nearly 15 degrees off. The company sent this replacement set, which are better, but now one side is at 88 degrees, and the other side is at 85 degrees. Am I being too picky, by expecting each side to be at 90 degrees? Do I go ahead and fit them to the irons, and then us brute force to put them on the car?

Can you post some pictures of the areas of interest?

Thanks!

Michael,

I suspect that it won't take much force to spring them into position when mounting them on your car and that, over time, they will "take a set" and be correct. It's hard to get a precise outcome when bending wood.

I agree with Jerry on this Michael. I bought a set of "12" touring bows that sat out in the barn for a year and a half before using them. I had cut the shipping banding loose on them before setting them aside, and when I went to use them, all 4 had spread open a bit. Took a little force to fasten them on the car, where this left the centers bowing upward a bit, but they relaxed back to normal with no problems. Mine were steam bent solid wood, where the laminate style may or may not behave differently.
Regards,
Scott

My timber bender ships the bows with a timber "keeper" tacked across the bows to hold the legs at a set gap. These should be left in place until the bows are ready to be fitted. Otherwise the timber will try too resume some of its unbent state.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.