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Alternative for mounting a soft top to the cab?

Richcz28

Richcz28

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I just picked up a used soft top. I can't in good conscience drill the holes to mount it onto the cab. Has anyone modified their soft top so it works without those brackets? I'm going to lay it out in a few and see what I can come up with. No idea of brand or make, it is well seasoned, but the price seemed right. Hopefully it will spend its life crashing into things anyways.
 
The top is by specialty top co out of Denver Colorado just uncovered the sticker.
 
pmpski_1 said:
Drill it.
Click to expand...
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Or make up a frame that utilizes the factory bolt holes. The soft top can mount to the frame.
 
K85 Octane said:
Or make up a frame that utilizes the factory bolt holes. The soft top can mount to the frame.
Click to expand...


Hmm, how come my local HD didn't have that model? :)

With the STC, if it's like the one I have, you'll need to drill holes for the snaps on the tailgate. I think this is one of the advantages of the newer softoppers - they have some sort of velcro mounting system for the rear.

On mine, it's so tight that some of the snaps have popped out of the top. I don't even bother trying to stretch the top to reach the snaps unless it's been sitting in the sun for a while. I just zip the sides.

This is a problem. Now, I can back the rear up under the overhang on my garage and it's covered. But if I'm driving around and it starts to rain (it does that here), I have to pray that I don't get leaks. In warmer weather it won't be a big deal, but right now it's a pain.
 
hahah says the man from Seattle
nice info btw

For the rear, and it would bring on the suck, you could put a bar from bedrail to bedrail and have the snaps attach to it. Meaning it would go across in front of the tailgate, kinda in the way though. Or use some aluminum angle (L shape) and put screws into the backside of the tailgate. The snaps on on the aluminum piece. That way no holes are visible if you toss the soft top.
 
Thanks guys

For the tailgate I am planning on grabbing a pickup one and drilling that when I find it. I always feel like I'm going to break my glass loading into the bed. I will probably leave the window out until then. I am most concerned with the cab. I will attempt to make something this weekend hoPefully if I have time to work on it. I was hoping to steal someone else's bright idea.
 
Man I need some of those paint on overalls.
 
Let me check to see how mine attaches to the cab - it was installed by the PO, so I'm not positive if it's drilled or not. I believe there is a frame of some sort but I can't be sure. I'll check tonight after work.

Good call on the tailgate. I want to do the same thing since the soft top is always on and the glass never comes up anyway.
 
At the moment I'm thinking (well there are thoughts) in my head of not using the cab brackets at all and cutting a mounting section out of a thick sheet of plywood in the shape of the front of the hard top essentially. I would seal the gaps with a stick on foam I am imagining existing at home depot stuck to the plywood. Then I would use a roll of tin screwed into the plywood at a 90 and cut to size that will serve as the new lip for the top easily forming the curve. Pictures may help explain later? I'm tying to think of something with a less aggressive edge than tin. I suppose I could try to dull it with some rubbing stone.
 
Mine has an aluminum frame that goes around the lip that the top rests on. There are screws attaching the frame to the cab. There are snaps on the frame, and the top snaps to them. Make sense?
 
So it uses the factory screws? It isn't drilled into the cab?
 
I believe it's drilled into the cab, but it makes sense if it uses the factory mounting points. I haven't removed the top yet, only rolled it up 'safari style'. I will take a pic tonight.
 
make a strip to bolt on inlace of the half top. then add the snapps to it. if need be spend a few bucks and have a shop cut it down and sew up the end and redo the snaps on the top and be done with it.
 
Here's a couple pics. Sorry I took so long, we've just had the first two really nice days of the year (finally over 70 degrees!) and we've been out enjoying them.

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IMG_2876.JPG
 
Thanks for the picks, my mounting setup was originally a little different. I made my new mounts for the cab. Here are a few picks of the progress. Still have some painting to do, and some slight modifications to the rest of the top, but so far so good.054.JPG

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those are screw heads along the metal edge as opposed to snaps. The wood has a foam seal stuck on each side. One between the metal, and one between the rubber seal. I also have a seal for the forward facing part. My top works by folding the plastic lip under the metal. As soon as I get a chance I'll get the side brackets painted and on and have the soft top on for real.
 
i picked up a soft top last year that would require drilling the screws into the cab. something i don't like either. i'm planning on putting rails down the side of the bed like pmpskis set up. what i'd like to do for the cab is mount some awning track around the perimeter utilizing the factory holes. then i'd have a local sail maker cut back the leading edge of the top and sew a bead in the leading edge to run in the track.

i think i'll try to notch some aluminum track w/ a flange or use some flexible track.

something like here
http://search.sailrite.com/?refineT... Shades^subCategoryName~Track & Roller Shades
 
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