Soft top installation

Travis

TJ Enthusiast
Original poster
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
932
Location
Clinton, Iowa
So I have to put the soft top back on today. I will be taking HRNT out of town & there is rain in the forecast. I have to admit, I'm excited to see it with the top up again, I like how it looks. My reason for posting is, to ask if there is a specific order to replacing it? I have had trouble with this soft top in the past & my hands have been sore lately. I jam my fingers on things constatly at work, machines like to bite me. So anything to make it easier, I'm all about it.
 
I've had my soft top on and off every other day all summer and found out the easiest way to put it up is to hook the front latches while sitting in the drivers seat pulling forward on the center support above my head. Then I go to the back of the Jeep and pull down on the rear support bar to get the rear panels in their tracks. Then I latch the front latches and do the roof panels above the doors, and zip the rear windows in and do my upper doors. Takes me about 10 minutes.
 
I will do it like that @UPJOHN. Should I lay it out in the sun for awhile? Or will that make any difference? A ten minute installation would be great! I'm aslo thinking about putting the roll bar padding back on. Thanks for the advice & I will let you know how it goes.
 
I love how you can modify how the Jeep looks at any time. That's my favorite part about owning one.
 
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Also, when installing the rear side windows, I've found it's best to start with the windows in the door surrounds, then zip, and tuck the bottoms in last.
 
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To make it easier at the front & rear of the top, don't latch the front hooks all the way before inserting the rear corners. Just insert the latch hooks into their slots without latching them which leaves a little slack in the top, then insert the rear corners into the tub rail. Then you can latch the hooks.
 
Thanks @Jerry Bransford & @UPJOHN, your advice made the soft top placement easy peasy. I won't say it took me 10 minutes but I was careful to make sure everything was aligned correctly. 45 minutes there about & it seems to fit better than when I bought it.
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Took the hood bra off too, that has become a garage wall ornament for now. Once again, thanks for the input boys, it is greatly appreciated.