Installing Soft Top - Cannot Unlock - Assistance in aisle 1 needed!

[swimman]

I'm installing my soft top for the first time. All has gone well. The top is on the Jeep and folded. The upper 'roller' bars are in the tracks. The next step of the instructions says to unlock the folding mechanism by moving the two black plastic pieces from lock to unlock. No go. Those things are locked. Is there a trick to moving those pieces to unlock? It's just not happening.

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[justinwithers]

Just went through the same experience ourselves, push down firmly on the roof in its current stuck position then the switches will move

 

[swimman]

My 180 pounds were basically sitting on the soft top and it will not unlock.

I just posted this elsewhere on the forum...
Anyone have the stock soft top and have issues with unlocking? Just installed the soft top today. Unfortunately, the top will not unlock to unfold over the roof as the Diabolical cut off the area where the back soft top support should sit. Therefore, as the soft top is not sitting low enough, it will not unlock, therefore making it unusable.

Just stopped at the Jeep dealer and confirmed this is the issue as we looked at how the soft top should sit.

 

[robaw]

I've never tried it, but maybe unlock it while it's not installed (sitting on bench/floor)??? You could still have straps around it so it doesn't unfold on you when putting it back on.

 

[swimman]

robaw - also tried that. We took the soft top off and tried to get it to unlock on the ground. Nope. After seeing the one at the dealership, it seems it needs quite a bit of down pressure in order to unlock.

 

[robaw]

robaw - also tried that. We took the soft top off and tried to get it to unlock on the ground. Nope. After seeing the one at the dealership, it seems it needs quite a bit of down pressure in order to unlock.

I've read a little bit about the Diabolical - can't you pretty easily take the top part off to maybe make some room to push the top? I feel your frustration, just trying to brainstorm some ideas

 

[Saint]

I figured it out... Now just need to try and explain it.
The reason it seems to unlock so easily when it's assembled on a jeep and NOT so easy when it's off is because each of the locking mechanisms can "twist" when they are bolted in. But they can't do their necessary "twist" when the Diabolical plates are in place.
SO with an extra set of hands you need only grab the bottom of the mechinism with one hand and push the top of it the other direction with the palm of your other hand and TWIST... You'll feel it twisting "with much effort" but as it's twisting you'll get this "AH HA!" feeiling, knowing that this is gonna work... while your assistant "very easily" flips the switch! I'm going to try and upload a little video showing it being done.

To be more clear, the mechinism isn't "twisting" when it's bolted in. YOU are twisting the mechanism by hand when the whole setup is NOT in the jeep. It's probably only going to make sense when I get this video uploaded.

 

[swimman]

I made a video of how to unlock the top when it's off of the vehicle. Should help to explain the process by seeing it in action.

 

[Saint]

I made a video of how to unlock the top when it's off of the vehicle. Should help to explain the process by seeing it in action.

MUCH better Video than the one I was trying to upload. And “pivit” is a much better description than “twisting”. But anyway... YEA, what he said!!! Do that! Ha!

 

[Kysnowbrdr]

How do I lock them back? I used this video to unlock the Folding mechanism on driver's side so I could change out the Folding mechanism on the passenger side. Great video Thank you! But now my issue is how do I get them to lock back? I have the top back on....but had to install with it open. Neither of them lock now. I'm so confused. TIA

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