I swapped the hard top out for my soft top last week. I've had a jeep before, but this was a world of different. It took 5 strong adults to get the clamshells to latch, and that was with the back window and side panels undone. It seemed that the top was about 1/2" too short. I've had it on for a week now and even still the rib (I'm sure not the technical name for it) directly over the speaker bar is bowed downward instead of running parallel. The dealership tried to tell me it was designed this way for water to flow off the top. Even after a week of heat and sun it's a beast to close. I've not seen another soft top that bowed in the front. I think the bowing was from the top being too tight, but I'm not sure. Thoughts?
I bought a 2016 Rubicon in March and my soft top was also very tight. Took me over two hours to get it on and I was cussing it by the end. I've had it on for a couple months now and haven't had any issues.
It's difficult to see in your picture what bowing your talking about. If you post a side pic I may be able to see better.
I'll try to post some pics of mine so you can compare. Mine is the premium cloth soft top that comes with the dual top package.
If it's a beast to close, it's probably not lined up properly. My soft top from the factory was misaligned and a bear to close. Finally figured it out, realigned the top and it now closes smooooth and easy.
I have the same problem and have a whistling sound at the interface of the top and the windshield when I drive. I'm actually hesitant to pop the top because I know what I'm up against to close it. After read another post, I'm now afraid of breaking the tension cable also. Not sure how to check the alignment but all of the seams around the windows and rear seem to be in their channels properly. I don't have the seat belt material straps wrapped around the roll bar. With summer here this is a bummer. I have a 2012 Wrangler Sport 2 door for the record.
I actually had the dealer do this as I had this problem since I bought it. Fortunately, because I had documented the top issues with Chrysler, they covered it under warranty. What they did was completely remove the top and then reinstall it, paying close attention to how everything lined up. Once that was done, it operated really easy.
You could tell that it wasn't right as the latches were way off center at the windshield hoops. Before it was fixed, it took 2 or 3 people to wrestle it closed.
Well, the service department finally acknowledged that it's bent, but they tell me it's not covered by warranty. The vehicle has less than 9K on it, I've had it for 10 months, and the first time I put the soft top on, the piece going across the vehicle above the roll bar is bent. They suggested that it got bent while it was put on, but given the proximity to the roll bar, it would be impossible to put enough torque on it to bend it without tearing up your hands. Service department has it now and is trying to straighten it, but I'm not happy about their assertion that a replacement is not an option covered by warranty. I'm starting to fall out of love with my Jeep :frown2: I'm hoping they can fix it and this will all be just a memory.
Well, the service department was able to bend the bar back into place, so it looks better. But now the top it really tight (again) and I'm being told to keep the top up "for a while" to let it stretch. It's been up for 3 weeks to stretch! It's summer, I've got a Jeep, and I want to go topless darn it! I need to know I'll be able to get it back on with fewer than the 5 people it took the first time. I never had this issue with my old Wrangler (1995).
A STAR case is where you call Chrysler customer support and open a complaint ticket. This way, the defect is logged and that can be escalated to management.
it seems your soft top has a defect. im not certain as i don't even own one (it's on order right now, should be here this week) but if you're having that much trouble and it's been on for 3 weeks and still crazy tight, there must be a problem with it.
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