So you have the door surrounds in and the top attached to them? The top fits into the surrounds pulling it back some also. Temperature or not, I don’t see you stretching that material 2-3”. Meaning there’s a step that you’re missing.
I don't even have door surrounds in. I didn't have them. The soft top this is replacing didn't need them. I have a new oem set coming.
If I'm only supposed to be an inch or so off because of cold. You're right. Something is wrong. But I suspect it's not the install or cold as much as it is the top. But we'll see. I still haven't tried any of these steps with a heat gun.
With everything done from front to back (not like I have it now. But doing from front to back. Like I did the first time. I did front to back second time too. I just switched between zippers closed and open.), all the zips done, you have a 2 inch gap at the front bottom of one window. IT will go in the slot on that one window about half way and then the second half won't go in. Or you can put the window down in the slot on the bottom with the window unzipped. But then you have the same gap in the window zipper. And to try to close that gap with the zipper caused me to pull off one zipper pull. Something was going to rip. So I stopped.
Done the textbook way (meaning front to back) the passenger side looks like this. Pretty much perfect. With the exception of the surround missing:
But at about where this pic ends on the left. It won't go into the slot on the bottom on the other side - the drivers side. You end up with a big gap there in the front half - bottom of the window. ABout 2 inches at the front end where it meets the door.
So like I said. You can either make up the gap in the zipper, in the slot at the bottom or inside with the bows. AFter trying to do it with the zipper and the bottom slots. I am now going to attempt to do it with the bows. As the zipper felt like it was breaking. And the plastic trim would not go into the slot at the bottom no matter how hard you pulled down on the top. You'd have to attach something alot heavier than a bowling ball to the bottom of the top to get it to go in the slot. But with 2 inches to make up - it would probably tare before it stretched down that far.
Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow. And I can try all ways again with a heat gun and heat inside.
First I'll leave it how it is, heat it up good, and try to get the bows to push up into position. There pretty close now. As you can see in that one pic. It's only a couple inches from sliding back into the velcro fasteners. And the far back bow is fairly close to extending up in the rearward position where it holds everything in the back up. Then if that doesn't work with some coaxing. I'll take it out of the header. Redo the header and try the conventional way. But with as much heat as I can get on it.
I suspect not only is it the cold. (And it's not that cold. My first attempt was in the low 60's). But that these tops are just poorly fitted. Thus the $182 sale. That and I have an early TJ. With an odd header. That may be contributing to the problem as well. I don't really know who made my bows either. That may be contributing too.
As mrblaine said (and he helped the original designer.) the original designer lost out contractually on the ability to address fitment issues. They are now made in China according to Rampages tech support. And they don't have that much control over fitment. And that's the answer I got direct from Rampages tech support. "We have those made for us. So we don't always know what the fitment is.". Or words to that effect.
But again, not trying to blame my install skills on them. It could just be heat. And a different way of putting it on. We'll see tomorrow. Or on the next not rainy day.
