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Top Bow Fit
Topic Started: Aug 27 2011, 09:29 PM (1,358 Views)
Bob
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Bob
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I just got a set of original top bows and have to do a bit of work to them to get the fit right. My question is that 1) to put the top bow between the windshield and the main bow I have to pull the main bow back quite a bit to get it in. 2) to get the top door rods in, I need to pull the main bow back quite a bit also. I'm worried about stress on the front bow pockets and general fitment. Do these things needs to be tweaked or should they fit just fine?
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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Larry (TX)
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Bob,

The main bow behind the front seats should be vertical and under no stress whatsoever when the outer rods and center brace are installed in the w/s frame.

Just how far are you having to pull the bow assy. back in order to place the three items in the w/s frame? Starting with the center brace, if it is made such that you cannot cut its length off to fit sung, but under no stress, replace it with a web strap.

The rods atop the doors may be the type that are simply drilled and pinned, in which case they can easily be shortened and re-drilled. Better yet and like the old style rods, cut them off so that a minimum of say 3/4" protrudes through the w/s frame brackets, and thread them; (all originals I've seen this style had Nat'l. fine SAE threads). Using two nuts and a set of flat washers and two locks on each rod, you now have rods that better secure the w/s frame.
Larry Steed
Pearland, Texas
'53 Willys CJ3B
'52 Willys M38
'86 Chevy M1009 CUCV (K5 4x4 Military Blazer)
M100 1/4 ton jeep trailer
M416 1/4 ton jeep trailer (2 ea.)
M101 CDN 1/4 ton jeep trailer
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Bob
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Bob
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Hey Larry, I think these rods were once yours, they came from Jason. You have to pull the main bow behind the front seat back about 2" to get the rod in, plus it does not seem to fit where it should. The top door rods are the threaded kind. they'll fit if I have the rear jamb nut off, but they will touch the windshield frame. This is an original body, currently on a 1953, but the body is 59 or 60 vintage.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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Bob
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Bob
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Plus, the top door frame rods have a bend in them, two 90s and then they bend up a bit to fit into the top of the windshield frame.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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jeepdan
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My original rods appeared too long also. But after adjusting the windshield mounts at the cowl to tilt the windshield forward, everything fell in place and the Beachwood Canvas top still fit fine.
Dan Walton Jr. Wheeling, WV

1964 U.S. Army CJ3B ( pride and joy)
1967 Kaiser Jeep M715 (my newest pride and joy)
2016 Jeep Wrangler JKU- Black Bear Edition (daily driver)
91 Grand Wagoneer (in storage)
Two 56 Willys pickups (one, restoration started, never finished)
1966 M416 1/4 Ton trailer
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Bob
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Bob
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Right i forgot they adjust. I'll give that a shot tomorrow.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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Rus Curtis
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The windshield frame should sit at a 19 degree angle.

http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Drawings.html
Rus Curtis
Alabama
'54 CJ-3B "Green Gruntt"
Bantam T3-C
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Bob
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Bob
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I'll take a look at that.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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Lawrence
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Lawrence
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Bob,

Does this shed any light on the problem.

http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/Owners/WadeBows.html

Lawrence
1955 CJ3B
Family Tradition
Decatur, AL
~~"Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it"~~
~~"We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails"~~
http://cj3b.info/Owners/Wade.html
http://cj3b.info/Events/SEWillys2017.html
http://cj3b.info/Owners/WadeRiver.html
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oldtime
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When the W/S is correctly positioned it should measure exactly 66-1/2".
Take all measurements 6" inward from the sides.
Measure the diagonal distance from inner tub at rear to inner W/S frame at top.


Currently building my final F-134 powered 3B .
Rock Crawler using factory parts from the Willys Motors era (1953-1963)

http://s4.zetaboards.com/CJ3B_Bulletin_Board/topic/30228766/1/#new
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Bob
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Bob
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I think I've seen that before. Let me check into in and see what I come up with on those measurements.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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Larry (TX)
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Bob,

Yes, Jason did buy an old set from me, and I think Jamie may have told me that he ended up selling them.

My next thought (as others above have suggested) also would be that perhaps your w/s frame is adjusted too far rearward. If it's not out of adjustment (be real sure to check it before taking the next recommended step), you may have to run the threads a bit further back on both rods (you actually need the rear nuts as a stop and the forward nuts as a lock), cut off the excess so it doesn't touch the inside of the frame. As for the rods being bent or having an arc in them, I'd just recommend starightening them out. That entire set was only a spare I had bought off of e-Bay and had never actually used them, and memory tells me that I probably didn't even bother to give all the pieces a good inspection, other than one of the uprights (rear as I recall) needing about 3" of tubing added to it.

Hope all this info helps you with the set. By the way, if you (or anyone else) need door frames and you're a good fabricator/welder, I have four of them out in the shop (complete w/old canvas/vinyl) that I also bought off of e-Bay. I believe them to be off of a 2A or 3A however, the reason they'd need some metal altering.
Larry Steed
Pearland, Texas
'53 Willys CJ3B
'52 Willys M38
'86 Chevy M1009 CUCV (K5 4x4 Military Blazer)
M100 1/4 ton jeep trailer
M416 1/4 ton jeep trailer (2 ea.)
M101 CDN 1/4 ton jeep trailer
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Bob
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Bob
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So I tried adjusting the w/s frame last night. I got it to 19 degrees, but the overall measurements I come up with are 66 1/8 on the driver's side, 66 1/4 on the passenger side. The passenger side seems to have quite a bit more travel in it. At this point, I can get the top door frame rods into place, but there's no way that center rod will go into place without a lot of stress on the center bow. I could make a new center rod. Since I'll be making my own top, the measurements should not be that much of an issue. I evened both sides up to 66 1/8. Not sure why one side adjusts more than the other, maybe the cowl is tweaked a bit.
Bob
1953 CJ3B
1965(?) CJ5
1949 Jeepster
1947 Cj2A
2004 Kubota l3400
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jeepdan
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I think some stress on the rods is good because it helps keep everything from rattling. You can permanently bend the center rod upward slightly if severe.
Dan Walton Jr. Wheeling, WV

1964 U.S. Army CJ3B ( pride and joy)
1967 Kaiser Jeep M715 (my newest pride and joy)
2016 Jeep Wrangler JKU- Black Bear Edition (daily driver)
91 Grand Wagoneer (in storage)
Two 56 Willys pickups (one, restoration started, never finished)
1966 M416 1/4 Ton trailer
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oldtime
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Quote:
 
Not sure why one side adjusts more than the other, maybe the cowl is tweaked a bit.

It's fairly common for the W/S frame lower tubing to get bent at the radius.
Often times they can be changed a couple degrees just by adding a short cheater bar onto the frame end.

Currently building my final F-134 powered 3B .
Rock Crawler using factory parts from the Willys Motors era (1953-1963)

http://s4.zetaboards.com/CJ3B_Bulletin_Board/topic/30228766/1/#new
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