Tips for a tight soft top?

lovemachine

lovemachine

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I bought a new soft top the other day. Bestop Supertop NX Twill.

It's been a crap week, the temp high is only 70°, and suppose to rain the rest of the week. So I took off work early to get started today.

I got everything on, minus the tail gate retainer bar, and the windows. I currently have the rear corners hooked to the tub. But I cannot get the front windshield hooks on. This thing is very tight.

I'm assuming that it's because the temp wasn't hot enough. But I HAVE to get this on tomorrow, we'll have rain for the rest of the week.

My plan is to ride my bicycle to work, and leave my jeep outside all day and let it sit out in the sun. I hope it'll stretch or loosen the fabric.

Does anyone have any tips that'll make this easier?
 
I was forced to put my on in 60 degree weather. I put a space heater into the cab as low as possible (both temp and position). By low in temp I mean I was just trying to get it to be 80 or so inside. Seemed to work, but was still a PITA.
 
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billiebob said:
Not sure but I think you start securing the fabric at the windshield. And the rear corners are last.
Click to expand...

The instructions said to secure the rear corners first. But I can try doing them last.

Gerund said:
I was forced to put my on in 60 degree weather. I put a space heater into the cab as low as possible (both temp and position). By low in temp I mean I was just trying to get it to be 80 or so inside. Seemed to work, but was still a PITA.
Click to expand...

Hmm I didn't think about that. I do have a small electric space heater I could try.
 
Push on the bow at the back, above the back window and have someone latch down the front as you do this. Also, make sure you spread the latches open (hard to explain this w/o am image) so that the bottom half can reach and catch into the windshield frame hole.


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You have to warm it up, especially when new. My frameless top has been on and off a few times now and I still need to lay it in the sun to get it to go.
 
lovemachine said:
The instructions said to secure the rear corners first. But I can try doing them last.
Click to expand...
I can never figure out why they put that in the instructions. Latching the windshield clamps first, then pulling down on the rear bow to secure the rear corners last has always worked better than the other way around.
 
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I had a time putting mine on the first time as well. My solution was to hook latches in front and hang side and rear windows in . That started Jeep and ran heat on high for about 10 min. After top warmed it went a lot easier .


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I hook the front clamps to the header but don't cinch down the clamps. I then go attach the rear corners pulling on the rear frame bar and pushing the bottom of the rear corners into the tub lip. Once the corners are in, I'll go back up front and cinch down the clamps.
 
I usually put the front window latch clamp hook in the hole of the windshield.
Then attach the rear (pushing bow down if required).
Then - I pull the latch down on the windshield to complete it.

With a few other trips I do to do side things, it's a lot of "extra" walking...but works better.
Kind of like the idea of torquing wheel lug nuts in a star pattern incrementally.
 
Sunder said:
I usually put the front window latch clamp hook in the hole of the windshield.
Then attach the rear (pushing bow down if required).
Then - I pull the latch down on the windshield to complete it.
Click to expand...
That's exactly how I do mine, I can't believe Bestop still says to insert the rear corners first. That is just plain wrong to do it in that order.
 
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