Softopper Wont fit, Help!!

So long story short I received a stoftopper from a friend who didn't want it. He has the same truck as me. It came with his truck but he never used it. The cage for the topper looks to be the right size for my truck. The bed rails with the snaps on them are the full length of the bed but the canvas seems to be for a different truck. When I stretch the canvas over the frame and snap the front and rear parts to the frame it seems to be just a smidge too short. Not enough for a short bed though. The side canvas seems way too short. Ideas? see pictures

 

Are you sure you have the poles setup correctly?

 

The poles go together one way and one way only from what i could try. I tried flipping the whole frame 180 degrees and that seemed to make it worse.

 

that's what I was getting at.

 

Based on the pics you have the frame oriented correctly - pins go in the back poles. That material can be stiff in the cold. I have to cinch down on the straps front and back if the material is cold. I don't have Taco in the pics (sorry they are crappy iPhone pics taken off my FB photos)- Sold it and got a '03 DC and then bought a Softopper for the DC, then sold other Softopper, but if 68" is from front pole to back pole that's probably right. I took some pictures comparing the pole lengths between the 6' version and the 5' version - I don't want those pics at work, but each of the 4 vertical poles is about an inch+ longer for the 6' version.

I'm at work but I can get some side measurements of the fabric when I get home

 

I've never put a soft topper on, but have put new soft tops on Jeeps. The hotter the day you install it on, the better. Heat is your friend on this job.

Also, cheaper tops seem to go on much easier, but then flap more, so a nice topper like that one might be a little tough, but will wear better.

 

This.

If you're truly in Colorado, and it's winter, it's probably to cold to get it on properly. Like, even 60 might be too chilly.

 

One thing I do is loosen side rails and get some snaps on, then tighten rails. Yours looks pretty far off. Might heat up a garage and see how close it is.

 

Done the same, jeeps, samurai's, trackers. 1 thing in common with them all, if the top is new and it's not HOT, it's not going on. They always look like they're made for a scaled down vehicle. I've put them on in garages with a space heater inside to help it stretch, works but not as well as a few hours of it sitting in the summer sun. By the time a top is used enough to go on easy, it's probably due to be replaced soon. It's a vicious circle

 

Be glad it's very tight going on, you want that. Like the guys are posting, heat is your friend when stretching those to snap in place.

Most framed boat soft tops are the same way. Had a Sunbrella top for a Smokercraft boat that you would swear(and did swear) was 8" to short to fit. What a PITA, even when it was heated up.

I vowed then and there after that boat was sold to never to have a soft top again. Some folks love them..just not me.

 

Dont tighten the front and back straps down until it looks even. Right now it looks like its to far forward. It also looks cold there, you may want to see if you can find somewhere indoors and heated. The first time I put mine on, it was in the summer and still hard as shit.

 

its relativley nice out today. i will let it lay out in the sun and see if it will heat up. Still dont know if it will stretch enough because in the photos the canvas is even farther from reaching the snaps on the rails on the drivers sides. I would love to get it to work because my Fiberglass topper is awfully heavy. Thanks for all the input guys

 

Put it in the garage and turn the heat on. ..my convertible use to be tight on cooler days if I left the top done multiple days in a row