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Soft-Top Latch… Hard to Snap Shut?

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BaseSquatch

BaseSquatch

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My driver side is super hard to latch shut. I finally figured out that instead of trying to push it closed with all my might, it closes much easier by sort of just tapping it a few times. I also hold it down from the outside to help too.
Yes! I’m having the same exact issue! I was sure that it was user error but feel much better now. The driver side takes a good whack with the hand to latch. After a few times it’s getting better.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with the same issue. I’ve found that holding the top down from the outside on the “hard to latch” side can help. Sometimes I re-close the top again entirely, and that seems to help as well. I noticed the “easier to latch side” had more grease. But I doubt that’s the fix.

Have either of you removed your soft top entirely, and reinstalled it? I wonder if it’s an alignment issue…

I had my dealer look at it today, and they agreed that it was difficult to latch on one side. They had the service department report it as feedback in the Ford “Oasis”application. Maybe I’ll hear something from Ford soon. If not, maybe we can brainstorm a temporary solution here. Either way, it’s not a dealbreaker, and my top still works. I’m just happy to have my Bronco!
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My only experience is with the WT that my dealer has. Took it for a test drive and pulled over to close the top while I was running around with it. Both were hard to latch. I found that grabbing the spot right in the center of the front header and pulling straight down helped. This would compress the seals between the header and top of windshield. Both latches then only required modest effort to close.
 
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My drivers side latch is difficult as well but I’ve found that if I lift up that corner and back down it latches fairly easy. I then fasten the passenger side.
 

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My driver latch was really tight at 1st but after working it a few times it has loosened up and is fine..

don’t get me started on how damn hard it was to put the soft top windows back in…

anyone have any “tricks” for this or is this process going to loosen up over time?
 

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My driver latch was really tight at 1st but after working it a few times it has loosened up and is fine..

don’t get me started on how damn hard it was to put the soft top windows back in…

anyone have any “tricks” for this or is this process going to loosen up over time?
I’ve had my top off 5-8 times now and after shredding my fingers a bit I’ve learned to snap in the closest buckles to the pillar and use your inside the back of the cab hand to help keep it as high as possible when marrying to the Velcro if that makes any sense. It’s getting easier every time.
edit: down only not off completely yet @BaseSquatch
 
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The first time we put our top down and back up again we had trouble securing the front passenger latch. We then noticed that the mid point latch above the b-pillar on the passenger side wasn't engaged. Gave it a little tug to secure it into place and the front latch lined up and closed as intended.

All those having trouble latching the front make sure the mid latch is secured on both sides.
 

BroncoJay

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I’ve had my top off 5-8 times now and after shredding my fingers a bit I’ve learned to snap in the closest buckles to the pillar and use your inside the back of the cab hand to help keep it as high as possible when marrying to the Velcro if that makes any sense. It’s getting easier every time.
edit: down only not off completely yet @BaseSquatch
I really haven’t had any trouble with the Velcro or the clips, it’s getting the lip of the soft top windows started in the channel of the soft top itself and moving them through the channel into place. It was extremely tight trying to move them through the channel… like stupid tight..
 

Cbiggs

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I really haven’t had any trouble with the Velcro or the clips, it’s getting the lip of the soft top windows started in the channel of the soft top itself and moving them through the channel into place. It was extremely tight trying to move them through the channel… like stupid tight..
💯 agreed!
 

xiLLeNtz

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Mine was SUPER difficult at first. I still remember the first night I drove home, in the middle of no where I was freezing so I pulled over and tried to close the soft top for the first time. I got extremely frustrated because it was cold, dark, and I couldn’t for the life of me close the latch properly. Passenger side NO PROBLEM. I remember saying F’ it and driving home with it not done properly and continued with my frustration once I got to my driveway.

As @Boris_the_Crawler said, holding it down from the outside sometimes helps. But after having the top open every day after a week or two, the overall process has become a bit easier? As if it needed to be broken in? But it’s still a tad bit tougher than the passenger side for me.
 

Tadel001

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My driver side is harder than the passenger (which is easy). My fix is to pull down on the hard plastic ledge near the latch and close. That seems to close the gap enough to make it easy.
 

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I've been having the issue where if the roof lock (lever you push to move the top from half-open to all the way back) is engaged the roof will not fall into place when closing. However, I if release the lock and then close the roof all the way it will fall into place and latch.

It's like that small bit of tension with the lock engaged is causing the driver-side of the soft top to be misaligned.
 

rutherk1

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Maybe stop at the gym? I joke.

In all seriousness, my wife has a hard time with it. We figured out that if you snap the passenger side shut first, the driver side latch is way easier. Maybe give that a try?
 

DarienJim

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Just got my 4 door soft top. First two times I closed it no issues. But last night and again today I have tried multiple times. Same issue: driver side latches easily, driver side will not budge.
 

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Just got my 4 door soft top. First two times I closed it no issues. But last night and again today I have tried multiple times. Same issue: driver side latches easily, driver side will not budge.
Give it a good whack with the underside/base of your palm. gotta be the boss of it a few times. It will get easier.
 

DarienJim

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I took mine last night to the Ford dealer and he did a quick 5 minute adjustment and now it works...he did not say what the adjustment was.
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