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Is my soft top for a smaller wrangler?

3K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Airtight 
#1 ·
I recently got my jeep. I took the side windows off the soft top to pull the top down and after putting the window back on I realized that they would not reach the door surround. When I put it in door surround first, the zipper on top does not match up. Then I looked at the original pictures of my jeep from when I bought it and sure enough they were short of the surround as well. Both sides are like this.

Also my soft top roof is on sooooo tight i can't get the drip rail retainer off the top of the door lol. I mean i should be able to flip out the drip rail retainer but it's on too tight and it almost feels like it's about to break. Here is a pic of what I mean.



I guess my question is, Is my soft top for a smaller wrangler? or did it just shrink?

03 TJ Wrangler SE

Thanks :)
 
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#2 ·
It looks like the correct window to me. What I like to do is slide the two pieces that go into the door surround and the piece that goes into the tubs rail on the bottom of the windows first. Then I pull the window really tightly towards the back of the jeep. Next, I pick the window up and attach it to the Velcro and then attach the zipper and zip it up.
How cold is it where you're at? The tops material will get more stretchy in the heat so try leaving it out in the sun, and if there's no sun then just try leaving it in the garage over night.
 
#7 ·
There is nothing to stretch to get it in the surround. Look on youtube for putting TJ top up/down. Lots of instruction available but like said above, you put it in first.

- Stick window on losely by the top rear corner at a slight angle.
- Put the front top edge of the window into the surround channel.
- Get the zipper started about an inch or two.
- Pull the rear off the velcro off a rotate the window down and fully into the surround
- Run the zipper around
- Bend the tabs under the tub rail
 
#11 ·
As said before, always insert into the front lip of the door surround before you zip. I place the window on the velcro to the back to hold it in place and zip like 1 inch. Then insert it into the front door surround, then zip the rest of the way. Then do the bottom edge. They can be tight at first, how cold is it there? Don't be afraid to use some muscle.
 
#12 ·
After a few attempts, it still seems to short to put on. I took some pics. When slipping the window in the door surround and pulling it tight toward the back end valcro the the zipper does not match up. I'm guessing this top is not for my jeep. Also there is a tag on the soft top not sure what it means but it looks like a year. Also on the back window there is a date as well, manufacture date?





 
#15 ·
X2 my smittybilt uppers fit like crap and don't even have the bends in them for the door surround.
 
#16 ·
It might have been put on wrong for so long that the window has shrunk a little. I would try some heat from a hair dryer and 2 people trying to stretch it out enough to fit again. If you can get it back on it should eventually get back into the right size.
 
#18 ·
What happens when you zip only the top horizontal part of the zipper and then fit the spline into the door surround? From there, finish zipping the rear vertical section and then fit the lower spline. That's how I do it, but I have a stock Mopar top.
 
#19 ·
Man, that just doesn't look right, mine is way closer than that and is still tight as crap to put in. His zipper is way off. OP, does the frame and hardware look ok and not damaged? Is the top wrapped around over the header in the front and then underneath and screwed in? How tight is the actual top itself? I know you said you can hardly get the drip rails out, but I mean front to rear tightness. I'm starting to think that the problem may not be with the windows, but getting the actual top pulled forward. Anyone have any thoughts about that?
 
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