CJ hard top/door problems

[leelandaiche]

I'm a first jeep owner and slowly learning! I'll try to explain this the best I can... When I installed the hard top, there were bolts along the back on both driver and passenger sides. I did not see anywhere to bolt down the top above the windshield. When I am driving, the wind noise is extremely loud from the wind flowing underneath the top. Just wondering if I installed it right because it seems like it shouldn't be doing that. As far as the doors, they don't line up flush when closed and I have to slam them to make it latch. The most aggravating thing is my drivers door...every bump I hit, Something makes a very loud knocking sound. Sounds like the door and top are hitting together. Just can't figure out where. But I can see the door moving back and forth when I hit the bumps...any suggestions?

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

Assuming we are talking about a CJ7 and hard (steel0 doors, yes there should be 5 sheetmetal screws connecting the top to the windshield frame (regardless of doors at this point). If your sitting in the jeep looking at where the hardtop meets the windshield frame, there should be a metal channel attached to the top itself that comes down in front of the top of the windshield frame. This channel should have five small holes in it, if your CJ has never had a hardtop installed, you should see small dimpiles in the steel that line up with the holes in the channel.

As for the doors, they are adjustable by carefully lossening the torx bolts holding the hinges on the doors (three each hinge, six each side). The doors latching post is adjustable as well, but mostly just extending and retracting. I normally lossen the hinges and carefully shut the door, making sure everything is lining up (a helper is useful) and then tighten them back up.

 

[leelandaiche]

Thanks! I'm not looking at it at the moment bc i'm actually getting some steering problems taken care of at the moment, but I don't remember seeing the small holes. I plan on trying to fix this today so I'm going to take a look at it in a few. I have tried adjusting the door on the hinges and couldn't get it right. But I didn't know the latch was adjustable also. As soon as I take a look at it, I'll let you know! Thanks for the help!

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

Cool....... If there are no dimpiles or holes in the frame, you'll just need to make a small pilot hole for a sheet metal screw.

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

The strike pin (latch pin) can only be moved by adding or removing the shims behind it. You'll need a large torx bit to un-thread it from the plate.

 

[69jeepcj]

your top should have the small holes already in it, but the windsheild may not.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Just my 2 cents in adjusting the fit and flush of the hardtop to the tub and doors. If the doors were already adjusted flushed to the body and it shuts well with the striker, then loosen the windshield hold down knobs on both sides , loosen the hardtop from the tub enough to be able to shift it side to side, forward to back. It might take a little while to find the best position so that both doors closes without interference and has the gap needed to keep it from rattling. Also check the gap between the door window frame and the windshield frame . There should be at least a quarter of an inch gap between those two with a weatherstrip to fill it like a peel and stick foam strip. One of the tricks I do when I re- install my hardtop on my CJ is to set the top on the jeep then closing the doors to center the hardtop side to side and then check the clearance or gap from front to back before installing the tub bolts and windshield frame screws.

 

[leelandaiche]

Just my 2 cents in adjusting the fit and flush of the hardtop to the tub and doors. If the doors were already adjusted flushed to the body and it shuts well with the striker, then loosen the windshield hold down knobs on both sides , loosen the hardtop from the tub enough to be able to shift it side to side, forward to back. It might take a little while to find the best position so that both doors closes without interference and has the gap needed to keep it from rattling. Also check the gap between the door window frame and the windshield frame . There should be at least a quarter of an inch gap between those two with a weatherstrip to fill it like a peel and stick foam strip. One of the tricks I do when I re- install my hardtop on my CJ is to set the top on the jeep then closing the doors to center the hardtop side to side and then check the clearance or gap from front to back before installing the tub bolts and windshield frame screws.

Well, the doors aren't flush with the body. I'm still having a hard time adjusting them. They will close...but you have to slam the hell out of them. The top of the windshield frame does not have holes but the bracket on the top itself does. It's the original hard top, so i think it's a little odd that it doesn't have holes. That would mean it was never latched down in the front. Not sure what's going on with it. I guess I'll just keep messing with it until I find out the problem. Thanks for all the help so far guys!