Patch repair for soft top?

Greenmachine

Greenmachine

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 13, 2018
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Location
New York
Hey-O! Are there any patch repair for small tears in the soft top?

I’m trying to get one more summer out of it before spending a couple hundred bucks on a new one.
 
Here’s three different cheap suggestions. Copied from itstillruns.com

Option 1
Clean the area around the tear with a damp clean cloth and allow it to dry completely. Apply a piece of aluminum waterproofing tape with black tar backing to the back side of the soft top. Hold the tear together. Simultaneously press the tape on firmly. Paint over the tape with latex paint that matches the inside of the soft top, and it will look as though there was never a tear at all.
Option 2
Using a leather needle or some other type of very strong needle, sew the tear back together with a very strong nylon thread. Purchase these at a fabric store. Hold the pieces together and double over the thread. Apply seam sealer to the visible threads inside the top. Seam sealer can be purchased at a local camping store. This will help protect the thread that is exposed to the elements.

Option 3
Place a piece of old fabric--preferably fabric from an old soft top or an old bikini top--to the inside area of the tear with E600 Glue. Make sure that the material is at least an inch bigger than the tear on all sides.
Iron an iron patch to the soft top, but be careful if it is used on the outside of the soft top. You need to exercise caution with this step because the material around the tear may melt.
 
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I purchased a kit on amazon last year after punching a hole in my two month old bestop supertop nx. I think it was about $20 it was made from a tent repair company but had thick soft top material and tent materials in it, along with thread, heavy duty needle, glue, etc. I sowed the hole shut. Then cleaned with alcohol, applied glue on the outside then the patch, once that glue dried I applied glue on the inside as well. It has held up great, no leaks and it is right in the rear corner where it is under constant tension.
 
I just used regular aquaseal it worked great.
 
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Rescue6 said:
I purchased a kit on amazon last year after punching a hole in my two month old bestop supertop nx. I think it was about $20 it was made from a tent repair company but had thick soft top material and tent materials in it, along with thread, heavy duty needle, glue, etc. I sowed the hole shut. Then cleaned with alcohol, applied glue on the outside then the patch, once that glue dried I applied glue on the inside as well. It has held up great, no leaks and it is right in the rear corner where it is under constant tension.
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Is your Bestop Supertop NX vinyl or a twill fabric? If the latter, can you tell me the name of the repair kit you used or provide a link to it? We have a small dime-sized hole in the top (back corner) of our 2 1/2 year old twill soft top made by mice that we need to repair. Ugh. Your fix has sounded the most promising of all. Thank you!
 
my bestop trektop nx got a tear on the side where it hooked onto the door surround after getting snagged by a tree.

I had a friend of mine who does lots of heavy duty canvas work for boats sew a vinyl patch over the area. It didn't leak for the year after until I got a replacement
 
RRR said:
Is your Bestop Supertop NX vinyl or a twill fabric? If the latter, can you tell me the name of the repair kit you used or provide a link to it? We have a small dime-sized hole in the top (back corner) of our 2 1/2 year old twill soft top made by mice that we need to repair. Ugh. Your fix has sounded the most promising of all. Thank you!
Click to expand...
I believe it was this one. Gear Aid Aquaseal FD Soft Top Repair Kit for Jeep and Convertible Cars , Black, 7" x 10" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TJVCPGI/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
IVE DONE THIS ALOT over many moons. I purchase material from like joaan fabrics or hobby lobby that is for marine use. its water proof. its thick and strong. Get the best matching color you can. Then i use some of the gorilla glue for marine apps and get all over the tear with a piece the goes about 1" past all the edges. on the inside repeat process with the marine glue also into the tear to make a water tight seal. It can look ghetto but what eves
 
If your looking to be a lil more fancy you can get some iron on material from craft stores you will need to iron which is hard but that stuff usually isnt water tight and fails on big rips
 
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Only two options. #1 Buy a quality replacement top for $700+.
#2 Buy a cheaper replacement top for $200 that makes more noise on the road.
 
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