Soft top bows without body support!

[Gumball]

UPDATED 6/2/16 - Here is another TTT for an old how-to... although it may have limited application, since most don't install tops.


Original post follows:


I have the old-style FFR soft top, but I think the current version also uses top bow ferrules through the body, so this is relevant to all but the real cool-guy expensive top.

I didn't like the fact that the only support for the top bows was coming from the ferrules through the body. So, I welded up a couple of tubes with tabs on them so that I can mount them to the cockpit top aluminum. My plan is to rivet these in place with an additional reinforcement tab from the underside of that panel to the side of the 3/4" chassis tube under the aluminum panel. This will give quite a bit of support to the ferrules and the body around them, but I'll also add a few layers of reinforcement fiberglass mat on the underside of the body around the ferrule holes.

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/FerruleBracketstoChassis2_zpsc865fec3.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/FerruleBracketstoChassis2_zpsc865fec3.jpg.html)

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/FerruleBracketstoChassis1_zps53195513.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/FerruleBracketstoChassis1_zps53195513.jpg.html)

[Gumball]

Continuing the practice of bringing up some old how-to posts from back in the early days of this forum, here's one related to soft top installation.

In order for the ferrules to sit flat where they pass through the body, instead of being angled because of the body slope, a recess is cut into the body. That results in thinning of the material, so I added quite a bit of extra fiberglass on the underside.

Here are some additional pictures that give details of the final installation.

Top bows installed through body.....

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/IMG_20131005_183121960_zps8157bd45.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/IMG_20131005_183121960_zps8157bd45.jpg.html)

Pic of one of the holes in the body for the ferrules - note the thickness of the added material as seen through the hole, as well as the bevel fly-cut to allow the ferrule to sit flat....

http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/CCRsAC/SoftTopFerruleHoleReinforcement_OpenHole_zps92f7b6 cf.jpg (http://s845.photobucket.com/user/CCRsAC/media/SoftTopFerruleHoleReinforcement_OpenHole_zps92f7b6 cf.jpg.html)

[skullandbones]

Cool mod, Gumball!

WEK.