Soft Top Hardware: J-bolts? Bows to replace straps?

[ashyers]

Now that we are actually getting some rain the soft top is back on the truck. I was checking out the manual prior to installing the top and it mentioned some "J-bolts". There were none when the top was removed, just a U-bolt that grabbed the rear vertical post and anchored it to the door jam. Does anyone have a photo of the J-bolts and some description of where they are used? Do I need them? If I had not looked in the manual I would not have known they were even missing.

On another note, while searching for info on the bolts I came across an old post that showed some bows that supported the soft top where the canvas straps go. The straps have limited utility, but some bows that actually support the top and reduce puddling would be nice. Has anyone made a set that's proved to work well?

Andy

[w30bob]

Hi Andy,

You're probably referring to a post or two I started in regards to the soft top bows. I've seen a few good designs over the years, the best being a set that in cross section looked like an upside down "U" with feet. They were made of steel and probably made on a seam roller. I saw them at a show in NJ, but never was able to find the owner. I'll take a look and see if I can find the pics. Other designs used just flat steel, curved upward..........and they worked well too. The other option is to sew some "pads" onto the top side of the straps so that when you cinch them up tight it raises the roof, so to speak. I'll go start digging thru my completely unorganized photo archives...........if you don't hear from me in a day or so send a search party.

regards,
bob

[mike_l]

I made a set of "J" bolts from cutting the side off of a "U" bolt, leaving the curved portion. Worked perfectly. There are two places in the lock pillar the bolts go, one has the "U" bolt, the other the "J" bolt. I don't recall which is in the top or in the bottom position.

Having a "J" bolt and "U" bolt in each side will help steady the rear bow and hold it vertically. The holes in the top of my cab were a little wallowed out when I got the truck I suspect because they only had one "U" bolt in each side.

[ashyers]

Mike,
Thanks for the response. I'll have to take another look at the inner part of the door jam and see if I can sort out how the J-bolts should fit. I wonder if many of the J-bolts were binned when the trucks were in use?

Andy

[52PLOWERWAGON]

what about top bows from a deuce or 5 ton they may have to be shortened though

[m15256]

My hard top has U and J bolts. The upper ones are J and as Mike said are made by cutting one leg off of a U bolt. They look original. I know that the two owners that had the truck after release from the Air Force never did much to it.

[RMS]

those u bolts make removing the hardtop a pain. 3 of the canadian trucks with "never removed hard tops" were orientated the same way. with the j above the U. I left them off

but I can get the hard top off or on in under 10min by my self.

first open the tailgate, one troop seat down, 3 fine thread bolts across the front, stand up (roof on shoulders hand in open window back up first, tilt past the windshield hooks ),step on seat, step over headache rack, crouch in box, crawl out the back. close the gate. it sucks when step one is forgotten

[Jess]

Robyn, That's how I used to lift mine off 30 yrs ago. Now I can't lift anything like that because my back is screwed, so I use a 2x6 under the rood and an overhead lifting point. I tossed the u-bolts and only used the two corner bolts in the windshield frame to secure it. Its managed to stay on all these years but the fastest its ever gone was downhill on the Island Hwy to get it here... The truck that had tailgate you restored came from had all the hardware frozen and rusted so badly, we cut it all off with a sawzall. Another local friend purchased the VPW fibreglass top and is very happy with it, since he also uses the soft top setup in summer. The reports are that the hardtop is easy to put on and take off, and doesn't leak, which is a plus for our moist climate...

[pwrwagonfire]

I bought a set of j-bolts, but just never installed them... doesn't seem to be an issue, and it looked like they would be a pain. A year driving around road speed with the soft top/no bolts, no issues.

I got a newly made top from Beachwood canvas, it was WONDERFUL, as well as nice and tight. With the straps, I've never had any issues. If your top is old and stretched out it may flap a bit.

-T