sixb
1/2 ton status
Run a soft top with a pickup tailgate, that's what I'm gonna do.
CK5
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77K5. The IronMaiden...9/2 headed for Blazer Bash 20!
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I think I will try the heat and come along to pull those sides in above the plates that connect to the box sides. If need be, pie slice cut the bars above the plates then reposition and weld.
By the look of your new pictures I think you are going to need to cut the bars off at the front and move them in aswell.
yeah, I didn't realize they had those bends at the front kicking em out.. I thought they ran straight into that node.... I'd trial fit, find any offending points and try the heat bend if feasable.... looks like even if that works, that front bend will still be kinda tight...
I don`t think the top will ever go on over those front bars.
They should be cut back and made straght like the ones inside the cab.
They could be cut back and welded back together.
That shouldn`t be that bad to fix now.
They should be cut back and made straght like the ones inside the cab.
They could be cut back and welded back together.
That shouldn`t be that bad to fix now.
Opps sorry! I type to slow.
Hopefully it fits with you just having to adjust the back half.
(EDIT) You aren`t going to be able to slide the top on the box rails with the bars in the front like that.
You will have to put it on by lifting it above the truck and then lowering it down.
That will be a PITA, with your truck sitting so high,plus you dont have the clearence in your garage to make a lift system to get it on.
Sorry if I`m just going on....just thinking out loud.
Good luck!!
Hopefully it fits with you just having to adjust the back half.
(EDIT) You aren`t going to be able to slide the top on the box rails with the bars in the front like that.
You will have to put it on by lifting it above the truck and then lowering it down.
That will be a PITA, with your truck sitting so high,plus you dont have the clearence in your garage to make a lift system to get it on.
Sorry if I`m just going on....just thinking out loud.
Good luck!!
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I'm going to try a test fit on the truck with the cage as is....to see exactly what needs to be done to get the hardtop to work. If I need to build an overhead mechanism to drop it on from the top, I'm ok with that, or even build a rack in the yard to store it on, I'm ok with that, I just want the option of it being usable for whatever conditions warrant it.
It may be possible with the front bars as is, either by dropping it on from above, or getting one side of the top over the bar then shifting it to the other side to get over that bar. I'll just have to play with it when I get some muscle at my house to check a few options out.
It may be possible with the front bars as is, either by dropping it on from above, or getting one side of the top over the bar then shifting it to the other side to get over that bar. I'll just have to play with it when I get some muscle at my house to check a few options out.
If you put enough weight on top of it I am sure it will slide down over the cage...
Nice Heath, If you look at these pics consider the top of the hardtop is about 4.5" higher than this bar, and that the top flares out as it goes down toward the box.
I think simply by lifting it up a few inches the wider base would go down over the bar without much problem, and again if measurements are close there should be an inch or so clearance at the point of where the bar flares out, and the inside of the hardtop.
I think simply by lifting it up a few inches the wider base would go down over the bar without much problem, and again if measurements are close there should be an inch or so clearance at the point of where the bar flares out, and the inside of the hardtop.
I think if you set it on top of the cage, then build a ramp, and jump the harley up there so it lands on the hardtop, it will push the hardtop over the cage. Then you can just ride the Harley back off and you are done.
On a more serious note, it looks like it is possible it MIGHT fit if you set it down from above. Or just get a soft top so it's easy to put on and off as you wish.
I'll stop with the destructive comments now, I am sure it probably isn't very funny for you right now. But you'll make it work, I have confidence in you Dave.
On a more serious note, it looks like it is possible it MIGHT fit if you set it down from above. Or just get a soft top so it's easy to put on and off as you wish.
I'll stop with the destructive comments now, I am sure it probably isn't very funny for you right now. But you'll make it work, I have confidence in you Dave.
No biggie Heath, I get your humor. And yeah something will get worked out.
I was PO'd at myself for not thinking of fitting the hardtop on the truck while making the bars up, and then looking at the bars and it not coming to mind that the top had to go on over them....anyhow, alot going on that Saturday, that it just got overlooked, but it looks like hopefully a minor setback.
So I thought noboby made a soft top for these anymore????
I was PO'd at myself for not thinking of fitting the hardtop on the truck while making the bars up, and then looking at the bars and it not coming to mind that the top had to go on over them....anyhow, alot going on that Saturday, that it just got overlooked, but it looks like hopefully a minor setback.
So I thought noboby made a soft top for these anymore????
Afaik, SoftTopper is the only maker right now and their product is ~$750.
To me it looks like the hard top would fit. The top does have a lip the width of the spot where it touches the cab but it's not that thick from end to end. Iirc, the wall of the top is only about 1"~1.5" thick.
To me it looks like the hard top would fit. The top does have a lip the width of the spot where it touches the cab but it's not that thick from end to end. Iirc, the wall of the top is only about 1"~1.5" thick.
I think the hardtop will too John....
Softtop would be pretty cool too. So if people are ditching these hardtops for nothing anybody got a spare close by to get rid of?
Got another option that came to mind.
Softtop would be pretty cool too. So if people are ditching these hardtops for nothing anybody got a spare close by to get rid of?
Got another option that came to mind.
You can have mine for nothing man. Its got the couple cracks in it but If you want It ill give it to you.
Cool man. I just gotta figure out how to get my window down so I can get the new topper on and start using my tailgate. Got a couple 10" subs installed in a box today and it would have been so much nicer to wire it in without having to crawl around the seats. Freekin box was heavy lol.
How about notching the top where the tubes are that way it will slide. I have a top with no windows if you want to try it.
Okay so this is pretty much my mistake. Dangit 
So the easy solution as I see it is to temporarily weld on a bar just above where it is tied into the body.
Cut the crossbar at the C pillar out.
Get a ratchet strap. Ratchet the top bars where it is too wide in. Making sure your ratchet strap is out of the way to fit the new bar and out of the way to weld it in.
Ratchet together.
You will be amazed at how much this will move it in.
Cut new C pillar crossbar and weld in.
I pretty much forgot Dave was ever going to run a top so I never test fitted it.
So the easy solution as I see it is to temporarily weld on a bar just above where it is tied into the body.
Cut the crossbar at the C pillar out.
Get a ratchet strap. Ratchet the top bars where it is too wide in. Making sure your ratchet strap is out of the way to fit the new bar and out of the way to weld it in.
Ratchet together.
You will be amazed at how much this will move it in.
Cut new C pillar crossbar and weld in.
I pretty much forgot Dave was ever going to run a top so I never test fitted it.
Appreciate the comments DUDES..LOL,
here's where I'm at today.
Thankfully my rough measurements I was taking aren't as bad as I first thought.
My buddy and I got the top on the thing today...what a biatch that was.
But we had it hanging from the rafters and backed the truck in under it to measure, and it was seeming like it might be able to not touch the window glass so we lowered it all the way to the bedsides.
The sides of the top are pushed out maybe a 1/4 inch on each side, because the bar hits the window frame, but I think by taking that top spredder bar out, and taking an inch out of it, and pulliing the C pillar bars in it will be good, I'm going to try for about 1/2 inch of clearance between the window frame and the bar.
Fits great at the front, about 1" of clearance around the bar with the top setting in position up there, not a big deal to get the top over the bars up there.
I think with these superduty seats, I have about 2" of clearance between the top and my noggin'
here's where I'm at today.
Thankfully my rough measurements I was taking aren't as bad as I first thought.
My buddy and I got the top on the thing today...what a biatch that was.
But we had it hanging from the rafters and backed the truck in under it to measure, and it was seeming like it might be able to not touch the window glass so we lowered it all the way to the bedsides.
The sides of the top are pushed out maybe a 1/4 inch on each side, because the bar hits the window frame, but I think by taking that top spredder bar out, and taking an inch out of it, and pulliing the C pillar bars in it will be good, I'm going to try for about 1/2 inch of clearance between the window frame and the bar.
Fits great at the front, about 1" of clearance around the bar with the top setting in position up there, not a big deal to get the top over the bars up there.
I think with these superduty seats, I have about 2" of clearance between the top and my noggin'
