elimsprint

Hi All,
I just bought an '01 TJ It came with a hard top (installed) and a Bestop bikini. It did not come with any manuals at all I got the hard top off and the bikini on and I want to remove the hardtop doors but I don't know what to do about the interior light switches in the door jams. How do I disable them??? Also with all the bikini hardware I found 2 little clips and 3 long bolts with plastic handles on them. What are they for? I found the directions for the top online but I don't know where to find the rest of the info. Thanks for any help you can give me,
Kim

RiponredTJ

Pull fuse number 4 in the panel behind your glove compartment to disable the lights.

elimsprint

Thanks ripponredtj,
I'll try that, I'm just worried that doing that might affect the alarm that is in it. I got 0 manuals with the jeep including none for the alarm or Sony stereo that are in it so I am just trying to find them all online. Oh well the price was right:)
Kim

RiponredTJ

Unless someone has done some stupid wiring you should be fine. Chrysler dedicated fuse number 4 to the interior lights to facilitate door removal.

Just pull the fuse and see what happens. If it creates a problem for alarm/stereo, put it back in, curse the previous owner and go to plan B.

elimsprint

Removing the fuse worked, thank you riponredtj. Now a couple of more questions if I may. Where do I get a downloadable owners manual, preferably free? Also these were in with the hardware for the bikini but don't seem to go with it. Any idea what they are for?

RiponredTJ

Don't know about the clips, but the 3 other things look like the ***** used to attach the door surrounds. You need 4 of them, and I'm guessing you didn't get the door surrounds either, right?

I couldn't find a free owners manual. I bought one online for like 20 or 30 bucks.

Here's another idea for you. When you put the hardtop back on, lose the existing hardware and buy yourself some 3/8" eyebolts washers and wing nuts to attach the top.
That way you don't need stupid torx bits. The eyebolts will give you some tie down points, and the wing nuts fit into the channel in the tub in such a way that they won't spin when you tighten or loosen the eyebolts. Your top will come off and go on without tools :D

elimsprint

Door surrounds???? Whatever they are I didn't get them. Do I need them and what do they do besides surround the door:)? The idea with the eye bolts is pure genius, thank you. I think I'm going to put them on right away so I can have a spot to anchor a safety rope across the box for 1 of the dogs when I take one with me. I am also thinking of taking out the carpets and getting the whole interior sprayed with bedliner. Have you heard of anyone else doing that and would there be any problems you can think of?
Kim
I just found them (door surrounds) on e-bay, for soft-tops so I guess I don't need them

RiponredTJ

If you have full doors the door surrounds help seal and retain those doors. They keep the doors from vibrating and water from getting in. A lot of people seem to have experienced stress cracks in the full doors where the window frame meets the door after running topless without them. Ididn't get any surrounds either and ran topless for quite a few days without problems before taking the doors off to stop the rattling. If you like wind it's the only way to go :p

I don't know about BC but here in la belle province we need at least two mirrors to be legal. The highway code didn't specify the type of mirrors so I improvised.

Canadian Tire bicycle mirror for 3.99, once again 3/8" (I think) bolt, washer and nut. Plus a little piece of aluminum cut and drilled. Total cost under 10 bucks tax in.

Once everything is tightened down nicely it almost never vibrates and makes it all legal. The only thing I'd do different the next time is to use a steel plate instead of aluminum and weld that bold to the plate. That way I'd only need one tool to install and remove it.

RiponredTJ

Lots of people do it. I prefer paint. With paint you can see problems. Bed liner products hide problems and often you won't know you have one till it's a big one.

I also like my dirty gray carpet. It's cozy

elimsprint

I talked to the bedliner guy and he says he has done quite a few so I think that and an audio upgrade will be my next projects. I also want to replace the driving/fog lights on the front and get some HID. This is how it will ride this summer, doorless with bikini, I LOVE IT!!!!!!