Beaching631
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Tim
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2020
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 96
- Reaction score
- 86
- Location
- Long Island, NY
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 Rubicon Unlimited, Manual, 35" & Fuel Coverts
- Thread starter
- #1
So I always switch my tops on Father's Day due to work schedule. This year, I did the same. Took the hard top off, put all the brackets back on for soft top, and put soft top on, all good...same as the previous 4 summers. Well this time, the top wouldn't extend or collapse properly. I checked locked/unlocked, still nothing. So then in a moment of stupidity I put a bunch of pressure on the soft top, and broke the 5th arm!
Alright, so I was a little mad at myself, but I hoped on Quadratec.com, ordered a new driver's side 5th arm The whole assembly, not just the bar. Waited for it to arrive.
So the part arrived this week. This morning, I replaced the broken 5th arm in about an hour (hardest part was getting the cable out of the old 5th arm). Took hard-top back off, reinstalled the soft top. It extended no problem to windshield. Last test: collapse to tailgate door. Nothing! Won't collapse, same issue as before, even with brand new 5th arm. Now I notice that one of the frame bars is way too high.
Has anyone had a similar problem? Maybe the pistons are shot? Frame bent (not sure how that would happen sitting on a shelf in my garage all winter). Can I run the soft top without pistons?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get rid of the Jeep, but I'm not willing to spend 2k on a new soft top and it's really no use to me if I can't take the top off anymore. Thanks for any help!
Alright, so I was a little mad at myself, but I hoped on Quadratec.com, ordered a new driver's side 5th arm The whole assembly, not just the bar. Waited for it to arrive.
So the part arrived this week. This morning, I replaced the broken 5th arm in about an hour (hardest part was getting the cable out of the old 5th arm). Took hard-top back off, reinstalled the soft top. It extended no problem to windshield. Last test: collapse to tailgate door. Nothing! Won't collapse, same issue as before, even with brand new 5th arm. Now I notice that one of the frame bars is way too high.
Has anyone had a similar problem? Maybe the pistons are shot? Frame bent (not sure how that would happen sitting on a shelf in my garage all winter). Can I run the soft top without pistons?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to get rid of the Jeep, but I'm not willing to spend 2k on a new soft top and it's really no use to me if I can't take the top off anymore. Thanks for any help!
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