It’s springtime here in Alabama and that means the top is coming down. Sometimes we like to remove the top completely and here’s a little modification that helps make the job a lot easier.
There is a product out there made to do the same job that retails for about $50. This mod will cost around $6.50 and take about 30 minutes. You will need four universal clevis pins, 1/4″ diameter x 2″ long, and four small cotter pin (hair pin type). The tools required are a drill with a 9/32″ bit, a Phillips head screwdriver, a file, and a felt tip marker.
The first thing to do is prepare the top as if you were going to fold it back but leave it up, it needs to be loose. When that is done, take out the screws that connect the frame brackets to the tabs on the sport cage and pull them away from the tabs. It will take a little effort to pull them loose but don’t worry about breaking anything because you won’t. (Sorry, I don’t have any pics of this process, I did this mod a couple of years ago.)
Drill a 9/32″ hole through the same hole that the screw was just removed from. There is a nut molded into the back side of the plastic bracket that you must drill though. If the bit hangs in it, just keep the drill running and push the nut out of the back side of the bracket. The back side of the bracket won’t look real clean but nobody will see it anyway and it won’t effect the modification.
Test fit the clevis pin in the hole and mark it for the correct length. You need just enough of the pin sticking through to see one hole.
Cut the pin and check the length again, if it’s OK cut the other three to the same length. Don’t forget to file the ends, the upper pin will touch the padding of the sport bar.
Push the bracket onto the tab, insert the pin, and secure it with a cotter pin. The finished product looks great. In less than 30 seconds both sides can be disconnected and you’ll be ready to go completely topless.
Note from Stu: I wanted to pass along a thank you to Mike for sharing this idea with the rest of us. This is a handy mod that will NOT break your budget!