Kayline/STC Owners Please Help!

[fireplug]

Hi guys, I bought a used Kayline Snap Top without instructions and have some questions after my install.

First from the pic you can see that the top where it mounts to the cab, has a gap between the sheet metal and where the vinyl starts is this correct? The previous owner had it installed this way but I was thinking it might be a better fit to have the screws that hold the snaps onto the aluminum go right through into the sheet metal bringing the vinyl closer to the sheet metal.

Second question; the previous owner had the cab mounting aluminum mounted so that the two sides did not meet up in the center (at the top of the roof line) and that area was filled in with a separate small section of aluminum to mount a single snap onto. In my pics that small section is not in place. Is this factory design?

Third question; along the bed rail at the tailgate there is a snap (one on each side) that doesn't seem to snap to either the bed rail nor the tailgate. Is this supposed to snap to the tailgate? I realize the fit is terrible back there I have only mounted the rails with two screws to allow further adjustment.

Fourth question; should there be a way to attach the fabric top to the front bow like there is the rear? Without a way basically when it is down do you just separate the top and fold it up out of the way?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks a lot!

 

[73k5blazer]

I had a '73, so I can't answer no1. No idea what your talking about in no2. I remember having a misc. snap at the rear (my top is long gone..i'm building a new truck...havn't got a new top yet..old one was trashed), but not a giant void like you show. No4, I don't think there was, but again mine was a bit different ebinga '73.

Sorry, not much help. But perhaps these will be. You know they have all the instruction sheets on their website, right?

http://www.specialtytopco.com/instsheets.html

 

[tRustyK5]

Been a few years, But I recall the strip of aluminum at the half cab touching in the middle. I also recall setting it up so the vinyl came up against the back of the cab (instead of the gap).

That one snap at the back corner I put a snap in the bedside to make it fit the best it could...

HTH.

Rene

 

[FWP]

#1, the fabric should meet the cab, no gap
#2, The aluminum should meet at the top
#3, A screw in snap goes into the bedside, in the corner radius (in your picture, about 30* down, and lower than the aluminum angle.
#4 I'm not sure what you mean.

HTH

 

[bluehen]

I have the Fasttrac design, but the same principles apply. I did not leave a gap between the top and the cab. I also did not leave a gap between the two Al pieces of track. My idea being that it would just cause a possibilty of a leak. The gaps on mine are down to the side of the cab just above the rail.

 

[fireplug]

Thanks everyone! Great help from all of you. I'm going to go and fine tune right now.

A special thanks to 73k5blazer, I am an idiot and didn't think to check for instuctions on their site.

Only one question was left unanswered, even by the instructions. Should the front bow be attached to the vinyl top somehow like it is in the rear? The rear is obvious because it has a sleeve of fabric and snaps, but maybe something simpler like straps that have since ripped off?

Thanks again everyone.

 

[djsblaze]

I bought a new Snap top from Offroad Design, but its still sitting in my garage til Im done with paint work. Glad to see this thread in case I run into any problems...thanks in advance, so to speak...

 

[tRustyK5]

I don't recall the front bow being attached to anything. All it really does is keep the top from sagging.

Rene

 

[bam bam k5]

the top doesn't attacth to the front bow. just went out and looked at mine. it just rest over the top.

 

[fireplug]

Thanks again guys. I didn't end up 'fine tuning' as the temperature was a little cold today so I'll get to it next week.

Reading the instructions you get the impression that the installation is complicated and must be 100% to work. Obviously you want to do it right, but the PO had screwed up quite a bit. The cab aluminum was assembled backwards (left to right), and flush with the bed rails when it should have been up an inch. The bed rail aluminum should have run right to the cab instead they were about an inch towards the back.

Despite these screw ups it is a tight fit with no leaks so far. Pretty resilient design. I'll probably end up fixing the mistakes though.