Soft Top Window Zipper

[Lee]

I'm not always the sharpest tool in the shed, but I didn't think I'd get bested by a zipper.

What am I missing here? Older TJ Quadratop from 2014 according to the embossing on the old window. New rear window for a Quadratop allegedly for my top.

There's no putting these two pieces together, they won't even start to go into the zipper slide. I don't know if it matters, but when I removed the old window, the zipper slides stayed with the top, but the new window has the slides on it. Of course I ruined one of the original slides removing it.

Quadratec's current response is to return it, that's fine but I still need a window. I've got safety pins holding the old window in now.

 

[total newb]

Planned obsilesence.

They dont make the zipper, they stitch it on. Mfg of zipper changed profile.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Some engineer will tell you the new zipper is better because it shaved $6 off of a container load of them and performs "the same" under laboratory conditions.

 

[Chief Rocka]

I had a canvas tent zipper split and upholstery places wanted stupid $ to repair. Chk out a product called Fixnzip. Got mine on AMZN

 

[Lee]

Looks like I'm returning the window. I originally thought if I replaced the stop and/or box on the end I would be good to go.

I know WAY more about zippers than I did this time last week. Anyone wondering or for future Googlers, Quadratec's Quadratop uses a #10 coil or #10c zipper. It's a Double Open #10c zipper. The double open box and pin were harder to find, the vast majority of zipper repair kits and parts are for closed zippers.

I ordered some Uxcell open zipper pins and boxes off of Amazon, thinking that I would swap the top's zipper from a box to a pin and be good to go.

Amazon.com

I still had to modify those, as the Uxcell pin side has stops that wouldn't fit the Quadratop slides. I'd guess the current version of the Quadratop doesn't have stops on the pin/top side since there are stops on the box/window side. I ground the stops off the Uxcell pin.

How it comes:

With the stops removed.

My old Quadratop's original top side zipper. I removed it pretty easily with some Oetiker crimper/end cutters.

New modified Uxcell pin installed. I used some UV set resin to handle the frayed ends from my ham fisted fiddling with it and crimped it on with some Kline wire cutter/crimpers.

The new Quadratop window's zipper slides slid right over it and I thought all was gravy. But despite my best efforts, I could NOT get the two sides of the zipper to mesh with each other.


Upon closer inspection, not only are the ends different on my new replacement window compared to the original Quadratop window, but the entire zipper is on backwards.

My old busted window laying on top of the new window, you can see the zippers are flipped between the two.

Kalglas made the original window according to what's embossed on it. I don't know if they actually made the window or if they're just who made the tinted vinyl. That's another avenue to persue for a correct replacement window, but I don't have high hopes.

Pretty sure I'll be shopping for a new top, and it SURE AS HECK won't be another Quadratop.

In the mean time I've patched up the cracks in the old window with some flexible UV set resin, and ordered some replacement #10c zipper slides. Knowing me, there's a good chance that'll be a long term fix.


I think Quadratec's response to my concerns is kind of hillarious. They make/sale the top and window but I should take it to a licensed automotive technician or Jeep dealer for assistance.

 

[Lee]

I don't know that anyone cares, but here's the end of this saga, at least for the time being. Quadratec is sending me a pre-paid FedEx label and RMAing the window. I expected as much, but I have never returned anything with them and wasn't sure if I should expect a fight over return shipping or not. Good news they are owning it.

Silver lining if there is one, I know A LOT more about zippers now. Maybe I'll retain that knowledge. I've also learned about UV set resin and added another tool/skill to my bag of tricks.

The Quadratec customer service fella said they are aware of the issue with parts availability for their older tops and have discussed actually getting the correct parts in inventory. Now if they would train all of their customer service staff about the incompatibility of various generations of their tops and not sell the wrong part to unsuspecting customers, that'd be even better.

Since I had ruined my original Quadratop's zipper slides and the pin with stops, I had to order new slides. I snagged a pair of large pull YKK #10c sliders off Amazon. I wound up using the Uxcell pin & box set again. I don't guess I needed the pin on the top side, but I wanted the stops and slides to stay on that side like the top originally had. The Uxcell set puts the stops on the pin side instead of the box side, the top originally was the opposite. I wound up putting new Uxcell pin and box on both the old window and the top. Turns out the stops weren't big enough to actually, ya know... stop the new YKK zipper sliders from going past them. I sanded the paint off of the little stop nipples and globed some solder on them to stop the slides. It's a little out of focus on the photo below, but you can see a shiny silver bead of solder on the stop, I did that to both sides of the pin. I'm sure I could still rip the slide past them if I tried, but as long as I don't do anything too bone headed they should work okay-ish.

I now have a functioning zipper again. I cleaned and lubed the zipper teeth, and having actual pulls on the zipper slides instead of zip ties is pretty nice. The zipper works great!

I still needed to patch up the cracks/splits in the window. The whole reason I started down this path. I was searching for repair tricks that weren't duct tape, I've seen the adhesive vinyl patches and they may be a better option, but I came across some folks using UV set resin. I knew the stuff existed, but never used it before. Looking into it I discovered there's even flexible, soft UV resin. I thought that might be the ticket for a Jeep soft top window.

I had hoped that I could get away with only doing one side of the top, but that didn't work out. I had issues with the worst crack, it kind of spider webbed in a few directions and had deformed over time. If you repair the crack soon after it happened you might get away with it.

I aligned all the cracks in as close to their original position as I could and held everything in place with painters tape, and started squirting resin. This stuff sets up pretty quick with a UV light. It says 5 minutes on the bottle, but it's not moving after 20-30 seconds of the light shining on it.

This is the worst crack. It looked a lot better, but I got impatient. I originally only resined the inside, but when I installed the window I realized it was going to tear if I didn't do the outside too. Instead of taking the window off and doing it on a flat surface I just did it on the Jeep. So I was fighting gravity.

The single crack on the other side looks a lot better, I did both sides with the window off on a flat surface.

That's it, the old cracked Quadratop window is back in, new zipper sliders, box, and pin, and some UV resin patching up the cracks. I still want a new window, but this will hopefully get me through the winter.

 

[Oddball]

Any shop that does upholstery and convertible tops would be able to sew a new vinyl window into the old unit.

 

[TrailTamer]

Looks like your windshield is cracked too

Lee Thank for sharing! This thread is informative regard the damned zipper. lol.

I got new “Pavement Ends”soft top from Bestop (their lower line brand) which failed already, and naturally it’s the rear window.

I been thinking on to try find me a heavy duty sewing machine to sew on new (much higher quality) zipper to the top & the rear window. And I get to fix old soft tops, customize whatever to them along with other many uses when have some sewing skills.

 

[Tech Tim]

Looks like your windshield is cracked too

It is a Jeep after all...

 

[Lee]

Any shop that does upholstery and convertible tops would be able to sew a new vinyl window into the old unit.

It's all relative, I haven't priced it, don't even know who to call short of Google search results. I can't imagine anyone doing it cheaper than a ~$78 replacement window, had Quadratec actually had the correct window. There's a lot of Chinesium tops on the market, i.e. Smittybilt, Rugged Ridge, etc. for $200-ish. I could get a new Quadratop sailcloth for $400. Maybe I'll be surprised at how cheap a local shop can source a correct replacement window and/or modify one to fit my top. That's a task for Future Lee.

Speaking of "Future Lee," TrailTamer & Tech Tim I've owned this Heep for about 24 years. Past Lee put a Safari Snorkel on it when he was young and dumb (dumber). I've got an entire window frame in my stash of parts to replace the one I drilled holes in to mount the snorkel. Haven't found a Flame Red (PR4) front right fender close enough, cheap enough, or rust free enough, to justify buying. I'm not interested in body work and don't particularly like the flat fender look on TJs. When I get a fender to replace the one Past Lee hogged a snorkel hole in the side of, I'll also replace the window with the frame.