Recently bought a '74 Jimmy. Have put about a month into getting it more road-ready. Finally think it is ready to go, beautiful day out, wanted to take off the top, but took out all OBVIOUS scres/bolts/nuts. Then, after breaking her loose, realized there are apparently two more up underneath at the very rear. I have tried unscrewing, but bolt spins. It appears that maybe the fiberglass top has a removable piece at each rear corner that may allow me to get into the top of the bolt and hold it still, but cannot wuite figure out how. And do not want to break it trying! Let me know if I am right about this, and if so, how to get those bolts out, or the fiberglass inserts out or something. Thanks a lot!
CK5
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1974 Jimmy Top Removal?
- Thread starter jmshawii
- Start date
dang its been a long time on this one for me, I believe there are two bolts at the rear most that come up from the bottom. My 73 top had never been off when I got it, I ditched those last two bolts I think, I hope someone has a better answer than me.
Do you still have the side panels on the rear
Do you still have the side panels on the rear
Never Satisfied
1/2 ton status
Yes, there are two bolts that come up from the bottom (one each side). About a month ago, I took the top off my '75 Jimmy for the first time and I had to use a dremel and cut those back two off. The nut inside the top was spinning and would not loosen. It was the only solution I could see.
Thanks-and side panels?
Thanks for confirming that there are bolts back there that come up from the bottom. I believe this top has never been off either, and I also believe that the nuts inside the top are indeed spinning, which is my problem. SO, are they literally an internal part of the top that are supposed to stay stationary but may have broken loose inside the top? Or is there some removable part of the rear of the top that allows me to get to the top nut and hold it secure?
And I am not sure what the SIDE PANELS that I was asked about-are there interior panels that mount to the top that come loose for the removal? This one looks PRETTY one-piece, but it does appear that the rear corners have some small piece on each side that is not built into the top, and thus may snap free and allow for access to the rear bolts/nuts?
Thanks again for your help, guys!
Thanks for confirming that there are bolts back there that come up from the bottom. I believe this top has never been off either, and I also believe that the nuts inside the top are indeed spinning, which is my problem. SO, are they literally an internal part of the top that are supposed to stay stationary but may have broken loose inside the top? Or is there some removable part of the rear of the top that allows me to get to the top nut and hold it secure?
And I am not sure what the SIDE PANELS that I was asked about-are there interior panels that mount to the top that come loose for the removal? This one looks PRETTY one-piece, but it does appear that the rear corners have some small piece on each side that is not built into the top, and thus may snap free and allow for access to the rear bolts/nuts?
Thanks again for your help, guys!
The side panels he is refering to are the ones that screw into the interior bedside. Just function to cover up the metal and make it look better pretty much.
Side Panels
Thanks, Dabomb. Do not have those-sides are bare metal. Think I will try to prop up the top a bit and get a sawzall blade in there and cut those bolts. Just hate the idea of those loose nuts rattling around inside the top. Enough rattles on this old beast anyway!
Thanks, Dabomb. Do not have those-sides are bare metal. Think I will try to prop up the top a bit and get a sawzall blade in there and cut those bolts. Just hate the idea of those loose nuts rattling around inside the top. Enough rattles on this old beast anyway!
Ya my jimmys PO had the side panels coverd with some camo cloths along with the bottom panels on the doors. They looked alright exept for the pass. side were the gas line cover has rusted thru and the water had started rotting the side panel cardboard. So its bare metal now lol and i gues the po also took or broke those back bolts because mine didnt have them the first time we took it off.
perhaps you could get a dremel in from the bottom side and cut the head off those bolts. Then you could lift the top out and cut the bolt head down without worrying about jacking up your top or the bed rails. After you cut that bolt, I say flip the top upside-down and fill up the hole with caulk or glue or something so that those nuts don't rattle around in there.
if you look under the bedrail you will see the "caged nuts" that the topper is bolted down thru into... you'll see em spin if you watch while you ratchet.. alot of the time you can recrush the cage, or grap the nut itself with some visegrips.... and yeah, each bedrail has 1 bolt toward the back that comes up from the bottom into the back corner of the topper...
blaznjon
1/2 ton status
sounds kinda strange to me.My 73 and 76 have guide pins in the back corners.For lineing the top up with the bed sides.There tapered and have nuts under the rail.picture a smaller and more taperd version of the pins that line your tranny with your block.my 88 has bolts in the back corners that go up threw the bed rail and screw into the top.to put the half top from a newer lets say 88 blazer on my 76 i had to take the guide pins off because they hit the threaded inserts from the newer top.
some times it seems like the top binds on the guide pins on the 73 and you have to wiggle it up.I left the pins because alot of the time I take the top off my self useing straps hooked to the beams in the garage.
some times it seems like the top binds on the guide pins on the 73 and you have to wiggle it up.I left the pins because alot of the time I take the top off my self useing straps hooked to the beams in the garage.
perhaps I'm mistaken, but aren't those the bolts the original poster is saying are just spinning? I'll have to look again.
I've had both a '75 and (my current) '73 and never remembered any bolts coming up into the rear from the underside. If I did deal with them (and just don't remember), I only dealt with them once for each truck. The topside bolts are plenty enough to hold down that top.
