Sick and tired of the hard top nuts by the doors

VadeerHunter

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Oak Hill, VA
This is going to sound strange, but I am sick and tired of the hard top nuts by the doors. Every year I drop them and sometimes they disappear only to come bouncing back out behind where they have been hiding in the spring. In other words, I'm clumsy at trying to get them in place and hold them while I put the hardtop screws in. So, the other day I bought one of those swing down shelves for my tailgate. Absolutely super if you're a radio guy and need an instant Ham shack by the way. It's installed with rivet nuts. So, my thought is to install rivet nuts on both sides by the doors and leave them just loose enough so there is some play for the top to get set. Anyone tried this or is everyone way more coordinated than I am?
 
You are creating an issue where there doesn't need to be one. Yes those nuts are a pain but a magnet on a stick can solve that problem. Plus you only have to deal with this what twice a year?

I'm a self-taught engineer it's an anal thing! Besides I'm 71 and patience isn't one of my strong suits!
 
if you leave the riv nuts loose enough to slide, they will spin on you. Then your top will never come off again. I guess that’sa solution, but probably not the one you’re wanting

This true, looks like I'm stuck. The funny is the make plastic retainers for the other nuts but you can't get one that works on the holes by the doors. I guess the easiest way would be to make new holes where I can get my hand in or better yet use the nut retainers.
 
Could you take a 6 inch hole saw and cut access holes on the outside of the tub? Then just attach a hinge to the pieces you cut off and voila no more access issues!! Think along the lines of the fuel access door on most cars and pickups, same idea.

Im laughing so hard. Great one. Use a cutting torch.
 
I remove and replace my hard top a few times a year. Electric hoist makes it easy. One of the first things I did was remove the guide pins from the hardtop. No really reason for them in my mind. Now, this might be different on a TJ but on my LJ the guide pin holes are just a few inches farther back than the bolt holes by the door. I just put the forward bolt in that hole, much easier to get to. I also ran for a few months without any bolts up front and did not notice a problem .
 
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I remove and replace my hard top a few times a year. Electric hoist makes it easy. One of the first things I did was remove the guide pins from the hardtop. No really reason for them in my mind. Now, this might be different on a TJ but on my LJ the guide pin holes are just a few inches farther back than the bolt holes by the door. I just but the forward bolt in that hole, much easier to get to. I also ran for a few months without any bolts up front and did not notice a problem .

Dropping those nuts drove me crazy. Trying to fish them out by hand or with a magnet sucked. I gave up and just never use those 2 anymore. I’ve been fine on and off-road for 4 years this way. I never think about it anymore. But whoever engineered placing them that close to the B pillar clearly didn’t try to take the top on and off.

Another option is to get the top perfectly positioned and locked down and drill new hole in hardtop flange and the tub just behind the B pillar so you can access it easier.
 
Maybe I’m lucky… I’ve never had an issue with those bolts aside from the slightly awkward location. I tackle them from the front doors resting the nut on my middle or index finger and it’s always worked fine. Maybe it’s my fat fingers that help 🤷‍♂️