Getting Hard Top back on. (1 Viewer)

[85fr16]

I lifted the top on my 83 up a little to staighten out the weathersriping and I cant get the drivers side post back down all the way.
I only lifted it up an inch or 2 and now it seems like it is hitting on something in the door pillar about an inch from going all the way down, the passenger side is fine. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[CruiserStuff]

There's a bolt that tightens down onto the hardtop post that is located on the tub portion of the truck just inside the door frame (for the passenger's side, between the door opening and the cover for the gas separator....on the driver's side just above where your jack is located)....

 

[lukebz]

make sure that bolt is removed entirely before setting the top back down. it may just be hitting the bolt..easy fix if thats the case

 

[85fr16]

The bolts are both out, in fact I stuck a small screw driver in just to see if I could feel anything and nothing seems to be there.

 

[gmarshall7]

try lifting or wobbling the right back corner in case its in a bind.

everything clear across the windshield and doors?

 

[85fr16]

Tried that too and checked the windshield also, I think I am going to lift it up enough to look down in the door pillar and see if something is in there.

 

[shelfboy1]

top has to be straight to drop down there is another hole down their.try lifting up on the back to get it even and it should drop .if your alone dont get your fingers under it or it will hurt good luck

 

[alkarich]

I think shelfboy has the right idea. If you can lift the top the 1-2" evenly all around it should drop back in. Sounds like it is binding. You'll obviously need to get some friends over for this.

 

[JONNYFJ]

top has to be straight to drop down there is another hole down their.try lifting up on the back to get it even and it should drop .if your alone dont get your fingers under it or it will hurt good luck

LOL this is the trick on mine I had to get in the middle of the top us my back to lift (be very careful) while a buddy guided it into the holes.... I found that it is a real pain in the @$$ to remove and put back on so for now I leave mine on

 

[ducktapeguy]

If it's like the 75's There's another sheet metal baffle further down in the door pillar about 1" above the bottom of the post. That might have gotten bent out of shape while putting the top back down so now the post won't go through. I had to pull the whole top off and use a section of 1" pipe (I used a jack handle) to open up the hole again before my top would seat right.

 

[Greg1190]

For what its worth, I had to use ratchet nylon straps wrapped around the top portion of my 40. I had to tighten and loosen until I had everything square. This helped with aligning everything up. I also had to put a come along tied to a fence to put pressure on the top. I had to put everything on by myself. Maybe your 40 is not square. My was involved in a lil accident, this threw everything off alignment.

 

[85fr16]

It sounds like the lower hole is the problem, because it is about an inch from going down. I only lifted it up a little to get the weatherstiping straight, the PO had taken the top off at one time, I can gaurentee I will never take it off once I get it back on.
Thanks for all the ideas guys.

 

[85fr16]

I ended up ulling the top off all the way and it lloks like the hole down in the door pillar is bent a little, how would a guy go about straighting it out? I tried to put a pry bar down in there and did not have much luck. What a pain in the a**.

 

[ducktapeguy]

I had to pull the whole top off and use a section of 1" pipe (I used a jack handle) to open up the hole again before my top would seat right.

Stick a piece of pipe down the door pillar and roll it around, it should straighten it out and open it up

 

[albee]

Cut an inch off the post.
good luck

 

[hedonist]

pull it! its march anyway.

 

[85fr16]

I got it back on!
I had to make a sort of dent puller out of some ready rod and stick it down in and hook the edge of the hole and pull it up, once I figured out what to do it did'nt take very long.
Thanks for all the advice everyone.

 

[mcwinery]

Thanks for the post. I am sure others someday will read this and save much time, by your experience.

george