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Soft Tops

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Offline Speedracer7c

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Soft Tops
« on: January 07, 2004, 04:31:55 PM »
What is the difference in soft tops from 94-95, The ones on ebay for years up to 94 are 139 and the ones for 95 and later are 279. I was just wondering why this was. I need a new top cause someone sliced the window out of my car and didn't take anything but a bag of change. Fu**ers  Andrew
93 sammy 5 inch calmini lift 31" ltbs locked rear

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Offline Zukipilot

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2004, 10:08:51 PM »
The newer model has a different mounting system but should not be that much more. I bet you are looking at different styles of top  cheap- normal top w/non removable windows   and the expensive one is probably the one with removable side windows.

Zig
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Offline Speedracer7c

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2004, 12:49:43 AM »
Your probably right but I honestly don't know. My top is falling apart at the seams now where it folds when you flip the roof back, it sucks when its windy cause the snow blows in, and the side window is duck taped together which isn't holding due to the cold, and now its so cold I can't retape it either. It sucks. Anyone have any tops for a 95 Tracker? Andrew
93 sammy 5 inch calmini lift 31" ltbs locked rear

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Offline Maiden Hell

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2004, 07:09:08 AM »
That sucks dude...sorry to hear about that.  Can you maybe afford a nice hard top with glass windows?

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Offline MB

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2004, 07:56:19 AM »
This is an add from J.C. Whitney for 95 tracker $159.95 +shipping

Tough, durable polycotton fabric resists weathering and fading
DOT-approved untinted vinyl windows
All seams are heat-sealed
A great buy in a replacement fabric soft top that offers OEM-style quality at a much lower cost. Tailgate can be operated without removing top. Limited one-year warranty.


Just a thought  :)
« Last Edit: January 08, 2004, 07:59:09 AM by MB »

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Offline Mikerpm4x4

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2004, 09:11:12 AM »
Swap to the old hardware an run the old style top. Thats what I did. I like the old style way better.

Mike
If your not living life to the fullest then your not living at all.

You wont really know if your wrong till your upsidedown

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Offline Speedracer7c

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2004, 09:23:44 AM »
Thats definitly a possibility, anyone know where I can get some old hardware? It would be nice!
93 sammy 5 inch calmini lift 31" ltbs locked rear

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Offline lil_Truck

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2004, 10:33:42 AM »
I like my removeable sides.  With kids and a bald head I like to have just the top up.  No sides, no back and no doors!!!

Anyone else run their tracker without door?
e-mail: liltruck|removethispart|@comcast.net
96 Tracker
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Front/Rear ARB's Many New Mods soon.

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Offline van7559

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2004, 01:46:21 PM »
how do you make the doors removable yet still able to put on in a min. notice?
95' Kick with a 3 in. body lift and plenty more to come!

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Offline HotRod

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2004, 04:45:48 PM »
 do tell.  do tell.  
  I've thought about removing my doors but they don't look as easy as the Sammies..
95 2dr Geo Tracker with Calmini 6"inch combo lift, 32'inch BFGs M/Tlocked and loaded--D.D is my 06 Racy RED Aerio SX AWD

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Offline ntjoe

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2004, 11:57:53 PM »
yes I'd love to hear about removable doors on a tracker.  That would be a great spring project......
1996 Geo Tracker 4WD
1989 Maxima SE 5 Speed

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Offline lil_Truck

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #11 on: January 09, 2004, 12:36:18 AM »


This is the only picture with the door off that I have at this time.  I was working on my rocker gards.  You can see how I painted the door jam with bed liner spray to make it look better.

I just pull the pins out of the hinge.  Theres a "E" clip that holds the pins in.  You have to remove that and then tap the pins out.  The top of the pin will be knerald (raised metel) to help hold the pin in place so that it won't turn.  I took a file and made them smooth.  

Next where the "E" clip went I drilled a hole through the pin in the same spot and got removable cotter pins.  So when I put the doors back on I can lock the pins in place.  One of the pins goes in from the bottom so the cotter pin is a nessity for two of them.

The possible down fall is that your pins can now turn steel on steel instead of steel on the brass bushings.  This could wear them out.  I just make sure to keep them lubed and havent had a problem.

Remember these doors are heaver than a sammies and be ready to catch them.

I had a friend that thought I was crazy (he has a jeep).  He thought it would look funny.  Now every time he see me with my door off he just shakes his head and tells me how cool it looks.
e-mail: liltruck|removethispart|@comcast.net
96 Tracker
6" Calimini Lift with custom Frame
32 MTR's Warn 8000i
Front/Rear ARB's Many New Mods soon.

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Offline Mikerpm4x4

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2004, 01:39:02 AM »
Its an old pic but heres what it looks like. We used to run with the doors off all the time. I like the way it looked.            
If your not living life to the fullest then your not living at all.

You wont really know if your wrong till your upsidedown

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Offline Mikerpm4x4

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2004, 01:42:31 AM »
If you buy the sunsport in the old style the sides do zip out and the back also can be removed so you have just a bikini top remaining. 5 pieces total.

Mike
If your not living life to the fullest then your not living at all.

You wont really know if your wrong till your upsidedown

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Offline Z3bra

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Re: Soft Tops
« Reply #14 on: January 09, 2004, 03:37:10 AM »
Hey Mike, you've got the same black with red trim line paint job I have.  You've also got the nasty looking orange/red seat center sections I have too.  I swear if there were one thing about the interior I could change that might have to be top on the list.

I need to look for a new soft top too, the rear window cracked in a couple places a few weeks ago.  One at the very base of it and the other in the upper left corner.  I fixed it ghetto style with duct tape though for now.  Ugly, but it works.

While we're on the subject of tops, does anybody have an Astrocap hardtop? If so how do you like it? I don't like the plastic ones like the BestTop ones since they'll warp all to hell here in Phoenix after about 1 summer. Every single one I've ever seen here looks beat to hell.

If I do get the Astrocap one I'll probably end up insulating it or something with styrofoam and laying up a new layer of fiberglass on the inside.  I'd maybe look into some 1/2 or 3/4" honeycomb nomex instead so I could stand on the thing if I wanted or needed to.  

Honestly, I'm half tempted to try and make a mold out of foam and build my own for the 800-1000 bucks they cost.  Then I could make it out of carbon fiber and be the envy of every ricer in town too.  Actually I would seriously consider Kevlar since it could be stronger and lighter than one made out of fiberglass and more importantly Kevlar's not as itchy as glass is when you're working with it.

As far as the door removal, you might also be able to use the spring loaded "T" pins with the plunger and the little detent balls that lock into place.  They're not cheap but they are about as strong as an actual bolt or pin would be.  They're also very high on the cool toy factor too.  If you're worried about the steel on steel rubbing you could bush the holes by drilling them out a little bit and putting in some bronze sleeve bushings, call around to industrial supply places in your area to find them.  If you don't have one nearby try McMaster-Carr http://www.mcmaster.com  they probably won't be metric but then again the T pins probably won't be either unless you want to special order them from somewhere like Maryland Metric.  I prefer metric in general but there's times when you have to give up on being a purist.  (Anytime you're trying to use aircraft grade fasteners and such you have to for instance).  Anyway, the bronze bushings are very inexpensive and you could either use the ones with the lip on one end by pressing them in or just the plain sleeves by epoxying them into the drilled out hole.  Myself I'd opt for making the lip style bushings work.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2004, 03:44:12 AM by Z3bra »