Hardtop fitment with tweaked roll bar

[Bitar100]

I rolled my jeep on a trail with the hardtop on about a year ago and I bent the bars up , the upside down U shaped bar over the front seats shifted a bit to the driver side I believe. I replaced the two supporting bars that connect to the winshield and added a bolt on cage and at the time I thought it re shaped it but i dont think the bolt on cage helped with re centering it. I have been running a soft top since I rolled my jeep and the softop installed without any issues on the cage after i rolled it and added the bolt on cage.

I just bought a hardtop that was in good condition but the person selling it to me gave it to me for cheap and he didnt include the bolts for the 6 spots on the rear windows. When driving back , I was on the highway back to cali I should have not been speeding and the top flew off and hit another persons car. Luckliy its still salvagable with some bondo.

I ordered the bolts for the 6 spots but for now its basically just sitting on the jeep. All the windows are gone and before I do any more repairs to the top,

Do you guys think the hard top will fit with how much its rubbing on the driver rear window?? I plan to take the top after fixing it to a glass shop to have the windows installed. But I am not sure if i should even go any further. The pictures I added, on the driver side you can see how the hardtop rear driver window is basically rubbing on the roll cage and the seat belt bracket, but the second picture on the passenger it has a full gap. Im guessing with the window on the driver rear will not let me fit the hardtop securley because the glass will touch it .

If this is the case does anyone know how to bend or push the roll cage more centered. The SRC roll cage kit shows in the installation to ratchet strap the two bars and you can pull them together.... does that sound like a good idea if this is the problem?

 

[ejay]

Dude, if your roll cage is that tweaked the least of your worries is trying to get the hardtop you shouldn't have put on in the first place back on the Jeep after your negligent behavior. You could have killed someone.

Start at your mounting locations. You may need to fuck with the tub first before you start trying to use ratchet straps to pull it straight from the top end.

 

[Fishtaco]

Why did you not at least use zip ties if you had no bolts to fix it down? I thought everyone carried zip ties these days lol

 

[Fishtaco]

You need to pull it to one side not together, if that is a replacement roll bar then there must be other problems to have a gap that big on one side and no gap the other.

 

[KillerIsMe]

The top flew off and hit another car?! Lord.

 

[Fishtaco]

Zip ties at pinch in an emergency or $10US for these:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=143225604867

How did it come off regardless of speed? Huge cross wind or you must not have had the front locked in to the wind shield bezel?
anyway on another note and to be more constructive I personally would not waste any more $$$ on fixing up a now pretty damaged hardtop until I fixed my roll bar/ chassis problem first because I would never be happy with the 'uneven " look that has obviously been exasperated buy putting on the hard top v the soft top you have had on.

When I bought my TJ a few weeks ago it only had 2 rear bolts in so I nursed it home and then bolted it down temporarily until I got the correct fittings.

I do feel for you though because as an ex Trucker for a while there is not much a worse feeling than loosing part load on a Highway and damaging another Vehicle! You can never rush or skip tie down checks. Not a lecture by the way just me reminiscing lol

 

[Bitar100]

You need to pull it to one side not together, if that is a replacement roll bar then there must be other problems to have a gap that big on one side and no gap the other.

Its the OEM factory bar, how would you pull one side, any methods anyone knows of? Or should I just replace that part of the cage with a used one?

 

[Chris]

I'm truly at a loss for words here

Forget the hardtop fitment. You need to fix the sport bar and get everything back in alignment before even attempting to fit the hard top.

Also, in the future, use your head. I don't mean to come across as an ass, but you should have seriously known better than to drive with a hardtop that wasn't bolted down.

You could have killed someone, literally.

 

[Chris]

And DAMN...that roll bar is tweaked big time.

 

[Bitar100]

Zip ties at pinch in an emergency or $10US for these:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-...0001&campid=5337789113&icep_item=143225604867

How did it come off regardless of speed? Huge cross wind or you must not have had the front locked in to the wind shield bezel?
anyway on another note and to be more constructive I personally would not waste any more $$$ on fixing up a now pretty damaged hardtop until I fixed my roll bar/ chassis problem first because I would never be happy with the 'uneven " look that has obviously been exasperated buy putting on the hard top v the soft top you have had on.

When I bought my TJ a few weeks ago it only had 2 rear bolts in so I nursed it home and then bolted it down temporarily until I got the correct fittings.

I do feel for you though because as an ex Trucker for a while there is not much a worse feeling than loosing part load on a Highway and damaging another Vehicle! You can never rush or skip tie down checks. Not a lecture by the way just me reminiscing lol

Yes you are right if I zip tied it I wouldnt have a broken top . I had all my tools and zip ties I was just too in a rush to get back home. I wish I nursed it home like you did. You live and you learn and yea im not gonna spend any more $$$ fixing top until I fix the cage makes sense

 

[Bitar100]

I'm truly at a loss for words here

Forget the hardtop fitment. You need to fix the sport bar and get everything back in alignment before even attempting to fit the hard top.

Also, in the future, use your head. I don't mean to come across as an ass, but you should have seriously known better than to drive with a hardtop that wasn't bolted down.

You could have killed someone, literally.

You are right , will not let it happen again . I did not use my brain I had 290 miles to drive back and didn't bother to give time to at least tie it down. I listened to the lady who said "you'll be fine its heavy"

 

[TheBoogieman]

It could have been worse.

 

[Bitar100]

And DAMN...that roll bar is tweaked big time.

Chris do you think I should try bending it some how like loosing the bolts from the tub and ratchet strapping it or dont waste any time and just go to the junkyard and get a new cage for the U shaped part basically the second part?

 

[hardtailpan]

Man, I don't know....my guess is there's a decent chance you tweaked your tub too. I've never pulled a TJ roll bar so I don't know how strong they are. Pulling things straight like this when you're not sure exactly where it's tweaked or where to support it to do the pull can cause more damage. right thing to do might be to take the roll bar off and see if you straighten it outside the jeep. Of course, it might not fit back in once you do this.

As for the top, when I bought mine it had a hardtop on it and I drove it home. It was local, but when I got it home I started going through it. There were two bolts in the hardtop flanges, and they were just resting in there, no nuts. Crazy. I'm so thankful it didn't fly off and get destroyed, or much much worse, hurt somebody. I would have fixed this had I noticed it before driving off. I don't need to tell you how dumb that was, my guess is you already know. Nobody gives a shit about the hardtop, but can you imagine if you killed someone? Someone's kid?

 

[mrblaine]

Chris do you think I should try bending it some how like loosing the bolts from the tub and ratchet strapping it or dont waste any time and just go to the junkyard and get a new cage for the U shaped part basically the second part?

You should get the back half which is the B pillar (part over your head) and the back supports.

 

[Chris]

What Blaine said

 

[Bitar100]

You should get the back half which is the B pillar (part over your head) and the back supports.

Thank you Mr Blaine!!!! , yea I won't try unbending or fixing anything ill just replace it with a used one

 

[mrblaine]

Chris do you think I should try bending it some how like loosing the bolts from the tub and ratchet strapping it or dont waste any time and just go to the junkyard and get a new cage for the U shaped part basically the second part?

The problem with doing that is you have to pull the top of the cage over while the bottom of the rig is braced so it can't move. That force has to be against the tub, not the frame and you will screw up the tub unless you have some good rock rails.

 

[Bitar100]

I saw this video and it just made me have some ideas haha . Im just gonna replace it the B part , like you said.

The problem with doing that is you have to pull the top of the cage over while the bottom of the rig is braced so it can't move. That force has to be against the tub, not the frame and you will screw up the tub unless you have some good rock rails.

 

[Bitar100]

@Chris Do you know how much it should cost for a used B pillar part of the cage like the 2nd part?? I cant find anything online and I only have one jeep wreck yard place in my area and they have ripped me off before.