Bestop questions

I cant get the top of the rear window to stay in place. Those lame "j hooks" are worthless and wont stay together.

any tips on getting them to stay in place?

 

I have a Bestop but I'm not to sure which part you are talking about? Can you take a pic of the area? I had my Bestop on for about a year straight without any issues so hopefully I can help you out.

 

the sides have the zippers and the bottom has the rail that sits on top on the tail gate, those parts are fine but its the the little plastic rail on the top of the rear window thats giving me hell.

 

I've never had any issues with the back window but the side windows kick my ass on occasion when putting them back on.

 

I have the same issue and am constantly fighting it after I open it up for whatever reason.

Typically what I do is un-zip it nearly all the way...so that the zippers are still started but open (follow?) and just reach up under the bar and run my hand across pushing pretty firmly and running my hand the length of the j-hook like a zip lock sandwich bag. On ocassion that won't do it, typically colder days, and I have to actually climb in the bed with the gate down. Pull the J-hooks firmly into place, set the bottom bar FROM INSIDE and then run the zipper down a little bit and crawl out.

it's a major pain in the ass, I would WAY prefer a zipper system for the top so that I could just unzip the sides and flip the lid up on top of the bestop.

Side Note. Anyone feeling ambitious in designing a way to access the bed through the front window? like a hardcap would have a slider. something with zippers or velcro would be tits.

 

so is the j-hook suppose to "click" into place or does it just kind of rest in place?

I reconnected it 3 times yesterday and eventually just took it off and put it in the back seat.

I was thinking about maybe trying to find a place that could sew a zipper onto the top just to make it more secure.
It would be nice if the front window was able to open too im sure you could sew a square heavy duty velcro strip onto there and make it work.

 

I've never heard nor felt it *click* but it more than sits in there I guess you could say. If you're doing it wrong than so am I so I'll clearly not be any help.

It was my idea, so you have to do the trial...it's called team work

plus I don't want someone to eff up my topper. A zipper at the top and some heavy duty velcro on the sides while keeping the bottom connected would be perfect I think.

 

I'll have to look at mine again but its in pieces cause its not on my truck anymore. Hopefully you will figure something out.

 

Im gonna go look at it some more at lunch and see if I can figure something out.

 

did you use the brake light? I didn't. I didn't want to monkey with wiring it in.

 

no I havent put it on and I probably wont. I am going to be adding some bed lighting though

 

I want bedlights too. Some kid was selling LED strips on here for his uncle or something. Thought about doing something like that under the rail system and hiding a switch in one of the covered compartments.

all these ideas and no monies to do it with.

 

yea I saw that thread too but who knows when he will get around to selling them. I had a little square "fog" light in one of the bed cubbys on my last taco and it worked fine and was out of the way. but id like to do LEDs this time around

 

When installing the back window typically i zipped each zipper side (left and right) about 3/4 of the way. I did this with the tail gate bar already attached to the rear window so that it provided some weight to keep the j hooks together.

After that i reached under and clasped the center part of the j hook and worked my way left and right. Attach the tailgate bar to the metal tracks and finish zipping.

It's different than the instructions state to do it, but it definitely made things easier when i had mine. Good luck!

 

so the metal tailgate bar is suppose to attach to the side bars? I think mine are kinda crooked and wont attach.

 

The metal bar has a U shaped track that fits at the bottom of the rear canvas on the back side.

Than you have C shaped slots that fit on the ends of the metal rails right above your tailgate. You will no its on right once you close your tailgate and you feel the rubber part between the top and the gate. Its to make it a bit more water resistant

I would get you pics but i sold it

 

ok, I think I understand what your talking about. Ill mess with it at lunch and take some pics

 

Cool. Once it's on is a sweet top!

 

yea I had to slide the whole thing forward a few inches yesterday cause I had it too far back, now I just need to figure out the rear window.

Do you have to take the side windows off to fold the top forward?

 

Yes,

when attatching the rear's bar. You'll have to roll it up and towards the inside for the channels and tabs to line up. Not sure if you got that.