Stitch In Time By 9: Bestop Soft Top Restitch
09-19-2014, 04:35 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Stitch In Time By 9: Bestop Soft Top Restitch
If one owns a jeep, One best be prepared to make acception and alterations to current designs and products
For one year, We’ve had to deal with the fluttering of our Bestop’s soft top/bikini. The issue was, two of the cinch straps located at the speaker bar just behind the head rest were too short direct from the factory. Thou I made exceptions and simply stuffed cut up foam exercise pads between the bikini and speaker bar.. There still is some slight fluttering.
Not being able to contact Bestop in a timely manor, I set out to do this myself.. Searching for a sewing machine and some black nylon thread, I was able to stitch two new straps or webbing for the bikini top.
The lower or shorter strap is what came with Bestop’s bikini.. simply folded over and seam stitched once. While my version (longer version) I removed the plastic hook folded over the webbing and stitched a cross pattern in the webbing.. Clearly a better and stronger design.
In this images.. My strap is the longer one. Adding almost 6 Inches more because the Bestop Version would not reach the bikini’s outer plastic buckles as seen in the image below. Just because I added 6 more inches to my design.. I was finally able to feed the strap into the plastic buckle and cinch up the bikini.
Yet a new problem developed soon after returning home from our very long vacation. The straps over the rear of the speaker bar/roll cage had ripped completely off..
After examining the strapping material.. it was concluded that the strapping/webbing was a ply/cotton blend with a synthetic coating and over time these straps would simply give way or break.
In the past I’ve been able to handle small projects like the sewing these straps.. and this is coming from a guy who designed and stitched his wife wedding dress before our wedding 20 years ago.. but this time.. I'm going to need the services of a upholstery shop to stitch these four area straps and this time using Red Nylon webbing.. I doubt these will break or tear anytime soon.
Amazingly and just recently discovered while walking home one morning.. This tow hook nylon strapping saves me a few bucks and the hassle of searching for a more durable nylon material.
Look for a follow up in regards to this restitch very soon..
For one year, We’ve had to deal with the fluttering of our Bestop’s soft top/bikini. The issue was, two of the cinch straps located at the speaker bar just behind the head rest were too short direct from the factory. Thou I made exceptions and simply stuffed cut up foam exercise pads between the bikini and speaker bar.. There still is some slight fluttering.
Not being able to contact Bestop in a timely manor, I set out to do this myself.. Searching for a sewing machine and some black nylon thread, I was able to stitch two new straps or webbing for the bikini top.
The lower or shorter strap is what came with Bestop’s bikini.. simply folded over and seam stitched once. While my version (longer version) I removed the plastic hook folded over the webbing and stitched a cross pattern in the webbing.. Clearly a better and stronger design.
In this images.. My strap is the longer one. Adding almost 6 Inches more because the Bestop Version would not reach the bikini’s outer plastic buckles as seen in the image below. Just because I added 6 more inches to my design.. I was finally able to feed the strap into the plastic buckle and cinch up the bikini.
Yet a new problem developed soon after returning home from our very long vacation. The straps over the rear of the speaker bar/roll cage had ripped completely off..
After examining the strapping material.. it was concluded that the strapping/webbing was a ply/cotton blend with a synthetic coating and over time these straps would simply give way or break.
In the past I’ve been able to handle small projects like the sewing these straps.. and this is coming from a guy who designed and stitched his wife wedding dress before our wedding 20 years ago.. but this time.. I'm going to need the services of a upholstery shop to stitch these four area straps and this time using Red Nylon webbing.. I doubt these will break or tear anytime soon.
Amazingly and just recently discovered while walking home one morning.. This tow hook nylon strapping saves me a few bucks and the hassle of searching for a more durable nylon material.
Look for a follow up in regards to this restitch very soon..
Last edited by AngryRedBird; 10-14-2014 at 12:11 AM.
