Tell me this will fit ...

I had the same issue. It was 100 outside when I did mine. My measurements were exact. I must have measured 10 times thinking, "This has gotta fit."

I adjusted the location of the clevis pins using the forward most hole instead of the center hole. This shortened the rear bow allowing the top to snap as designed. I also shortened the horizontal rod over the door so the front bow would be closer to the windshield. I also made the eye on the eye bolt closer to the windshield. It really made everything fit much better without having to destroy the top as I installed it.

I can't really tell but in your photo it looks like you have the rods over the door installed. What if you take those off, adjust your rear crossbow and then snap the top down? Once I did this I ended up cutting off the rods over the door as they ended up being just a bit long.

I know once installed the top is very tight. The old tiger top I took off was the same way but I figured it was because it was old and shrunk.

My next idea was to shorten the front bow and re drill the holes for the clevis pins. If that didn't work I was going to shorten the rear bow and drill the pins. I didn't have to go that far. But I do look at it from time to time wondering if I should redo that spot. It is very tight.

Oh yeah, the Mrs. snapped while I pulled the top. You may need an extra pair of hands.

The other issues you may have are the rear window and doors. The rear window will take some coaxing to get it to snap to the tail gate. It is tight like the top. I do have one snap that I cannot get to go on the driver's side above the chain (in the last photo). The doors need adjusting as described in the installation instructions.

I am sure you are just about frustrated at this point. I sure was. If you need more photos let me know. Hang in there and keep us posted.

 

Here's what I'd try...
First, install windshield latches and reef them down tight to compress the cowl seal. If its newer or never been compressed, this should give you some slack.
Second, lower the middle bow to its lowest position(if its adjustable).
Third, instead of the chinup bar and ratchet strap trying to pull down evenly, grasp the top of the rear corner on the outside and pull down with one hand while snapping with the other. One side at a time.
A quick look at your weather and I would say that sun or no sun, 75-80* is a little cool for this. Those tiger tops need to be hot to the touch to get the stretch going for installing new.

 

Mark, thanks for your comments - very helpful.

I'm not going to install windshield catches. It's at the proper rake now. There's no aftermarket source for catches, and increasing the rake of the windshield will cause other fitment problems.

The front/middle bow is not adjustable. The corners would never reach the body, with or without the ratchet strap and bar.

Suggesting that it isn't hot enough for the installation is not very helpful. The weather is what it is. If I'm required to wait until a sunny 100 degree day, that's simply a ridiculous requirement. I could put the Jeep in my heated garage and crank it up, but then I lose the benefit of the sun.

 

I'm curious to hear bestop's answer. I've contemplated getting a supertop, but this thread makes me appreciate my meyer's hardtop.

 

Just a little "what if" thought here, but could you rig up an electric heater inside the Jeep, with the sides and doors in place, park it in the sun also, and have the ratchet strap setup you show in the first post. Put some tension on the ratchet strap while things are heating. Give it a half hour or so to warm up, and then tighten up the ratchet strap a bit, repeat as needed to get the top to fit.

 

Tim, we had to park the Jeeps with the top thrown over the bows outside during a top install during the winter months here; get them out in the sun to stretch;this is normal for any soft top install; to say it's not a very helpful suggestion is wrong.
Expecting any soft top to install right out of the box on any day is expecting way too much in my experiences.

 

Well, yeah, but the degree (pun not intended) is the issue, not the strategy. 80 degrees is a warm day here - and the sun is just as intense. The top was really warm - and it's not a matter of missing by a little.

Sorry if my rebuke of DREDnot's advice was too harsh.

 

Yeah, I could try that - but I think the stretching in the sun is either way over rated, or I have a lot bigger gap than a little heat can remedy. When the sun went down, I released the top from the ratchet and it only snapped back about 1/2". It seems to me that there's no way that the material can stretch 3" just due to it's temperature.

 

I spoke to Tanya at Bestop CS, and she asked that I send her pictures. I also sent a link to this thread. Waiting for a response now.

 

Definitely let us know what their response is. I know If I wait until it's cold no way I can get my soft tops on. They shrink a lot. A warm day or very warm sun on a calm day even if a little cool and I can usually get them on. They really do stretch a lot but I doubt 3" worth.

 

Bestop CS wrote to me and said they had the pictures and had looked at this thread. They promised to get back to me after the experts - apparently not around right now - were consulted.

 

Tim, looking at the first picture, the top needs to move 3 +- inches to the back of the Jeep. I do not see how adjusting the bows would help. The top looks short in my books. If you can measure where the top fastens to the Jeep, down the side and around the radius to the tailgate and then measure the fabric. I would like to see the difference in the two measurement. I am sure there is a percent that the fabric would stretch but I bet you need a lot of stretch

Steve

 

DREDnot's comment on one side at a time is how I did mine. Once I adjusted the back bow to the next hole that made quite a bit of difference. The only thing I can figure is that it shortens the radius allowing the snaps to be closer to the tub at the back. I don't remember if the gap was 3" or something else but it was far enough that I thought I was going to puke cause I had spent the money for a new top.

The rod that goes over the door was too long and I remember cutting it by about 3/4". This allowed me to snap the strap around the front bow. This also lowered the front bow because it leaned slightly more forward.

I went out and poked around and the top is not as tight as I thought. I think it is normal compared to the other new top I installed on my brother's 73 Cj5.

I will keep watching for Best Top's answer.

 

I was looking at your pics again and that's exactly what mine looked like. I think you are right in that the top is a bit too universal. I think it could be overcome with different instructions for the earlier CJ6. Hopefully they can figure out some dimensional adjustments for the older CJ.

 

If I shelled out a grand for this top, I'd be unhappy. I guess I'll go to a boat canvas place and get mine made when it's time...............

Hope it works out Tim.

 

Tim,

I have a Bespoke top on my CJ6, its not on the jeep at the mo, but rather boxed up ready for installing later, seeing my one was on the vehicle and I know it fitted I could take maesurements on mine (in certian determined spots) to help you double check yours. Seeing there are not many others with CJ6's to help, it may be an option. I also have the original data sheets and installation guide aswell so we could check one off against the other to double check everything.

 

I bought a top from Best Top and it does fit on my CJ6. I had to make sure the windshield to back measurement was correct. Mine was off a little. The top I bought was from a batch made last summer, 2010, because when I ordered it from Best Top down in Colorado they didn't have any in the warehouse and I had to wait a few months for them to be made in Mexico. Yes it is a tight fit to put on and both my wife and I had to work together to put snap everything together. Also it turned out I had a minor sewing error on the top and they sent me a new top to replace the one I had and said to "destroy the old one and don't return it to us". So now I have 2 cj6 tops for the jeep. But since them I have been tearing into the jeep and haven't had the top on again.

 

Any new news on your top Tim? It has me baffled.

 

They e-mailed me yesterday, and said that they are still in confab mode. They will reply "as quickly as they can."