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Rollbar Cover Removal

Rollbar Cover Removal

Part #:

I decided that my rollbar covers were dirty and smelled just a little like swamp mud, so it was time to remove them and throw them in the washer for a good cleaning. Now I did know that they were sun faded and didn't expect them to suddenly return to a nice black color, but at least the grime, dirt and smell would be gone. So all I had to do was wait until the wife was a work so I could throw them in the washer and dryer to make noise without getting caught. Remember these are darks so cold water wash with tide, because Ice T said so.

Additional Parts:

Tools Needed:

T50 Torx socket
T20 Torx screwdriver/socket
10mm socket
Extended length ratchet

 

Removing the rear pad:
I started in the rear because the back is one piece covering both down bars, the rear cross member and sits underneath the speaker bar. This has the most steps to remove.
1. Remove the hard top, or soft top (you can leave the mounting brackets attached to the roll bar), and any items that you have wrapped around the roll bar like grab handles, etc.
2. Starting in the back bottom end of the roll bar cover, undo the velcro and unzip the zipper all the way to the top of the pad.
2a. If you have a soft top you will need to pull the pad out and around the mounting bracket. Hard tops just have this opening covered by the velcro flap.
3. Remove the cover from the rear upper seat belt turning loop. The cover just pulls off.
4. Remove the rear upper seatbelt turning loop bolt with a T50 Torx socket. This bolt has locktite on it from the factory so is in fairly tight so you will need a long handled ratchet to break it free. Set the seatbelt down on the carpet. I couldn't find a torque setting for this, but I believe it would be similar to the front seat belt turning loop bolt torque.
5. Undo the velcro tabs on either side of the rear cross member and unzip the pad.
6. The pad is tucked back behind the rear interior light housing on the rear cross member. I just slowly worked it out from behind the light and then pulled it over. The pad has enough stretch to go around the frame of the light.
7. Undo the top velcro tab just in front ot the middle crossmember. This is right by the B pillar on the 4 door models.
8. Unzip both sides all the way to the back.
9. Undo the velcro flap on the front of the middle crossmember.

10. Remove the bolts holding the sound bar to the roll bars. You do not need to remove all of the bolts at one time. I removed the two outer bolts and the one center bolt for the side I was working on. You may need to loosen the other center bolt to get enought flex to pull the roll bar cover out from behind the speaker bar. You will need a 10mm socket. Reinstall the bolts after you are done working on a side. See the step below when working on the passenger side.

Note: This is just plastic so don't count on just the two outer bolts holding up the entier length of plastic. To much leverage on the bolts and the plastic may snap.

11. On the passenger side is the connector for the speaker bar that you will need to unplug and feed back through the cover before you can remove the cover. The connector has a push tab on it to disconnect. I recommend plugging it back in once the cover is out of the way.
 
Front pad removal:

1. Unzip the front pads.

Note: The zippers go towards the inside and the hole in the pad will be towards the windshield when you reinstall the pads.

2. Remove the front sunvisors from the windshield. You will need a T20 torx bit
3. Pull down on the edge of the plastic surround coming from the windshield. There is a very long push fastener that holds this plastic to the roll bar and it goes through the hole in the roll bar cover. Once this is pulled down far enough for the push fastener to come out of the roll bar you can remove the roll bar cover.

Note: I recommend leaving all the foam pads in place and not trying to remove them unless you are going to probably toss them in the trash. They are installed with very long push fasteners on the under side. The fasteners can be easily torn out of the foam. The exposed metal roll bar is not completely painted, so if you intend to just leave the bar uncovered you will need to touch up the paint and clear coat it.

4. Reinstallation of the pads is just the reverse of removal.

 

 


  N-m Ft. Lbs. In. Lbs.

Front seat belt turning loop screw

40

29.5

Speaker pod screws

10

90

This page last updated: 15-Aug-2022

Content and Design © 2002-present WanderingTrail,  Ronald Seegert
Common Sense and Safety should always be observed when working on your vehicle or doing modifications. Jackstands, wheel blocks, disconnecting the battery are a few of the basic safety precautions that should be used and may not be mentioned in the write ups on this site. You are responsible for your own installation, these write ups are a helpful guideline and should not be taken as an official installation instruction. My write up may be different from the kits currently out there, so alwasy double check the manufacturers installation instructions when installing anything. I try to keep the site up to date with changes that have occured as I discover them, but may not have the latest unless someone lets me know. If you feel that an install is above your capabilities after reading my write ups, I recommend getting together with a club and getting some help. Only a few times have I needed to employe some actual help from a shop to get something done. Usually welding or A/C work. While I have spent many years working on mechanical systems, I am not an expert, nor do I pretend to be one. I hope these write ups have been useful to you.
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