IAG EZ-Lift Soft Top Assist

[IAG Performance]

So I have the originals installed, went through the paint scratches and installed the modified parts (all good, IAG did solid with all that). Both sides are making a clicking/tapping sound in both the up or down position whenever I go over bumps. It's driving me nuts.

Anyone else have that?

We rode around with one of our guys in the trunk to attempt to pinpoint some of these noises and try to figure out where they are coming from. When we drove around, neither our struts nor the factory Ford struts actually made any noise or moved while driving. We found the two biggest sources of noise were the latches for the trunk access and the plastic window clips rattling at the top. But even this wasn't consistent and reliable duplicated. We have seen a number of customers report back that after adjusting the mounts that are secured by the 6 large bolts behind the access panels in the trunk as well as adjusting some of the latches themselves, most noises have been resolved.

There are so many variables that you are dealing with on a folding convertible top. Multiple contact parts, flimsy components, and even the ambient conditions can have an effect. From dust to humidity to cold and every other weather event, road conditions, tires, etc are all going to change what you hear, the noise it makes, and the frequency at which it makes noise.

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[Dave_1978]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Can you send a picture to [email protected] for us to take a look?

Its the screw that holds the OEM strap and soft top bracket together.

 

[StixHunt]

The struts can be installed in either direction, but we have them installed with the "thin end" facing down just to help alleviate any potential rubbing issues. We haven't experienced any rubbing at all with the new upper brackets, but this is just an extra precaution.

It is going to take some additional force to close the top above what you used to experience, due to the force of the strut that helps close the top. We find that the little bit of additional force far outweighs the fight the top gives you going into the closed position without them. I would request that you take a picture of the lower framework of your top, located at the spot I pictured below. There are two versions of the soft top that Ford released, an early version and a late version. We have found that the early versions do seem to be a bit harder, and we are currently looking into why that is.

Thanks for clarifying on the strut position, that makes sense. The picture you tried to attach doesn’t work. Regardless, I’m sure I have the late version of the lower framework as my Bronco was just produced last month. I’m going to live with it as is for now and hope that it gets better with use. Thanks

 

[IAG Performance]

Its the screw that holds the OEM strap and soft top bracket together.

That is a normal amount of thread engagement. No issues at all.

 

[RClark82]

@IAG Performance I just installed my new brackets from the rubbing issue. With the new position my struts no longer lift the soft top on their own. The top does stays up once lifted though. Is this normal?

Also was there ever any resolution to the clicking noises

 

[IAG Performance]

@IAG Performance I just installed my new brackets from the rubbing issue. With the new position my struts no longer lift the soft top on their own. The top does stays up once lifted though. Is this normal?

Also was there ever any resolution to the clicking noises

This is not normal. We haven't really run across this so I'd like to help diagnose. Please shoot some pictures of how you have the system installed over to [email protected] and we will get to the bottom of this with you!

 

[StixHunt]

Update: Just got off the phone with IAG support and requested a return for my kit. My wife was out with the top down and windows out this morning and got caught in the rain. She called and said she couldn’t get the windows back in. I ran up to where she was to help. The top buckles on the rear window now won’t reach with the top closed or in the first position. The only way to get the rear window to buckle is to move the top all the way back. Once I got the rear window in the side windows wouldn’t latch in at the back into the rear window slot. It took everything I had to get the side windows to engage and pull in. It felt like I was going to break something, which I had never experienced when installing our windows.

It’s obvious that something isn’t right. It’s seems like the lift assist is putting way too much upward pressure on the rear of the top and throwing everything out of alignment. Only change since last time we put the windows in was the IAG lift assist. So, I pulled the IAG struts off and reinstalled the windows. Everything seems to be lining up and working as it should now.

I appreciate the work IAG has done with this kit and it seems well designed. I’m just wondering if Ford making small adjustments to the soft top system is creating these various issues that are coming up. My Bronco was built early last month so maybe something else has changed on the design of the top? Either way I’ve spent too much time messing with the kit to get it to work.

 

[Raptor72]

YES.

Since installing the new brackets, I’ve also noticed the velcro lining on the top corners of the rear panel no longer line up, no matter how hard I stretch it…so there’s some exposed velcro on both sides now. Just curious if @IAG Performance has heard about it yet?

I also have this......

 

[CKXVII]

We have experienced this since getting our Bronco from the dealership, prior to installing our EZ-Lift system. The top has always wanted to ride up a bit in the back and no amount of pulling can make the velcro line up perfectly. It doesn't help that the velcro on the top is stitched to another piece of fabric that is loose on the top so even if you could get the velcro lined up perfect, it's still going to pull up some and leave it a bit exposed.

That may be your experience, but you shouldn’t approach the issue as if it’s the soft top’s fault.

My Bronco didn’t start showing the issue until I installed the EZ Lift w/ upgraded brackets. The audible sounds also started immediately after installing the EZ Lift. Maybe it’s not a universal issue, but there’s many people on this forum that have reported these issues.

Out of concern for my soft top’s longevity and having met my tolerance w/ the noises, I stopped procrastinating & uninstalled the EZ Lift this afternoon. Poof, problems solved! So pointing the finger at the soft top should no longer be an acceptable response; these issues are clearly unintended consequences of the EZ Lift.

However, we can certainly blame Ford for giving us a crappy prop stick to begin with.

 

[RClark82]

This is not normal. We haven't really run across this so I'd like to help diagnose. Please shoot some pictures of how you have the system installed over to [email protected] and we will get to the bottom of this with you!

Email sent with photos

 

[Dave_1978]

That is a normal amount of thread engagement. No issues at all.

Kk, other than that I'm happy. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Jmor]

I had a little over a month of getting soft top gremlins out, but as of a few days ago, it's totally perfect and loving it. Made some bracket alignment adjustments myself. Dealer rivet reinforced back window tabs.

im having softop issues as well, wind noise allignment, do u have any link to the adjustment u made, what rivet did the dealer do a repair.

 

[Jmor]

Functionally the new struts are the same. The biggest considerations for the change was packaging, ease of installation, and availability. Rest assured they perform the same task in the same manner!

when did the struts change? I may have the old ones.

 

[HorizonHunter]

im having softop issues as well, wind noise allignment, do u have any link to the adjustment u made, what rivet did the dealer do a repair.

There's 4 (I think) tabs on each side of the rear window that attach the fabric to the plastic D-pillar. Known weak spot, and mine was defective, so dealer replaced with rivets following Ford's TSB.

As far as soft top adjustments, mine were all related to latching issues, not wind noise. I adjusted everywhere that the upper rail latch made contact. Some were to far apart to catch, and some were too loose. Sweet spot was pretty easy to find.

 

[Jmor]

There's 4 (I think) tabs on each side of the rear window that attach the fabric to the plastic D-pillar. Known weak spot, and mine was defective, so dealer replaced with rivets following Ford's TSB.

As far as soft top adjustments, mine were all related to latching issues, not wind noise. I adjusted everywhere that the upper rail latch made contact. Some were to far apart to catch, and some were too loose. Sweet spot was pretty easy to find.

Thanks, mine also has drivers latch issue as well, I think all related to install and allaignment issues, combining to cause the air noise and latching issues

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