Hard Top Brace questions

[igottastanger]

I just had my hard top powder coated flat black as a base coat for painting and it came out perfect going to put new seam sealer in it this weekend and pop the glass in. My question is the top it self is still a little flimsy any slight pressure and it pops down. What is best to use in between the top brace and the actual sheet metal of the top to keep it firm. There was a cardboard type material stapled in between but it was removed before the heating process otherwise it would have ignited. What can I use here to stiffen up the top to keep it from popping in and cracking the paint that is going on it soon.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I slapped a couple sheets of BetaBrace on and that did wonders. But it is real hard to come across. It is an epoxy/fiberglass stiffing panel that is applied and baked to harden. So not very easy to install either. It is used in some new cars to stiffen the thin stampings. It is NOT black tar and foil noise damper material.

 

[BRONCROB]

I took mine out and used camper seal tape but without taking them out silicone should work.

 

[Broncobowsher]

If you are just bridging the gap between the bow and the sheetmetal (not trying to fix the open field of metal) liquid nail works very good at bridging and bonding with just a little plasticity to it. Use it to fix new cargo van roofs that are separated from the bows.

 

[igottastanger]

Let me be a little clearer I'm looking to put something on top of the brace to push the top skin up and keep it from caving in like it does now due to being flimsy.

 

[bronconut73]

Well if the liquid nail bead sets up while the roof is not dented in then it won't be able to.
It will also lessen the oil canning effect.

 

[Wyflyer]

I once put a strip of thin plastic between the brace and the top, then sprayed flexible spray foam between the plastic strip and the brace. The foam swelled up enough to gently tighten the gap. the plastic kept the foam from gluing the two pieces together. I believe they were not meant to be fastened together permanently. I noticed on a cold day my top would be tight against the braces, and on a hot day it would have a gap. I was afraid if it were riveted or spot welded it would distort the metal top.

 

[Rustytruck]

The factory used gobs of what they use to call dum dum. These days I would use windshield adhesive. I would stand the top on end and tape the bottom of the rib to the top. Peel the tape some and inject the sealer and imediately tape it back in place to hold the adhesive in place until it sets. When set flip the top end for end and do the other side of the rib.

 

[Wyflyer]

The factory used gobs of what they use to call dum dum. These days I would use windshield adhesive. I would stand the top on end and tape the bottom of the rib to the top. Peel the tape some and inject the sealer and imediately tape it back in place to hold the adhesive in place until it sets. When set flip the top end for end and do the other side of the rib.

Where did they put that stuff? I've never seen anything but the paper shim between the bow and the top skin

 

[Rustytruck]

My 1974 had it stuck in a few places under the rib. It was put there before they painted the underside.

 

[igottastanger]

I once put a strip of thin plastic between the brace and the top, then sprayed flexible spray foam between the plastic strip and the brace. The foam swelled up enough to gently tighten the gap. the plastic kept the foam from gluing the two pieces together. I believe they were not meant to be fastened together permanently. I noticed on a cold day my top would be tight against the braces, and on a hot day it would have a gap. I was afraid if it were riveted or spot welded it would distort the metal top.

Yeah the PO decided to put on a cargo rack on and bolted it threw the brace to hold it down and years of distorting made it very flimsy and a PITA to work with.

 

[SeanT4x4]

Wait. Powder coated the hard top? I had wanted to do that a while back but everything I read on here said the heating process would badly distort the thin metal of our hard tops. Did it come out well?

 

[igottastanger]

Wait. Powder coated the hard top? I had wanted to do that a while back but everything I read on here said the heating process would badly distort the thin metal of our hard tops. Did it come out well?

Yes it came it perfect I love it but did have to literally chisel out all the seal sealer on the drip rail before I sent it off. It was a pain in the a## and I still didn't get it all. My guy had to pre heat it just to get the rest to melt off. But at the end of the day it made my top stronger because now it has a base coat and heat treated and keeps the metal from flexing as much. Now my top was in bad shape so this is what I had to do just to get more material on it so that the painter had something to work with.

 

[Tulsa76bronco]

Igottastinger can u send some pics of the top

 

[Broncobowsher]

Wait. Powder coated the hard top? I had wanted to do that a while back but everything I read on here said the heating process would badly distort the thin metal of our hard tops. Did it come out well?

That reminds me of someone here who had a body powdercoated. Warped and destroyed a perfect body.

 

[igottastanger]

hard top powder coated.

Igottastinger can u send some pics of the top

PM me with your phone number or email and ill get some to you.