Does anybody have the mesh safari top from bestop. That thing is so tight I can't for the life of me stretch it far enough to get it into the frame rails. I have had it sitting in the sun etc. and nothing seems to work. I feel like it will rip before it will make it that far...... I am about ready to call in popeye with those huge forearms. Maybe he can do it....uck uck uck uck...this is embareskin!

By the way, I have the two door.

 

Sounds like maybe you have the mesh for the TJ, Check your part numbers or maybe call Bestop. I want to get one too so let me know what you find out. Good Luck

 

It's the right number. It's my second one, I figured the first one was sewn wrong but now I'm starting to think they are all sewn wrong. Can't get all the snaps to line up on the header either, have to leave one unsnapped. I'm not a wuss either, that thing just won't stretch anymore. I probably need another 1/4 - 1/2 more to get the plastic strip in.

 

I have it and I had a hell of a time getting the darn thing to fit. No problems with snapping to the header. It was just very difficult to get it to fold into the channels on the plastic soft top door surrounds.

I also left mine out in the 80 degree sunshine here in Florida. EVentually, I had my wife help me with folding under the door surrounds and we got it into place. It is a really tight fit.

 

Yeah that's ^^^^^^ what I would recommend; Get someone else to help you. Or you could take it off (like it was ever on ) and have you and that otehr person pull opposite directions.

 

I don't know how the door surrounds on the JK work, but is there anyway you could take them off and put the plastic strip in the channel and then put the surrounds on? They might be a little easier to get some leverage.

Just thought.

 

Tried it. I even tried sliding it in from the front. almost made it but it got stuck at the end. I almost couldn't get it back off.

 

I had the same problem when installing the regular Bestop
safari top.

I had to use a pliers to grab the top where it meets
the plastic tabs and pull, fold and insert.

It was a pain. The top was cold though.

Seems like the tolerances are too tight from Bestop.
Especially for the mesh top, where flapping isn't much
of an issue.

 

With my TJ, I had to install the screwed-in channel. After I put it on, the damn bikini wouldn't go through that channel for anything. I had to lube it up with soap as well as shave it down with my pocket knife to finally get it in. 3 people couldn't pull it through.

 

One shouldn't have to fight to put the top on. I was thinking of getting one of the safari tops in the near future, but I think I'll wait on this--too many chiming in with similar problems.