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Soft Top Removal Help

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llamuh

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hopefully I'm putting this thread in the correct place..

I recently got an 09 Wrangler 2 door with half doors (soft upper, metal lower). It started to warm up a little this week so I decided to make use of the Sunrider feature and even considered just taking the whole top down. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble getting the top to flip back from the top of the windshield. I've watched numerous how-to videos but none of their Jeeps look exactly like mine, I assume due to the half doors. Basically, I unlatch the front by the windshield, slide the plastic sleeves on each arm forward, press in the clips on the top of the door frame, and then try to lift the top up to fold it back. The top lifts up maybe a couple of inches and then won't budge. It appears that there is a strip of plastic stitched into the top which slides over a plastic piece along the top of the door frame. I cannot get this strip to easily slide off of the door frame and am afraid that I will break something if I force it more than I already have. When I lift up, it acts as if it wants to take the entire door frame with it.

I've attached some pics to give you a better idea of what I'm talking about. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

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#4 ·
There is a certain procedure when removing/lowering and when raising or attaching the soft top and I've actually been meaning to write and document the whole thing at my blog.. But as Daggo said make sure that the sides are not attached or set in place along the door surround. That's the last step.. Also make sure that the side windows are not on.. that's the third to the last step..

Lets start at the beginning (if your top is down or off).


  • Assuming your top has been completely off the jeep.. I guess your aware of the two side brackets that hold the tubing or hardware onto the roll cage which intern supports the soft top when it's up. This must be installed correctly as well.
  • Assuming you top has just been down and your wanting to flip it back up, Leave the side windows off and do not tuck or zip up the rear window. In other words.. Once you flip the top forward, thats when you connect/latch hook the 2 forward window hooks. But before actually clamping them down, just make sure they are hooked on both sides.
  • You may need to leave the door open to access the window latch area. Move the sun shade/blinders away from the latch area also.
  • Latch both sides, While standing on the out side of your jeep's door area, force the top down at the latch point then firmly latch from the inside. Repeat this step for both sides.
  • Return to the rear of the jeep and push down on the rear tubing/frame hardware and tuck in the side/corners.
  • Install the side windows, starting with the the very top corner nearest to the door. Line the zipper up while the velcro holds the other end of the window up. This step doesn't have to be perfect, just so the velcro holds the window in place until you align the zipper and your then able to zip the window shut.
  • Once the window is zipped/secure slightly pull the window's plastic fold and press into the surrounds channel. This channel is located right at the door frame upon closing the door.
  • Align the plastic lower window channel with the edge of the jeeps frame. Starting at the door surround.. Push down with the palm of your hand while moving towards the back of the window.
  • Once the channels are in place, secure the velcro at the rear of the window working your way back towards the door jam. Folding over the top and matching up the windows velcro.
  • Return to the rear of the jeep and zip up or down the rear window. if the window seems a bit stiff, one can use: bar of soap or sexwax (surfers wax) gently rub the soap/wax onto the zipper channel and not the fabric. Thou this will keep the fabric supple also.
  • Lastly; Return to the door area. Reach up through the cockpit and gently push the softop up a few times in random places along where the side molding will meet up with the door surround.
  • Gently pull the plastic side molding and flip under and into the door surrounds "lip" channel. Note: If this is a new top.. beware that some of the door channel may need to be cut away.. There is a slight "tab" located within the channel that prevents the soft top channel from fitting correctly (at least this holds true with our Bestop Bikini top)
That concludes the soft top re-installation technique 101. Thank you.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
That's a nice write-up. Unfortunately, my top is already up and I'm wanting to take it down (or to "sunrider" position). I still read through what you wrote to see if I could work through it in reverse. I believe the issue I'm having is with the lip at the top of the door frame which is mentioned in your last bullet. I cannot get the plastic piece which is stitched into the soft top to come out from under the lip in the door frame. I think if I push up on the top with a lot of force (way more than should be required) that I *may* could force the plastic strip out of the lip but I will probably break something in the process. I've seen videos of some TJs with soft doors where they simply pulled the plastic out from the lip one handed with no force required. My top is pulled far too tight for that to be possible in my situation. I have yet to see any videos or posts of a JK which has this same lip, again assuming because I have half doors.
 
#6 ·
If you take note of the last thing I said.. not to be rude.. but when you attempt to push the plastic channel down and into the door surround.. is the tops plastic channel distorted/deformed?.. this could indicate that there is a small notch/lip within the surrounds channel that need to be cut away. Also cold weather is a big factor with these tops.. and I found out the hard way attempting to put the bestop on when it was 50 degrees.. the fabric just will not flex or expand in cold weather. Could you lift up the top at the point where your having an issue and take a picture. Just wondering if that dreaded lip is there. Also, the half doors should not be an issues because the surrounds are all the same for that year jeep.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Not to be rude but it seems like you're missing the part about me wanting to take the top down, not up. The plastic channel is already pushed down into the door surround as is shown in the pictures I posted. I want to remove it from the door surround so that I can push the top up and back, however it refuses to come out. It was 75°F when I attempted it if that's warm enough..

This is what my jeep looks like in its current state with the top up.
Image
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
The thing is, this is not a new top. I would venture to say that this is the original top which it came with in 2009. I am not trying to replace the top. I simply want to take the top down. I'm not sure why cutting or retrofitting would be necessary to take down an original top which has been on the vehicle for almost 5 years now.
 
#11 ·
it appears that you no longer have the pull tabs that allwos you to gain a bit more leverage when removing the top.. We actually cut out pull tabs off. But try this.. take a screw drive and run is along/between the drip rail and plastic channel gently pulling outward. Mind you this should be done when the top is back down in the firm latched to relieve stress on those areas.
 
#12 ·
I think you just need to pull harder on the plastic piece that slides up under the channel on the drip rail. I know on mine I have to pull pretty damn hard.
 
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Discussion starter · #13 ·
Thanks for the tips. I had thought about pulling harder and even sliding something between to force the strip out but was concerned that I would tear the strip out of the soft top canvas. So, brute force it is. Thanks guys.
 
#14 ·
Where the plastic molding slides under the door surround, you should be able to slide your index finger behind the plastic. Once you do that, pinch it and roll your finger down and out. It should slide the edges out and then you can simply work your way across the door surround.

The jeep owners manual should have specific directions for taking the top down.

Good luck
 
#16 ·
Teeljoshua said:
I noticed someone said do not press clips above door for sunrider position, well I screwed up and did and now can not get my top latched to the front windshield. How do I fix this problems?
Click to expand...

I did the same thing the other day. With the doors open I stood in the door frame, had the sun rider top flipped open, so that you can see the little pin that pops in to the bracket for the clip.(does that make sense?) With one hand I pushed the top forward by the frame, and the other I pushed down ward so that the top went in to the clip.
 
#18 ·
Have someone push forward from the rear bar above the rear window. That should relieve some tension so you can get the front latched in. OR, unzip the rear window and un-do the rear corner flaps. That will also relieve tension. Clip the front in and then pull down on the rear bar to reattach the rear corner flaps.

As for going in to sunrider it should just fold back after unlatching the two windshield latches. Ours was a bit stiff at first, but now it's easy.
 
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