Installing a Bestop Supertop with soft doors on a CJ7

Follow along as we go through the steps to install the Bestop Supertop and soft doors on our CJ. You can use this guide for most any CJ, YJ. It was a very simple process and the results look great.
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Follow on Instagram: @41garageandgrill
Music
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Sir Gigalot The Giant
Ch@ntrelle Kingston
Ch@ntrelle Lion
Steffan Carlen If I Only Was Post
Basixx Tell Me
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[@timg0222]

That soft top/doors looks great on your CJ! Good job putting g it on there.

[@41GarageandGrill]

Thanks! I love how it turned out.

[@4dogyard]

good job

[@41GarageandGrill]

Thanks! We had fun putting it together.

[@DavidMcBee]

Came here looking for footage of how you got the zippered windows in. Just installed mine and it’s ridiculously tight and near impossible. Even when I lowered the bar, it was challenging to get them installed. Then getting the bar back into posting to the strength of two grown men. Feels like I’m missing some trick.

[@41GarageandGrill]

I didn't have issues with the windows but did struggle with the bar the first time. If you get it out in the sun to warm it up it seems to loosen it up enough to get everything in place. It must all stretch out after time because it goes up much easier now than the first few times. I do agree the first time I thought I was doing something wrong because I remember thinking something would break or tear if I kept pushing any harder. I am very happy with it over the years and I am sure you will be too. Thanks for watching

[@MegaTapdog]

Had trouble with mine, waited for a really warm day here in bc canada and it went on way smoother.

[@seanajohnson2393]

Love the Jeep. But I need to see how you got the door striker to work. And I’m struggling to make the doors fit into the door opening (the doors pop out at the top against the windshield). Also the top half of my doors- basically the pins- barely fit into the holes on the bottom half. I had to hammer them together. Did you struggle with that?

[@41GarageandGrill]

It was a struggle to get the pins into the bottom. I basically hammered it down from the top using my hand. I also had to bend and adjust the doors to get a tighter fit. It took several tweaks but has worked really well. I've even been able to go through car wash without getting wet. I may try to do a short video on the striker because others have asked about it too. Basically I drilled new holes for them as far to the outside of the Jeep as I could. It turned out good and has been working well. I think the key is getting the door in place and sealing how you want it then determine where the best fit for the striker. Hope that helps or gets you on track. I will try to put out a short video soon explaining it better. Thanks

[@williambiles2546]

Can you send a picture of how you fixed the door strike?

[@41GarageandGrill]

I am traveling right now but will do so when I get home.

[@j.g.1351]

How were the snaps installed?

[@41GarageandGrill]

@@j.g.1351 It was a while back when we installed this top but I don’t remember any snaps. Let me know if that answers your question.

[@jbphipps6812]

I really like that stance. What lift/wheel/tire combo are you running?

[@41GarageandGrill]

33" tire with a lift in the shackes. Those were there when I bought it so I don't know the exact lift but I am guess no more than 2 inch. It rides like a dream since I switched to the BF Goodrich tires. Thanks for watching!

[@Satchmojones]

Coulda really used some footage of that tricky ass tailgate bar my gate doesnt want to open or cose with it...but i havent gotten as far as you...its march and theres snow on the ground and the garage is 40 degrees here in michigan.

[@41GarageandGrill]

Cool. thanks for letting me know I never now how much to show so I will keep this in mind for future. Thanks for the feedback I always appreciate it

[@Satchmojones]

@@41GarageandGrill Yeah I've just put the top hardware on and not the cloth so maybe that will pull things tighter I'm thinking of just using the old tailgate rail but i don't even know if the fabric will accommodate that, its still folded in the box and i think the new system has a kind of sleeve sewn in that the tailgate bar slides into? I dunno lol it had a super top on it in the past so all the holes were already drilled in...im obviously not gonna read the instructions ;)

[@scotymiller8095]

This is the frame I have do you have a part number for this?

[@41GarageandGrill]

No part number but if you go on Best Top and look for CJ7 Supeetop classic that is it. If you call them they are very helpful too.

[@trentcoursey9295]

I just did the same top install on my 1980 CJ-7. Like you I was backordered for several months, guess they are finally catching up. One question...when you installed the upper half of the doors did they fit perfectly out of the box or did you have to do a lot of adjustment? My bottom halves fit well but the upper halves leave quite a gap along where the top of the door meets the roof line of the top. Thanks for the video!

[@41GarageandGrill]

Yes this is a great question I don't think I showed it but I did have to bend the top halves slightly to get them to fit better. I also removed the stoppers on them too so they would slide further down. I've gone through carwash since and had only minor leak. I have been amazed how tight it fits. Thanks for watching hope that helps answer your question

[@trentcoursey9295]

@@41GarageandGrill I was figuring I would need to do some "custom bending" good to hear you had same experience. And I didn't even think about removing the stoppers so it would slide down farther. The instructions talk about adjusting the stoppers but not really about the idea of removing them if needed. Thanks! One thing I will add is I had some trouble with my tailgate retainer and the rear window. The rear window is fine but on jeeps like our CJ-7 with internal tailgate latches once you insert the bottom retainer bar then close the tail gate you need to leave the rear window zippers down so you can turn the internal latches. That's not too big a deal since even with a hard top you have to open the rear window to do the latches. MY problem is my latch length is such that they won't turn past the retainer bar that's holding the rear window down. What I am doing for now is just closing my tailgate and then letting my rear tire carrier keep the tailgate shut. For a longer term solution what I might do is trim off the retainer bar a bit where the latch hits so I can fully turn the latch.

[@41GarageandGrill]

@@trentcoursey9295 I agree the rear latch is a pain. I have the same exact issue you do. That's a good idea to trim the bar some.

[@chrisurfer83]

Would like to see it fold down

[@41GarageandGrill]

Great idea. Not sure why I didn't do that. I will try to do a short with that very soon. Thanks for the suggestion!!

[@jonabbott2654]

When the top is folded down, does the frame fold down as well?