Fiberglass Top Shimmy

[JIMDINK]

When I test drove the Jimmy, I noticed that my top had a shimmy at the rear with the window down. After further investigation I noticed that the rivet in the weather strip channel has the head broke off, and the overlap area on the outside of the rear corners have small cracks. Would that rivet really be the only thing reinforcing the top?

Also the tail gate opening has spread enough that the gate does not latch on the passenger side. I tried to check the bedsides with a framing square but they didn't look too out of wack?

Need some advice...Thx

 

[muddybuddy]

Pictures will be really helpful here

 

[ZooMad75]

Tailgate not latching is not so much the bedsides moving as much as the tailgate being the issue. I’ve had the latches get sticky for sure and cause that. The other issue is the gates are prone to cracking at the top on either side and it splits down the edge. So much so on my old truck I’d have to push much harder on the right side to get it to latch. But it also made it hard for that side to release on that side too. I’d have to pull the latch with my left hand and smack the right side with my other hand to get the latch to release.

The top does a pretty good job keeping the bedsides from moving with it on. If the bedsides were way off the top wouldn’t fit right.

Take the caps off the top of the gate at the sides and look over the sheet metal right there.

 

[JIMDINK]

Pictures will be really helpful here

I'll post pics tonight

 

[imiceman44]

When I test drove the Jimmy, I noticed that my top had a shimmy at the rear with the window down. After further investigation I noticed that the rivet in the weather strip channel has the head broke off, and the overlap area on the outside of the rear corners have small cracks. Would that rivet really be the only thing reinforcing the top?

Also the tail gate opening has spread enough that the gate does not latch on the passenger side. I tried to check the bedsides with a framing square but they didn't look too out of wack?

Need some advice...Thx

I don't know if your bedside is leaning but my 73 did that.
I had to ratchet it back in and made a steel bracket that bolted to the bed rails to keep it from opening up off road.
When it happened the top was on and it cracked the corners of the top a little.

 

[JIMDINK]

Some pictures