- First Name
- David
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2023
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 226
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Vehicle(s)
- BadManSquatch
- Your Bronco Model
- Badlands
- Thread starter
- #1
DIY crossbar for making the front 2 hardtop panels more secure without the clamshell.
I shared my project on another post and got some requests for more on how I made it. Please excuse my many poorly executed attempts at metalworking. I’m no fabricator. My mission was to use the tools and brackets I already had in my garage, simple bolt together supplies from Home Depot, and nondestructive/efficient install using existing bolts and mounting points on the bronco. The end result is low costsolid as a rock. Here goes…
The main piece is 1” punched squared tubing joined with 1.25” tube using bolts, nuts, and washers. The 1.25” tube was strictly used to add length, and I had to cut it shorter. So, if you can get 1” tubing long enough to stretch across, then you’ll save some work and a potential weak point that mine has. I made sure it’s solid though, no rattling or bending from the device at all. Also note that the clamps and rubber bumpers (more on these below) on the panels fit perfectly snug, latched around the 1” tube. Anything thicker won’t work, and anything smaller defeats the purpose of securing the panels tightly. The total length of the tube is 49".
Trial and error was the name of the game for the L-brackets. I started with 1” wide by 4” long brackets and trimmed as needed. Make sure they’re thick enough to keep from bending easily. I mounted them to the bronco using the factory bolts securing the clamshell hardtop and the next bolt over holding the clamshell mounting plate (total of 2 factory bolts on each side). I made the holes in the brackets big enough so there was enough play to shift them left, right, forward, and back as needed. My execution here is awful. One of these days I’ll replace the brackets using current ones as a template.
The top of the tubing should sit 1.5” from the top of the hardtop mounting plate (I’m referring to the black plate secured to the roll bar right above the window). Front to back, the center of the tube is 1.25” from the first bolt hole on the mounting plate. Of course if you do what I did and use 1.25” tubing as an extension on one end, these measurements should to be tweaked on that side. The tubing needs to be at just the right placement so that the rubber bumpers on the panels do their job. Those rubber bumpers are already attached to the panels. They're asymmetrical on the back side and work best if you position the tube in a way so the longer part of the bumpers sort of drape over the back of the 1" tubing when latched. The images below should help.
I won’t go over the assembly of the whole thing, but I just used bolts, nuts, and washers. I hope someone else tries this project out and shares his/her results. I’m sure they’ll be cleaner than mine. With that said, I plan on adding a coat of black paint and some end caps to finish it off. I look forward to feedback, suggestions, and advice!
For removal, when I’m ready to put the hardtop clamshell back on, I just remove the 4 factory bolts and lift the whole thing off (tubing and brackets stay together). It goes quickly since I’m using the same mounting points for the clamshell.
Thanks!
David
p.s. many people run the front two panels without issue. My tops look unaligned without the crossbar and I wanted more mounting points for a partition between the front and back seats. More to come on that.
I shared my project on another post and got some requests for more on how I made it. Please excuse my many poorly executed attempts at metalworking. I’m no fabricator. My mission was to use the tools and brackets I already had in my garage, simple bolt together supplies from Home Depot, and nondestructive/efficient install using existing bolts and mounting points on the bronco. The end result is low costsolid as a rock. Here goes…
The main piece is 1” punched squared tubing joined with 1.25” tube using bolts, nuts, and washers. The 1.25” tube was strictly used to add length, and I had to cut it shorter. So, if you can get 1” tubing long enough to stretch across, then you’ll save some work and a potential weak point that mine has. I made sure it’s solid though, no rattling or bending from the device at all. Also note that the clamps and rubber bumpers (more on these below) on the panels fit perfectly snug, latched around the 1” tube. Anything thicker won’t work, and anything smaller defeats the purpose of securing the panels tightly. The total length of the tube is 49".
Trial and error was the name of the game for the L-brackets. I started with 1” wide by 4” long brackets and trimmed as needed. Make sure they’re thick enough to keep from bending easily. I mounted them to the bronco using the factory bolts securing the clamshell hardtop and the next bolt over holding the clamshell mounting plate (total of 2 factory bolts on each side). I made the holes in the brackets big enough so there was enough play to shift them left, right, forward, and back as needed. My execution here is awful. One of these days I’ll replace the brackets using current ones as a template.
The top of the tubing should sit 1.5” from the top of the hardtop mounting plate (I’m referring to the black plate secured to the roll bar right above the window). Front to back, the center of the tube is 1.25” from the first bolt hole on the mounting plate. Of course if you do what I did and use 1.25” tubing as an extension on one end, these measurements should to be tweaked on that side. The tubing needs to be at just the right placement so that the rubber bumpers on the panels do their job. Those rubber bumpers are already attached to the panels. They're asymmetrical on the back side and work best if you position the tube in a way so the longer part of the bumpers sort of drape over the back of the 1" tubing when latched. The images below should help.
I won’t go over the assembly of the whole thing, but I just used bolts, nuts, and washers. I hope someone else tries this project out and shares his/her results. I’m sure they’ll be cleaner than mine. With that said, I plan on adding a coat of black paint and some end caps to finish it off. I look forward to feedback, suggestions, and advice!
For removal, when I’m ready to put the hardtop clamshell back on, I just remove the 4 factory bolts and lift the whole thing off (tubing and brackets stay together). It goes quickly since I’m using the same mounting points for the clamshell.
Thanks!
David
p.s. many people run the front two panels without issue. My tops look unaligned without the crossbar and I wanted more mounting points for a partition between the front and back seats. More to come on that.
Sponsored
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Great looking broncos by the way.
