Unusual hardtop fitment?

[bedhed]

Saw this a few days ago and I couldn't make sense of it. Anyone know why the top would be sitting as far forward onto the windshield as it is?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

doesn't look abnormal to me, but I have a light bar across the front so I don't see mine much.

 

[Hog]

Looks about right to me also

 

[bedhed]

Hm. Weird. I think that's the first one I've seen that fit like that. Mine and others I've seen sit about 1/4 -1/2" back from the front edge of the windshield header seal.

 

[Ante_Up]

Curious myself since mine sits exactly like the one pictured

 

[mrblaine]

Curious myself since mine sits exactly like the one pictured

That is the correct fitment.

 

[OHFIVETJ]

...........back to my beer, i was thinking about possibilities for the missing piece to the puzzle, then i clicked on the post & i found out there is no puzzle, thought i drank too much - looks good to me, how many did you have ?

 

[bedhed]

Well damn. So the top should be resting on the edge of the seal like that?' I've never not had a leaky hardtop, so this topic always has me curious.

Of all the quirky things with Jeeps, the hardtops drive me nuts the most.

So, here's a close-up of that top, in the first post.

And here's a picture of mine, along with two others.

 

[Ante_Up]

That is strange... Mine doesn't leak either. Going to trust what mrblaine says though

 

[bedhed]

The only way I know of to get mine to fit like that would be to lean the windshield back further. Can't go any further forward with the top.

 

[Imapepper]

2 different gaskets

 

[jjvw]

2 different gaskets

That's what I see.

 

[WallyWest]

In the first pic, look at the point where the windshield frame, door frame, and top all meet. If those corners all line up with each other and looks reasonably symmetrical, you're all good.

 

[bedhed]

2 different gaskets

That's what I see.

Ah! I see what you two are talking about. The gasket on the blue Jeep doesn't stick out as far, but the tops on all of them are nearly flush with the windshield frame.

Good eye!

 

[bedhed]

In the first pic, look at the point where the windshield frame, door frame, and top all meet. If those corners all line up with each other and looks reasonably symmetrical, you're all good.

I'd eyeballed that area myself. The one in the first pic sits further forward than the other three. That probably isn't helping matters, but I believe they are right with the small seal idea.

 

[taylormade73]

Well damn. So the top should be resting on the edge of the seal like that?' I've never not had a leaky hardtop, so this topic always has me curious.

Of all the quirky things with Jeeps, the hardtops drive me nuts the most.

So, here's a close-up of that top, in the first post.
View attachment 145752
View attachment 145755

And here's a picture of mine, along with two others.
View attachment 145751
View attachment 145747
View attachment 145750

It's nice to see my pics being used for good.

 

[bedhed]

It's nice to see my pics being used for good.

Man, I saved every one you sent! They definitely have been.

 

[alittleoff]

Low profile for a quicker ET.

 

[OHFIVETJ]

does it leak ?

 

[mrblaine]

That is strange... Mine doesn't leak either. Going to trust what mrblaine says though

As noted, gaskets vary. How it fits relative to the gasket is not what is important. The windshield frame, doors, and hard top are all adjustable. You want them to seal and not look wholly terrible. Front of window frame roughly parallel to windshield frame as long as that doesn't produce a gap elsewhere that leaks. Hardtop forward or back to get the front edge to seal at gasket and not produce too large of a gap at the back of the door. Then that has to be checked to make sure that doesn't interrupt the lift gate seal at the top of the tailgate. Parallel across top of door to hard top as long as that doesn't screw up the door fit in the opening in the tub.

There is not a "this fits this way or its wrong" on most of the crap on a TJ. The whole mess has to be adjusted and made to work.