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Soft top install photo request

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by spud, Jan 6, 2010.

  1. spud

    spud Nope..it's not finished!

    I am about to put my new soft top on my '75 with the fiberglass tub. I would like to see how other folks installed the one piece doors. Specifically the lower pivot. I feel like I should drill a large hole and put a steel bushing in to keep the rotating action of the door from damaging the fiberglass. Has anyone here been through this? I actually thought about ordering new doors that use the strap hinges top and bottom but my doors are brand new and it just does'nt make good $$$ sense. What say you????

    A few pics would be awesome. TIA
     
    spud, Jan 6, 2010
    #1
  2. Davidleontruett

    Davidleontruett Member

    my soft top has the little nothing hinges that stick out off the jeep. i also have a 75/fiberglass. i just used 1/4 inch carraige bolts and washer/lockwasher/nut on the back side, the doors dont weigh anything, and i think the washers x4 cover enough surface area to keep the door from messing up the fiberglass.

    If it turns out i need more support i would take a thin piece of metal, put it in the gap on the back side of the fiberglass and bolt the hinges through both the fiberglass and the metal. IMO it should more than take care of the problem.
    Hope this helps
     
    Davidleontruett, Jan 6, 2010
    #2
  3. lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    My glass tub was used when I installed it. The PO had drilled holes and dropped the door post in. Of course, holes were wallowed out, door didn't fit right. I had no bushings available but I had some sheet brass, so I made a bottom plate below the hole for the door rod to pivot on. A bushing fitted to a hole should be good IMHO. If you can then access the lip from below, might then want to glass around the bushing once installed(hidden under the lip) for stability of the bushing.
     
    lynn, Jan 6, 2010
    #3
  4. lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Here's a pic of what I had on the '71. The hole was wallowed and busted out. I formed the sheet brass as the bottom and side for the hole, then screwed it into place. Jury-rigged for sure, but it worked...

    [​IMG]

    Here was how I mounted my TigerTop door latch. The tub lip was thin here, and the lip eventually weakened and cracked. I used some long narrow strap steel to sandwich the glass lip, reinforcing and spreading the load over a long stretch of the lip.
    Maybe you have a better quality tub than the old used one I had. ;)

    [​IMG]
     
    lynn, Jan 6, 2010
    #4
  5. Davidleontruett

    Davidleontruett Member

    Sorry, i see now that you have different hinges than i have.
     
    Davidleontruett, Jan 6, 2010
    #5
  6. spud

    spud Nope..it's not finished!


    Lynn, my 4WDH tub is well made. It is solid where the hole should be. No access to the bottom of a hole as you mention. This is good and why I thought a bushing of some type would work well. I just wanted some reinforcement from the group before I start making the dust fly.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2010
    spud, Jan 6, 2010
    #6
  7. lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Pics when yer done... :)
     
    lynn, Jan 6, 2010
    #7
  8. spud

    spud Nope..it's not finished!

    OK..........:rofl:
     
    spud, Jan 6, 2010
    #8
  9. crash

    crash Member

    My fiberglass doors have 5/15 bolts with nuts that have a plate on the back and a threaded bushing that fitsd all the way through the door. If you keep them tight, they don't wallow out. They came with the Grizzly top made in the 80's but there is a similar nut sold for woodworkers that would do the same thing.
     
    crash, Jan 7, 2010
    #9
  10. lynn

    lynn Time machine / Early CJ5 HR Rep Staff Member

    Can you find a pic of this type of nut to post?
     
    lynn, Jan 7, 2010
    #10
  11. crash

    crash Member

    crash, Jan 7, 2010
    #11