Top Bolts
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,371
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From: Manassas, VA
Top Bolts
So we've discovered an issue with the Bronco top, specifically how it mounts to the body. The two rear bolts go into what looks like captive nuts that slides on a rail? Why they designed it this way I don't understand. The issue is the nut on the passenger's side has decided it wanted to go on vacation and hasn't let us know when its coming back. No sign of it, I believe its been like that since we purchased the vehicle. Ordinarily I wouldn't care because all the other bolts are in fine, but the top isn't seating properly on the body anymore and its letting water leak into the trunk area, which I don't want because its all carpeted.
The worst part is that I tried taking off the plastic trim but I couldn't access the channel where the alleged nut is supposed to be located. It's sealed on both top and bottom. Anyone with an 8th gen had this issue and know a substitute fix or how to get that sliding captive nut aligned up again properly?
The worst part is that I tried taking off the plastic trim but I couldn't access the channel where the alleged nut is supposed to be located. It's sealed on both top and bottom. Anyone with an 8th gen had this issue and know a substitute fix or how to get that sliding captive nut aligned up again properly?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
Likes: 12
From: Gateway to the West
If any of the spring nuts on the bed rails decide to go for a dive into the abyss between the inner and outer fender panels, unless you have a really nice magnetic reach tool that you are very adept and NOT getting stuck to the steel walls on the way down, you might as well just go get some new ones and leave the one(s) that have fallen to fall out when the wheel arches rust through enough to let them fall out the bottom of the truck.
I have personally had the top off my 92 (and 93) more times than I care to recall and I have NEVER put an 8th Gen. top back on with more than the two long bolts in the top forward corners and the two in the rear aft corners of the bed rails. Never had a water problem. The guide pins near the after corners can be a B$%&ch to get the top to drop back into their respective holes in the bed but once that happens, the rest should go back and seal well. I did add two very thin (1/8" or even 1/16") strips of UHMW plastic to the bed rails on the '93 to facilitate sliding the top off without scratching the rails. Basically give the top a glide surface to rest on. Be careful though, this makes it VERY easy to slide the top around and if the guide pins are free in the back it will fall and do terrible things to both top and bed rails.
I have personally had the top off my 92 (and 93) more times than I care to recall and I have NEVER put an 8th Gen. top back on with more than the two long bolts in the top forward corners and the two in the rear aft corners of the bed rails. Never had a water problem. The guide pins near the after corners can be a B$%&ch to get the top to drop back into their respective holes in the bed but once that happens, the rest should go back and seal well. I did add two very thin (1/8" or even 1/16") strips of UHMW plastic to the bed rails on the '93 to facilitate sliding the top off without scratching the rails. Basically give the top a glide surface to rest on. Be careful though, this makes it VERY easy to slide the top around and if the guide pins are free in the back it will fall and do terrible things to both top and bed rails.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 138
From: Manassas, VA
If any of the spring nuts on the bed rails decide to go for a dive into the abyss between the inner and outer fender panels, unless you have a really nice magnetic reach tool that you are very adept and NOT getting stuck to the steel walls on the way down, you might as well just go get some new ones and leave the one(s) that have fallen to fall out when the wheel arches rust through enough to let them fall out the bottom of the truck.
I have personally had the top off my 92 (and 93) more times than I care to recall and I have NEVER put an 8th Gen. top back on with more than the two long bolts in the top forward corners and the two in the rear aft corners of the bed rails. Never had a water problem. The guide pins near the after corners can be a B$%&ch to get the top to drop back into their respective holes in the bed but once that happens, the rest should go back and seal well. I did add two very thin (1/8" or even 1/16") strips of UHMW plastic to the bed rails on the '93 to facilitate sliding the top off without scratching the rails. Basically give the top a glide surface to rest on. Be careful though, this makes it VERY easy to slide the top around and if the guide pins are free in the back it will fall and do terrible things to both top and bed rails.
I have personally had the top off my 92 (and 93) more times than I care to recall and I have NEVER put an 8th Gen. top back on with more than the two long bolts in the top forward corners and the two in the rear aft corners of the bed rails. Never had a water problem. The guide pins near the after corners can be a B$%&ch to get the top to drop back into their respective holes in the bed but once that happens, the rest should go back and seal well. I did add two very thin (1/8" or even 1/16") strips of UHMW plastic to the bed rails on the '93 to facilitate sliding the top off without scratching the rails. Basically give the top a glide surface to rest on. Be careful though, this makes it VERY easy to slide the top around and if the guide pins are free in the back it will fall and do terrible things to both top and bed rails.
I don't know if you've run across this issue before, there's literally nothing to screw that aft right top bolt into, just an empty chasm.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 9,182
Likes: 12
From: Gateway to the West
I see... thanks for the clarification. I missed the "aft corner" part. That is odd and unfortunately, I have never had to deal with one of those going missing. They always seemed to be more "captive" than the spring nuts hence the suggestion to just use the corners. I haven't had a close look at that area of the truck in quite some time as mine is not currently "reassembled". I will take a closer look next time I am in the garage and see if I can determine how mine are attached and/or how one might "fix" the kind of issue you are dealing with. Sorry, I was not more help.
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,371
Likes: 138
From: Manassas, VA
No worries, thank you for checking up when you get the chance! Yeah its quite the puzzling issue but we'd really like to get it fixed ASAP!
If the top comes off in the near future I'll post a pic.
If the top comes off in the near future I'll post a pic.
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