Little Help with Fastrac Top Install

[Mike C]

I am trying to get the rear bow brackets mounted, and the instructions STINK, to say the least. It says use the rear body aluminum as a template, and their is not a single set of holes that the bracket lines up with. Even more confusing, there are (4) holes in the rear bow bracket, but you are only supposed to use (2) of them? I have been unable to communicate this with Specialty Top Co. for some reason.

SO...Anybody with a Fastrac top, how far from the rear of the body aluminum is the rear of the rear bow bracket?

What about the windshield track? How much if any did you have to "tweak" it to get it in the channel before you screwed it down?

Initially my top came with (4) of the right rear body aluminum and none of the rest but they corrected that pretty quickly. Also missing were the (8) 5/16" nuts that went on the bolts that held the body aluminum on.

[bouncytruck]

Do you have a single or double wall top? When installing my top, the holes in the aluminum bed rails lined up with the holes for the single wall top. Is it possible that you have the brackets reversed?

The rear aluminum strip sits right at the corner of the body on mine. If it weren't raining like crazy to day, I'd snap some pictures.

The windshield track was lame. I mounted it with the far ends down as low as possible into the rain gutter. This left the center about 3/4" or more above the rain gutter. In the end, it works without any issues, but it didn't seem right when I was installing it.

Sounds like you need to spend some time on the phone with STC. My kit came complete and install was fairly painless. It did take a long time to install, but I double checked everything before drilling.

[Mike C]

Thanks. I got my aluminum pieces on, it's mounting the top bow bracket. I have NO idea where on the aluminum piece to mount the bracket. Picture with a tape measure would be great!

[bouncytruck]

Originally Posted by Mike C

Thanks. I got my aluminum pieces on, it's mounting the top bow bracket. I have NO idea where on the aluminum piece to mount the bracket. Picture with a tape measure would be great!

Sorry, can't do a picture now because it is dark and very rainy. Find the center and tape the piece to the top of the windshield frame. It won't follow the curve of the windshield. The ends will be down into the gutter and the center will be up about 3/4" further up than the edges. I think if you just get it cented, you should be ok. The material is pretty flexable so it doesn't have to be 100% precise.

[Mike C]

Thanks again for the info on the windshield frame.

SOmetime today if the weather clears, would you measure by the tailgate from the rear of the body aluminum to the rear bow bracket and get me that #. I'm guessing it's somewhere around 24 inches? But that's purely a guess.

[MNorby]

sorry to be OT but when did you get your top and when did you order it? I have one on orders since sept 6th and haven't seen it yet but been hearing rumors that STC is selling out.

[Yukon Jack]

STC is definitely selling - I talked to them on Thursday or Friday. Hope you get your top MNorby.

Mike - I've read lots of complaints about the instructions - someday I will be getting a soft top and when I do, I'll be hitting you up for your thoughts on your installation. You might want to pm Burt4x4 - he recently installed the STC fastrac.

Here are some pics I hosted for member dustinbeachman that might help you http://yukon.b0xen.us/temp/destinbeachman/

[Mike C]

Hi guys,
I ordered my top probably in May? I had it in August 10th with the as noted wrong aluminum for the body. Took about a week to get the new pieces and I have been on an overtime schedule at work and weekends spoken for. Now that I am working on it, I keep running into little things.

Let me know Mark, I should have it figured out by then I hope...

[MNorby]

I talked to STC today, they are selling and aren't currently producing since they are out or material but he said the new owner as far as he knows will continue to produce, just a delay for now

[herb101]

Any other manufacturers make a top? A top worth owning, that is.

Herb

[bouncytruck]

Best top is the only other manufacturer of tops for our trucks as far as I know.

[MNorby]

I'm gonna call them again end of week and next week to keep status on mine. I'll let ya'll know as it pans out

[hotrodhomi]

how much are these tops new? The PO bought one and never installed it. I can't wait to see your installed pictures, that way I can decide if I want to keep it or not. I'm not sure it would look good on my lowered 2wd.

[bouncytruck]

The tops run in the $650 range. They are nice if you are using the rig as a daily driver or live in a place where rain can come at any time.

[hotrodhomi]

I'm just not sure I want to drill for the snaps

[bouncytruck]

If I had a 2wd that was a sunny-day driver, I'd probably skip the soft top and run completely topless.

[Mike C]

OK, making progress. Seems I had the rear aluminum flipped side-to-side. I swapped them because only (1) bolt went through my original top holes. Now with it flipped I need to drill a new hole in the bed rail. The 1/4" sheet metal screws for the bow brackets are too short, won't engage the bed rail, so I'll get different fasteners at lunch today.

For anybody searching for clarification, the front body aluminum has 1/2 a bolt hole at the rear and the rear body aluminum has 1/2 a hole at the front that lines up with the front one. This is not in the instructions. Note that it says you use stock top holes, but at least in my case I'll need to drill at least one each side.

The instructions say use the aluminum as a template. The holes for the bow brackets are drilled slightly smaller than the holes for the body aluminum to mount. The rear bow bracket has (4) holes drilled in the bottom unlike the front which just has (2).

[bouncytruck]

Are you sure you don't have the whole thing flipped? Make sure you have the front aluminum strips in front and the rear ones in the rear. The "half-hole" between the two should line up with one of the top holes. I didn't have to drill any holes for the bed side brackets - just for the tailgate strip, header strip, the three snaps on each side of the windshield and the large hole in the top front of the bedsides for the door frame.

Can you take some pictures of what you are seeing? I should be able to snap some pictures of my rig this weekend. With the diminishing light and the rain, it has been dark out on my way to and from work every day.

[Mike C]

The half holes meet in the middle now. I'll go out and see if the whole thing will shift back a little bit. But here are some shots before I flipped it. You can see where the holes are in the aluminum since I painted the rails with Eastwood Rust Sealer

[bouncytruck]

If you can hold off until Sunday, I'm going to pull my top for the winter and I could take some detailed pictures of anything and everything you need.

Does your rig have a single or double wall top?

[Mike C]

Thanks, My truck had a double wall top. Most likely Sunday is when I'll work on it again. I need to get some 1/4" bolts to hold the bow brackets on since the sheet metal screws they provided just aren't long enough.

[bouncytruck]

I'm thinking after looking at those pics and taking a quick look at the aluminum brackets on my truck on the way home tonight that you have them on the wrong sides. The longer of the two goes in the back and the back. I'll shoot some pics with a tape measure Sunday afternoon when I pull the top for the winter.

[Mike C]

The longer of which? The longer aluminum is in the back, and the front bracket is only about 2" long.

[bouncytruck]

Here are the pics from removing the soft top today. I marked the four holes I had to drill in the bed rail for the brakets.

[bouncytruck]

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