Replacing upper door skins, is it really this tough?

[Evil5oh]

Is replacing the upper door skins this hard!?

I am putting the back lower side of the frame in first, and I get it tight in there. I leave the bottom off, and stretch it tight to the front lower corner. Even standing on the frame, and using all the strength I have, I am about 3/4" short from getting the corner of the frame close to going into the pocket.

I just picked up a Viking top, and I ordered the Rampage uppers, but maybe they just aren't going to work? I know new ones are going to be tight, but damn, this seems a bit ridiculous.

It does say on the Viking Offroad website that from 97-02 Chrysler had 2 different size frames, and if you had the larger ones "these skins may be rather tight fitting".

When I stretch these as tight as I possibly can, they are about 3/4" smaller than the originals. I don't know how anyone would possibly stretch these that far, but they must. I have 4 of them here and they are all the same...

Anybody with similar experiences? Any tricks?

 

[SteelHeadz]

Try installing it on a warm environment. That little bit of temperature makes a difference on the stretching of the material.

 

[Gennybro]

Perhaps use a hair dryer to heat up the material. Let us know how ya did with it.

 

[Evil5oh]

I think I will try a hair drier tonight... I thought doing it in the house would be warm enough but apparently not. I think I am also going to grind down the front corner of the frame -- when I look at all the replacement frames online, they are rounded off, and mine are more pointy.

 

[82CJ7JEEP]

use a hair dryer or a heat gun, I have even boiled water on the stove and put the fabric/ material into the rising steam to help in heating it up.

 

[Evil5oh]

Well I got them on. First i had to round off the front corner of the frame with the grinder, then I had to heat them to the point they were hot to the touch, and both my brother and I had to stretch them on. Now I am installing the top today... I think the hair dryer is going to get a work out.

Thanks for all the replies.


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[Evil5oh]

The top is on. What a difference, this thing is so quiet inside now. There are still some places that the top needs to be pulled tighter, but it was 40 when I did it, so when I get some warmer weather I can pull it tight.




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[TerryMason]

I ended up ripping one of the Bestop door skins that I tried to put on. Bestop was good though, and sent me a replacement free.