Water leaks with hardtop (door seal being pinched)

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https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/pictures-of-03-06-hard-top.29699/
The saga continues.

For anyone interested and/or any onlookers for the years to come, I'm slowly narrowing this problem down.

I finally got out with it and took some measurements. I've also come across maybe 4-5 others complaining of this problem. The most interesting one was from forum post made in 2007, with a nearly new TJ that he took back to the dealership for the problem. The consensus from all replies with "fixes" that have worked for some to fix the seal pinching problem, was to make adjustments to the doors.

My issue with gaps between the tops of the doors and hardtop is looking better, but still needs work. As for the seal, that's another story. As you can see in the last picture, the seal is still being pinched badly, but I don't have much room to go forward with the door. If I remember right, my door is now maxed out on the hinges with the distance that it can be moved forward, and it can't go much further forward due to the seal between the door and the windshield.

 

[bedhed]

After adjustments.

 

[Chris]

See, when I look at those photos, I don't see anything wrong. The gaps don't look abnormal to me in any way, but then again, I suppose I would have to compare them to the other side.

 

[bedhed]

See, when I look at those photos, I don't see anything wrong. The gaps don't look abnormal to me in any way, but then again, I suppose I would have to compare them to the other side.

They are looking better, no doubt. The comparison between my previous gaps and those in the pictures from @taylormade73 show the massive gaps I had before. Those are in the thread that I linked here. But yeah, now they look more normal, yet my driver's side seal is still being pinched. That part is now confusing me the most.

 

[Chris]

They are looking better, no doubt. The comparison between my previous gaps and those in the pictures from @taylormade73 show the massive gaps I had before. Those are in the thread that I linked here. But yeah, now they look more normal, yet my driver's side seal is still being pinched. That part is now confusing me the most.

Okay I need to go back and look then, because now they definitely look good.

Could the deal being pinched have anything to do with the door striker plate being adjusted too far in, thus causing the door to close much tighter than it needs to be?

 

[bedhed]

Okay I need to go back and look then, because now they definitely look good.

Could the deal being pinched have anything to do with the door striker plate being adjusted too far in, thus causing the door to close much tighter than it needs to be?

I like your thinking with that. That's not it though. I'll grab some pictures and send them in a few. Speaking of the striker, to get my door to hardtop seal looking more like his, I'd need to raise the door another 1/16th to 1/8th, but I've now maxed my striker pin/plate up as far as it'll go. Although, that little bit may not be too detrimental (I think).

 

[Chris]

I like your thinking with that. That's not it though. I'll grab some pictures and send them in a few. Speaking of the striker, to get my door to hardtop seal looking more like his, I'd need to raise the door another 1/16th to 1/8th, but I've now maxed my striker pin/plate up as far as it'll go. Although, that little bit may not be too detrimental (I think).

And I wonder why all of this is happening? My only guess is an accident that wasn't repaired correctly.

 

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And I wonder why all of this is happening? My only guess is an accident that wasn't repaired correctly.

Well, I did wonder the same. I do know that there was front-end damage before I bought it. I feel pretty sure some of it just has to be from the repair work done. But, there wasn't anything done with the doors, only the front fenders, and when I loosened the hinges on both doors, the area that was hidden beneath the hinges looked all original. The primer and paint has an assembly line look to it. Another thing that has me wondering about another culprit is the old forum posts that I found. Those guys basically had brand new TJs at the time, but they were dealing with the same pinching problem. So that makes it sound like some came off the line with shotty door alignment, maybe.

 

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Here's the pictures that I said I'd send. The passenger side isn't like this. Same as other guys have said. The majority said it happens on their driver side. Very few said the passenger side.

Edit:
Here is a little better picture of the pinched seal.

 

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Well, I ordered a new windshield header seal and got it on. The hardtop's right side clamp now pulls down tightly. Oddly enough, now it's tighter than the left side.

This passenger side gap is driving me nuts. I have no idea why it is the way that it is. Yet, the door's body lines are centered up with the others.

 

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A thought crossed my mind last night. Not a good one neither. I was thinking this through and thought that the only thing that couldn't possibly be throwing this spacing off is the windshield.
So, this morning I grabbed the measuring tape and took a look. Measuring and shaking my head is as far as I've gotten, so far. I guess I'll be spending some time figuring out the "why" later.

If anyone is even reading any of this, feel free to toss me some ideas on how this could be, and how I can fix it (without breaking out a torch and welder).

 

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Okay, so the last measurements weren't spot on. No problem there. Anyway, the mystery is solved.

I have just found the disappointing culprit. I've just measured from the bottom of the doors to the top. It turns out that the reason I have a ridiculous gap on the passenger side is because of a shotty door. No idea who is to blame for that, and knowing wouldn't help matters.

Driver's side: 40.375"
Passenger's side: 40.25"

 

[taylormade73]

40 5/16" both sides

 

[bedhed]

40 5/16" both sides

View attachment 133124

View attachment 133125

Thanks again. These pictures have helped. That's a bit weird that yours are 1/16th different from my "good" door, but that is easier for me to accept. For door dimensions anyway.

I checked the passenger door to see if there was any markings from Chrysler, and sure enough, there it was.

As bizarre as it would be for someone to have cut the door frame to do any repair during it's original owner's time, that possibility still crossed my mind. I've looked and I haven't seen any signs of that anywhere on the door. This dang thing rolled off the showroom floor like that, apparently.