BestTop latch issue

[I_have_spoken]

My passenger side latch was sticking pretty bad and I was also having water come in on the front passenger side because the top wasn’t fitting correctly over the seal across the front windshield. Even after a week in the sun it wasn’t any better. I ended up adjusting passenger side by removing the screw from where it held together the plastic and metal tube that runs to the front and then tapping a spot in the plastic with the screw to hold the new position. Attached picture as it’s easier to see it than explain it. I don’t have after pictures but here are the before pictures on how far off the passenger side was vs the drivers.

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[ATLBronco75]

I've had mine for several months and will list a few tips:

1. Every strut I found that had a gap I unscrewed and reseated it correctly.
2. As mentioned pull down on the top with the hand cutout next to the latch. It will also loosen up a lot over time and by time I mean about a month.
3. The rear window is finicky. Make sure the same amount of piping is sticking out both sides at the top and that the bottom rail is centered on the window before trying to lock it down.
4. Getting the rear bar in the pictured female slots is a pain almost every time but it is absolutely essential.
5. Even though I felt it was quieter than the stock soft top I added foam padding to my bars under the Velcro tunnels and it stopped almost all flapping.
6. If you have twill spray it off regularly. I let some pollen/sap sit on mine for too long and it's a pain to get off because of the twill texture.
7. Lastly, if your top is very hard to close you likely overtightened the pivot points in the side struts. I had to loosen mine and it got much easier.

 

[Co1063]

just a quick note on my experience with the sunrider on a 2 door. i could not get the latches to work very well no matter how much i pulled down or how long it sat in the sun. i finally removed the plastic trim pieces that cover the bracket that the latches grab onto and now the latches work very well.

 

[CyberOrangeBadlands]

Pic of female end - both sides

Also the plastic does scratch easily and is subject to deformation if not stored to limit any issues - but even when mine looked like crap, a few hours in the sun made them look pretty good again. Having said that, I bought a second set of side windows and rear window that I’ve stored away for a rainy day- I think $800 for all three. Right now I have mine laying flat on a bench in garage layered between some beach towels

Thanks for posting. Was able to join male/female but it’s still not sitting right. Getting closer but the tubing where it meets the window is off . . .

 

[BroncocnorB]

Thanks for posting. Was able to join male/female but it’s still not sitting right. Getting closer but the tubing where it meets the window is off . . .

Dude that’s weird. Maybe a dumb observation but make sure the tailgate is open before you put in the back window….it should sit cleanly with bottom section of rear window overlapping the tailgate. Otherwise frankly your roof was installed incorrectly

 

[CyberOrangeBadlands]

Dude that’s weird. Maybe a dumb observation but make sure the tailgate is open before you put in the back window….it should sit cleanly with bottom section of rear window overlapping the tailgate. Otherwise frankly your roof was installed incorrectly

Tailgate was open when i installed the back window.

The right side almost reached the tailgate door . .

Has to be something wrong with the top of the rear window being to high up and not reaching the tailgate snugly.

 

[WhiskeyCity]

Dude that’s weird. Maybe a dumb observation but make sure the tailgate is open before you put in the back window….it should sit cleanly with bottom section of rear window overlapping the tailgate. Otherwise frankly your roof was installed incorrectly

I just walked out to my rig and it looks just like ^this. I installed it myself back in Feb. Something's not fitting correctly on CyberOrangeBadlands' top.

Also, when the top is cold, it's hard to latch/unlatch. When everything's warmed up, it's easy peasey.

 

[Ksjrb03]

I've had mine for several months and will list a few tips:

1. Every strut I found that had a gap I unscrewed and reseated it correctly.
2. As mentioned pull down on the top with the hand cutout next to the latch. It will also loosen up a lot over time and by time I mean about a month.
3. The rear window is finicky. Make sure the same amount of piping is sticking out both sides at the top and that the bottom rail is centered on the window before trying to lock it down.
4. Getting the rear bar in the pictured female slots is a pain almost every time but it is absolutely essential.
5. Even though I felt it was quieter than the stock soft top I added foam padding to my bars under the Velcro tunnels and it stopped almost all flapping.
6. If you have twill spray it off regularly. I let some pollen/sap sit on mine for too long and it's a pain to get off because of the twill texture.
7. Lastly, if your top is very hard to close you likely overtightened the pivot points in the side struts. I had to loosen mine and it got much easier.

Couple question on these tips.

1. I assume your talking about the point on the circled picture in post #16? You removed the screw and made the metal part sit flush? I have several points that look like that picture.
5. What type of foam padding? I used some window weatherstripping with a sticky side, but it flies off when the top is open. I put it across the whole bar though as my flapping comes from the corners where the bend is. You put it where the velcro flap is only?
7. By close do you mean latch, or you talking about closing from the sunrider position. I can latch mine fine, but opening and closing is tough. I was thinking the opposite, maybe mine are too loose (but I did tighten shit out them when installed). When i grab the bars on drivers side, Im fighting the passenger side to open, passenger side lags behind kind of in a bind, doesnt open evenly if that makes sense.

 

[ATLBronco75]

Couple question on these tips.

1. I assume your talking about the point on the circled picture in post #16? You removed the screw and made the metal part sit flush? I have several points that look like that picture.
5. What type of foam padding? I used some window weatherstripping with a sticky side, but it flies off when the top is open. I put it across the whole bar though as my flapping comes from the corners where the bend is. You put it where the velcro flap is only?
7. By close do you mean latch, or you talking about closing from the sunrider position. I can latch mine fine, but opening and closing is tough. I was thinking the opposite, maybe mine are too loose (but I did tighten shit out them when installed). When i grab the bars on drivers side, Im fighting the passenger side to open, passenger side lags behind kind of in a bind, doesnt open evenly if that makes sense.

1. Yes. I fully seated all of my parts before installing.

5. I used this: https://www.mcmaster.com/2029N13/
Slit it and covered every bar so it was tight under the velcro.

7. I'm talking about flipping it forward and back. I initially had my pivots too tight (the plastic was deforming) and they were binding. I still have the twisting problem from side to side but I get around that by standing in the back seat floor area and flipping both sides at once. This also helps me tuck the top fold back so it doesn't hang over the back seat head area.

 

[Ksjrb03]

1. Yes. I fully seated all of my parts before installing.

5. I used this: https://www.mcmaster.com/2029N13/
Slit it and covered every bar so it was tight under the velcro.

7. I'm talking about flipping it forward and back. I initially had my pivots too tight (the plastic was deforming) and they were binding. I still have the twisting problem from side to side but I get around that by standing in the back seat floor area and flipping both sides at once. This also helps me tuck the top fold back so it doesn't hang over the back seat head area.

Awesome thanks. That pipe insulation will definitely do the trick. Didn't realize it was available in such a thin wall.

 

[BroncocnorB]

Thanks for posting. Was able to join male/female but it’s still not sitting right. Getting closer but the tubing where it meets the window is off . . .

Looks to me that the left side is not installed or seated properly.. seeing some lift in that pic. Suggest you check it out next warm day. Thankfully that’s everyday here in sunny Clearwater

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