Installing Soft Top Pivot Brackets for the first time

[Nightmare9]

I think my Jeep was sold with just the Hard Top and I don't think it was ever removed (Until Today)
So the holes in the Jeep don't appear to be threaded. Or the threads are filled with paint.
Are the screws for the Pivot Brackets designed to cut threads?
I assume the brackets go on the outside of the roll bar. Nice of Jeep to write the part description upside down on the driver side.

 

[Nightmare9]

Yes, they are self-tapping. I got all 4 of them in pretty easily.
I guess they might be called 'disruption' tappers. I found this post.

Miaoxin

1 year ago

Are there holes already in the bow? It doesn't have to be "that" screw, necessarily. Hunt around for a washer head, self-tapping, corrosion resistant screw close to that. It doesn't have to be metric or torx. It the holes are there and threaded, just use a washer head M6 flat tip screw.
When you go looking, though, here's the thing... that style of self tapper creates a stronger hole that drilling or drill-type self tappers. Those are 'disruption' tappers where the metal is all still there, but has been swaged out and elongated to provide more threaded surface. Drilling the hole creates a weak mate. Those types of screws with all those attributes (washer, disruption tip, anti-corrosion, torx drive) aren't cheap at retail, especially in small quantities. I doubt you'll find singles of those things for less than 4 bucks each.