Zippers

mud4feet

New member
OK, after 5 and a half years, my zippers are finally shot on my front windows. The windows are still in decent shape so I don't really want to shell out the $$$ for new skins. Has anyone ever tried an upholstery shop for replacing zippers?? Prices, advice???
 

Never done it, but I have heard people use boating shops for replacing the zippers too.
 
I have looked here in Salt Lake City for a shop that could to no avail, its the double zipper and the 90 degree turns.
 
I had to do this on my 99 when the zipper broke mid winter... 90 bucks a window is what they wanted to charge me, i had to do my driver side and rear.... so took out my carpet, bought a pair of gloves and waited out to save up for a top. Duct tape worked for about a day but just got rly annoying.
 

I am just trying to make it through the winter and I also did the duct tape thing and it sucked. I kept having to either remove and start over after a few days or just add to the tape mess. It also leaves sticky tape behind. I just had my my wife sew the window up a few minutes ago and it worked like a charm. In a few weeks I will be able to remove the whole top for about 8 or 9 months. She sewed it up in like 15 min. by hand. So, that might be an idea if you are going to get a new top down the line.
 
Just left another post elsewhere about a similar topic. Have you tried buying a used top on Craigs list or other web site. Before I found one in perfect shape for 1/2 cost of new, I looked at a lot of others that were like 50-100 bucks after someone had replaced it. Many were in tough shape, but some of them had good parts: frame, latches, windows, etc. Perhaps you could find a trashed one online, buy it for cheap, then just use the window and throw the rest?
 
An update............after searching unsuccessfully for a "zipper seamstress", I broke down and bought a set of skins off eBay - $133 shipped. They arrived yesterday and I installed them today. Great windows!!! Easy install - made like they should have been made in the first place. Came from a place called "Fortec" out of Florida and Atlanta. Made by Rugged Ridge. Good, snug fit and it's amazing looking out of clear windows again!! Hopefully, they'll give me six years like my originals did.
 
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