Jobber Jim

Since new (2011 Wrangler), I noticed that the leading edge of my soft top is about 1/2 inch away from the windshield frame on the driver's side and 1/8 inch away on the passenger side. I can't seem to find any area in the soft top assembly or the frame latches that would allow an adjustment for even alignment. Any ideas?

AngryRedBird

Yeah they can be tricky.. and there is a procedure to the take down and setup of the soft tops. First and foremost.. the top should go into the windshield header channel first.. but make sure it's open on the sides and back before latching everything together..

Take the side windows off, remove the plastic tabs from the surrounds and remove the retaining bar on the tailgate.. just so there's no stress on the forward header when latching in place.

Although this is a bikini top image.. the header/soft top area should look like this before you attach anything else behind this point.. other than the little ruffle just over the side windows.. just focus on the seam/seal between the soft top and the windshield..
Thou one area to check is the bend or knuckles over the doors.. if these are broken which can happen.. or are not set in right you can get the weird alignment issue and if they are broken.. or distorted, I have a set I can let you have..

Oh and you didn't specify if you have the four door or two door, or if it has the sunrider option..

Jobber Jim

It's a basic two door with the sunrider option. I followed the OEM instructions from the owner's manual but tried latching the front down first, then worked back to the tailgate. It still pulls out of alignment. I even loosened the wing-nuts on the door frame header to see if shifting it forward would help. It still pulls out of alignment when I secure the back section. Since it doesn't leak I guess I'll have to live with it.

crusaderJK

I have a Trektop NX with a gap also. I tried loosen the bracket where the sunrider tubes attach to the door surrounds and slide it forward. I was able to slide it forward, but after installing the top I ended up with the same gap I had before.
Since mine doesn't leak either I just stopped giving a doo doo

AngryRedBird

Was this installed by the deal/factory or did you install the sun rider option?.. we had the sunrider on our 99 and we had to install this yourself.. In that case. the sunrider flip frame maybe off from the factory.. What I did on the 99, was to place the sunrider hardware in place first without the soft top.. measure and made sure it sat where it was suppose to.. I would leave the soft top attached at the header.. but flip everything back over towards the front of the jeep's hood just so you can see all the hardware. I'm just wondering if the sunrider was mounted in the correct location.. or by a machine and later installed by a human.. (door surrounds) could mean forced the surround closer to the windshield on the side that is not lined up correctly... if you follow me..

14Sport

Not sure if it is like my Supertop NX which has pins that attach to the door surrounds for the sunrider option. The only way mine will seat properly is if I engage the pins first, before the front latches.

Jobber Jim

My sun rider option is original from the factory. The alignment wasn't that noticeable when I bought the vehicle. It was only after dropping the top down a few times that I noticed the gap upon re-install. I might try to shift the door header forward on the driver's side by slotting the two holes where the large wing nuts screw through the plastic door header and into the roll bar and trimming the leading edge of the plastic header. All I need is about 3/8 of an inch to get the alignment correct at the leading edge of the soft top.

AngryRedBird

Jim.. are you talking about the door surrounds or the header channel?.. I know there is some slight play in this area.. and did you remove everything, flip it over toward the hood and check all possible hardware and tube alignments?.. I just feel it's more of the sunrider not lining up correctly.. which leads back to the door surrounds.. plus it's still unclear what you have the 2dr or 4dr ver.. and yes I haven't viewed your profile yet.. Reason I say the 4dr ver is that over both doros.. the a elbow or knuckle connection and if this stressed could break.. Not saying yours broke.. but see it's actually lay as it should when you flip everything over.. Too Bad you're not closer to MD or I could be over to check this out for you.
I'm almost under the assumption that maybe the fabric wasn't installed on the header channel correctly.. I mean for the bikini and aftermarket tops.. one has to alter this and place the header inside the fabric.. but in your case.. the fabric was placed into the header and screwed down.

Jobber Jim

Just returned from the garage. Found the two wing nut screws (knuckles) holding the header over the driver's door were tightened down against the plastic shoulder (step) and not centered in the hole. This kept the plastic door header from seating correctly forward against the windshield frame. The difference was about 3/8 of an inch. This was factory installed back in 2011. Poor Quality Control at the factory. As stated in earlier reply, it's a basic two door Wrangler. Soft top lines up perfectly now. Thanks for the suggestion to check the knuckles (wing nuts).

AngryRedBird

Welcome.

Idea came to mind regarding this.. The older Bestop half top had a sunrider option, this new one doesn't.. so I'm wondering if it could be altered for a sunrider option.. Only thing needed is the header and the flip sunrider hardware.. Will have to ponder this a bit more.