Soft top flew off the rails on the road, Recommendations for paint fix on sport bar?

[JG1000]

This happened a while back but it still upsets me every time I look at it because I feel like it was not my fault. When I first got my Jeep it was getting ready and prepped for me and I was excited. The next day I was driving with the soft top down and I watched a bunch of videos on how to do it and I followed the instructions in the manual. I made sure the two locks on the sport bar were on lock and I even pushed down on the soft top to hear the clicks to know it was secure. I'm driving down the road for a while and I look up on my rearview mirror to see my soft top is flopping and moving up and down very weirdly so I pull over to check it out. The soft top arms came off the rail some how and scratched up my sport bars really bad. I went to the dealership to tell them want happened and they told me they can't find any defects in the rails and that it was working properly and it was user error. REALLY?! I took the Jeep that was "prepped" and "ready" for me to use right away and the next day of dropping the top for the first time this happens. I know a Jeep is gonna get scratched up but I feel like this was not user error. Anyways I see a lot of posts on here about scratches but I haven't seen any scratches that looked as deep or serious like the ones on the sport bars. I was planning on using mopar touch up pen but I wanted to get some advice and tips from y'all before I do since I don't know much about paint. Questions are what would happen if I just left it as is? Do I need to worry about rust? Should I get this repaired professionally or just touch up pen and call it a day? The instructions for pen says wipe surface clean of any dirt and dust before applying pen but just out of curiosity what happens if you accidentally paint over the surface with dust or dirt still on it? Any help is much appreciated.

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[kimmonia]

If you’re comfortable with your touch up skills ... and you are happy it won’t be a perfect result, then go for. Given I see primer and even possible bare metal, if you want it done right and want it close to perfect. Take to body shop. Likely be expensive depending on how many other pieces they need to take off. Pending that you may want to file insurance claim.

 

[JG1000]

If you’re comfortable with your touch up skills ... and you are happy it won’t be a perfect result, then go for. Given I see primer and even possible bare metal, if you want it done right and want it close to perfect. Take to body shop. Likely be expensive depending on how many other pieces they need to take off. Pending that you may want to file insurance claim.

I don't mind it not being perfect I plan on off roading often and I know its gonna get scratched up but at the same time I do want to keep the Jeep for a very long time so I'm more concerned about the surface material deteriorating over time. Since you said bare metal is possibly showing does that mean it would rust or deteriorate if I didn't touch it up and left as is?

 

[entropy]

I don't mind it not being perfect I plan on off roading often and I know its gonna get scratched up but at the same time I do want to keep the Jeep for a very long time so I'm more concerned about the surface material deteriorating over time. Since you said bare metal is possibly showing does that mean it would rust or deteriorate if I didn't touch it up and left as is?

yeah it will rust. clean it well, sand it a bit and spray paint it, or take it to a body shop. I drove with my soft top and forgot to lock it many times and that never happened.

Take it to another dealer I dont think thats normal.

 

[kimmonia]

You should be good as long as it is cleaned well and the bare metal is not exposed to air/moisture by being covered with touch up paint and then a layer of clear coat over it just for extra protection. Same rules for when working underneath the Jeep too. Whenever you drill holes / etc clean up the exposed bare metal and do some touch up paint.

 

[LFMS]

I’ve used the touch-up pen before, mainly in scratches (large dog) that I knew would eventually rust. The result is not perfect but at least I know it’s protected; it’s also not noticeable unless you know it and you’re looking for it, but again, mines were just scratches. Whilst your damage is much bigger, I can guarantee you it will look better than it does now. Alternatively, you can also get the touch-up spray, but I think that will require more prep work, etc


Good luck!

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