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Windshield seal pictures wanted

bp71k5

bp71k5

3/4 ton status
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I put my hardtop on today and ran into a snag I haven't been able to solve. I cannot get the top to slide forward enough so all the edges line up like they should.

I did install new door rubber and that's what appears to be preventing it from bolting up. In this picture, you can see the top pushed as far forward as I can get it. The gasket right above the wing window is what is preventing it from moving any farther.

My first question is whether the thickness of this new gasket looks the same as other people who still have the OEM gaskets?

hardtop gasket.jpg


As you can see, the problem is that the top needs to slide forward about 1/2" and that's about how thick the rubber gasket is.

I think I have two choices:
1. Shave material off the rubber gasket to let it slide further forward.
2. Somehow push the windshield frame forward enough for the top to slide forward.

My dilemma is that I've always had trouble with the door gaps not being right which leads me to believe the windshield frame is sagging backward too much. If this is true, the #2 solution would be the best but I have no idea how to get the windshield frame to move any farther forward than it is.

Open to any suggestions.

hardtop gasket.jpg
 
How is it lining up with the tub?

Same 1/2" out?

Is the top of the gasket screwed down tightly onto the windshield frame with those three screws?
 
Brian,

That's a weird one alright... the gap on your wind wing looks to be very tight at the top but seems to increase down towards the base of the windshield. If all the other gaps are right that would seem to indicate that the cowl/windsheild is layed-back a little bit.

Is the dimension problem in the vertical axis, or the horizontal axis? :dunno:

When you say you can't get the bolts in it sounds like maybe the holes don't line up between the brackets on the header and the hardtop (horizontal)

If that's the case, you could try the old trick I've used: Use a longer set of bolts to hold the windshield header brackets loosely in place, then bolt the hardtop to the brackets....use the longer windshield bolts to slowly draw the windshield forward into position tightening each bolt by one turn at a time to keep even pressure across the header.

There is a chance that the repro part is made with a harder (durometer) material and it's simply not compressing as easily as the factory rubber seal did. The trick MIGHT allow you to compress them to the correct dimension and create a more weathertight seal.

:thinking:


Hardtops....pleh! :D



:usaflag:
 
vtblazer said:
How is it lining up with the tub?

Same 1/2" out?

Is the top of the gasket screwed down tightly onto the windshield frame with those three screws?
Click to expand...

the rear quarters also indicate the hardtop should slide forward another 1/2". The gasket is screwed down very tight at those three screw locations, but they just kinda squish through the rubber in that area so they don't pullthe whole area in much.
 
Is the dimension problem in the vertical axis, or the horizontal axis?
Click to expand...

It's all in the horizontal axis. If I removed that fat rubber chunk with the three screws in it, everything would be fine except for the tight door gap you can see.

I may try shimming that #1 body mount even more and see if I can at least get the door gap to be better up at the top.
 
I have been contemplating putting more spacers in my body mount to help with the gap at the front of the wind window. I know you can get some movement just by pushing on the top of the window frame.

I don't have a hardtop anymore so not a problem I deal with. Good Luck!!
 
An interesting bit of info on the shims, I found you can get shims of the exact same size and hole diameter except that they are 1/4" instead of 1/8" thick. Simpson strong-tie makes them and are sold at Home Depot and probably others. They are usually in the framing section where they stock metal connectors for cement piers and wood framing. If you have to lift it more than 1/4", these seem to work pretty well if you want to avoid adding 2 separate shims (or more). I lifted mine over 1/2" on the drivers side already.
 
Is there a difference between the seal for a single wall top and a double wall?
 
I don't think there's a difference in the seals that go on the door perimeter, but most of the seals that actually attach to the hardtop are different between the two. I think the window rubber and rear hatch are the same though.
 
I think Greg may be right about the compression. On the outside they appear to be 1/2 - 3/4 think but are compressed down to 1/4.

P1010001s.JPG

P1010005s.JPG

P1010001s.JPG

P1010005s.JPG
 
From the pic, it looks like the interference is between that little filler block, in the top of the door, and the gasket? I don't recall my OE gasket having that weird section, mimicing the top of the wing.

How's the door gap, on the latch side? If the gap is bigger at the bottom, and the hinges are good, then maybe the whole cowl section is laying back?

I would try a high lift, braced against the step up, with a piece of 2x4, pushing on another 2x4, placed crosswise, above the radio.
 
Interesting update today. After comparing some measurements VTBlazer provided(thanks again), I found that the drivers side upper hinge bolts are about 1/4" too far back.

This means that the windshield frame is indeed tilting too far back and confirms my suspicions. Now I need to figure out a plan on what to do about it...
 
been gone for a bit

Hey Brian just saw the thread and checked my rig and the rubber is smashed flat really flat like 1/4" or less.

Have somebody watch the front gap while you push from behind, it could just be the ants F'n with ya!:laugh:
 
I've tried a variety of bar clamps and stuff to push it forward, but that rubber is very tough to squish.

I'm actually going to unbolt the front portion of the cage and experiment with the shims to see if I can understand why it's sagging. I may have to drill out some welds and do some modifications to the rocker.
 
Brian,

If you're happy with your door gaps and other clearances, why not just modify the weatherstrip piece to make it thinner?

:usaflag:
 
I'm happy with the passenger side but not the drivers side. The wing window is still contacting the windshield frame once in a while.
 
Have any more pics you could post of the door opening's and the gaps?

A good side shot showing the door relation with the tub?

Maybe you've already tried to pull the firewall forward but for a temporary easy 'pull' I've used an everyday ratchet strap and found it to work pretty good.
 
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