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I almost lost my soft top today

johnwpowell

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Today while going down 95 about 70MPH my soft top latch came undone and I was looking at sky above the windshield. I was able to grab it and hold on for dear life until I could pull over.

Lesson learned if you have one of those sunshades installed make sure you don’t close the latch over the material. It will work the latch loose and bad things will happen.
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RichD

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Today while going down 95 about 70MPH my soft top latch came undone and I was looking at sky above the windshield. I was able to grab it and hold on for dear life until I could pull over.

Lesson learned if you have one of those sunshades installed make sure you don’t close the latch over the material. It will work the latch loose and bad things will happen.
Just one latch opened? Did it bend the side supports of the top? I always fear this with the kids playing around while we're driving.
 

mwilk012

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Sounds like it would have just flipped back to the sunrider position. Or did only one latch open? I could see the flexing breaking stuff.
 

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johnwpowell

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Just one latch opened? Did it bend the side supports of the top? I always fear this with the kids playing around while we're driving.
Yeah thankfully only the passenger side came loose and the right half of the soft top came up. Had they both come loose it would have been bad.
 
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johnwpowell

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Sounds like it would have just flipped back to the sunrider position. Or did only one latch open? I could see the flexing breaking stuff.
Only 1 latch opened
 

mwilk012

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Only 1 latch opened
That's actually probably worse than if both had come loose. Flipping to the sunrider position probably wont break anything, but at that speed, its possible.
 

Arterius2

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That's actually probably worse than if both had come loose. Flipping to the sunrider position probably wont break anything, but at that speed, its possible.
You have no idea how fast and hard that sunrider would open at that speed. Something would definitely break. My sunrider for hardtop flipped open at around 20mph when I accidentally forgot to latch it before driving off and that ended with a LOUD bang. Would not want to know what would happen at 75mph..
 

mwilk012

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You have no idea how fast and hard that sunrider would open at that speed. Something would definitely break. My sunrider for hardtop flipped open at around 20mph when I accidentally forgot to latch it before driving off and that ended with a LOUD bang. Would not want to know what would happen at 75mph..
My TJ's soft top popped open on the interstate once, everything held together alright. It definitely isn't good for anything, no doubt. If OP hadn't caught his though, with only one latch released it would be nearly guaranteed to bend something the wrong way.
 

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JoeValkIS

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Today while going down 95 about 70MPH my soft top latch came undone and I was looking at sky above the windshield. I was able to grab it and hold on for dear life until I could pull over.

Lesson learned if you have one of those sunshades installed make sure you don’t close the latch over the material. It will work the latch loose and bad things will happen.
A couple of months ago, I had the same thing happen while going 70 with a 35mph cross/head wind...except it was the driver's side. I don't think my latch was under my sunshade but something let loose. I was able to quickly pull over and relatch the top but I slowed way down (got off the interstate) and it wasn't a problem for the rest of the trip. When I got home, I checked the latches and measured the distance between the hook and the latch assembly. The drivers side was about 1/8" longer than the passenger side. I told my dealership about it on my next visit and they took care of it.
Unless you are absolutely sure that the latch was under the sunshade, I would check the hooks on the latches and make sure the passenger and drivers side are close to the same distance. If not, I suggest taking it to your dealership and have them fix or replace the latch assembly.
 

digitalbliss

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A couple of times I have gotten home, put my soft top up, and pulled in the garage. Later (usually the next day) I pull out of my steet and think "wow, the wind is crazy today!" Just to realize I forgot to latch the damned top. Luckily I've realized before it's opened itself.
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