Bestop 53819 User manual

Installation Instructions
INSTALLATION TIME SKILL LEVEL
1 1/2 Hour 2 - Moderately Easy
TOOLS
Halftop
Vehicle Application:
1/8" Bit
•Jeep Wrangler TJ with Factory Hard Top
1997 – 2002
Part Number: 53819
www.Bestop.com - We’re here to help! Visit our web site and click on “Ask a Question”. Click here for more Jeep Accessories by Bestop.
In order to prevent sagging, pooling and leakage, remove snow and water from the rear
portion of the Halftop, when applicable.
US Patent D474,145

Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 2
Halftop – Installation Instructions
Parts List and Hardware Identification
5/16" Black Washer, Part
Number 233.04, Qty - 2
5/16-18 Tapping Plate, Part
Number 200.50, Qty - 2
5/16-18 x 1" Phillips Head Bolt,
Part Number 236.20, Qty - 2
Halftop Fabric, Qty - 1
Windshield Header, Part
Number 387.81, Qty - 1
“Z” Channel, 29 1/2", Part
Number 304.64, Qty - 1
#8 x 1" Pan
Head Screw, Part
Number 295.95,
Qty - 5
#8 x 1/2" Pan Head Washer
Screw, Part Number 200.48,
Qty - 8
Tailgate Retainer Mount, Left,
Qty - 1, Part Number 311.85 Tailgate Retainer Mount, Right,
Qty - 1, Part Number 311.86 Tailgate Bar, Qty - 1,
Part Number 288.75
Door Surround - Right, Part
Number 316.62, Qty - 1
Front Door Surround
Brackets, Part Number
315.75, Qty - 2
#10 Phillips Head Self
Tapping Screw, Part
Number 319.99, Qty - 8
#10 Star Washer, Part
Number 317.58, Qty - 8
Door Surround - Left, Part
Number 316.63, Qty - 1
Rear Door Surround Brackets,
Part Number 386.70, Qty - 2
Loctite, Qty - 1,
Part Number 309.83
Knobs, Part Number
316.85, Qty - 4
J-Clip Strap, Part
Number 321.71,
Qty - 1

Halftop – Installation Instructions
Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 3
NOTE
Check for wiring and fuel
linesbeforedrillingholes
in riser.
Donotremovethe“Z”Channelfromyourvehicleonce
it has been installed. If this is necessary, make sure
the screw holes have been covered with a sealer.
Fold the front seats forward and locate the “Z”
Channel in the parts kit. Orient the channel so that,
when installed, the opening will be down. Place the
channel on the vertical face of the riser between
the front and rear floors, centered in the flat area
in the middle of the vehicle. The top edge of the
channel should be flush with the top of the riser.
Use the holes in the channel as guides to mark,
center punch and drill five 1/8" holes. Use silicone
sealer on the holes before installing the channel.
Install the channel using the five #8 x 1" Pan Head
Screws from the parts kit.
It is easier to drill holes by either slitting the carpet with a 1/2" “X” shape to access the sheet
metal, or center punch through the carpet, remove the carpet and drill the necessary holes -
then add smaller slits in the carpet to access the holes for attachment.
If the vehicle is equipped with a factory console, it will be necessary to leave the center screw out of the
channel.
“Z” Channel Installation
Rear
Floor
Riser
Rear Floor
29 1/2" “Z”
Channel
Riser
Front Floor
“Z”
Channel Riser
Rear Floor
#8 x 1" Pan
Head Screw
Locate the Left and Right Door Surrounds, the
Front Door Surround Brackets and the Rear Door
Surround Brackets in the parts kit. The longer
brackets are the Rear Door Surround Brackets.
The hook strip on the Door Surrounds should be
toward the outside of the vehicle.
Place the holes in the Front and Rear Door Sur-
round Brackets over the two pairs of holes on each
Door Surround. Orient the brackets with the long
tab toward the inside and with the threaded rivet
up. Install the brackets using two #10 Phillips Head
Self Tapping Screws and two #10 Star Washers for
each bracket.
Assemble Door Surrounds and
Front and Rear Door Surround
Brackets
Front
#10 Phillips Head Self
Tapping Screws (apply
Loctite to the threads)
and #10 Star Washers
Front Door
Surround Bracket
Door
Surround
Door Surround -
Driver’s Side Shown

Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 4
Halftop – Installation Instructions
Orient the Left and Right Door Surround
Assemblies on the vehicle with the brackets toward
the inside and the hook strip toward the outside.
Insert the nipples in the brackets into the holes in
the bottom of the Horizontal Support Bar. Thread
a Knob from the parts kit through the top of the
Horizontal Support Bar and into each of the Door
Surround Brackets. Close the door to check the
seal and adjust the Front Door Surround Bracket if
necessary for a good seal.
Windshield Header Installation
Orient the Windshield Header on the vehicle and
lay it on top of the windshield frame. Catch the hook
on the header in the slot in the windshield frame
and close the lever over it. This will hold the header
securely in position.
Windshield
Frame
Windshield
Header
Latch
Close lever over
top of hook
Catch hook
in slot
Knob
Detail of Knobs
Door Surround
Bracket - Front
or Rear
Horizontal
Support Bar
Thread Knob
into Bracket
Front Door Surround
Bracket
Horizontal
Support Bar
Door Surround
Front Door Surround
Bracket from Bottom Hook
Strip
Install Door Surround
Assemblies
Driver's Side Shown
Door
Surround
5/16" Washer
5/16-18 Tapping
Plate - under ledge
5/16-18 x 1 Phillips
Head Bolt
Secure the bottom of the Door Surround
to the vehicle using a 5/16-18 x 1 Phillips
Head Bolt, a 5/16" Washer and a 5/16-18
Tapping Plate. Place the Tapping Plate
under the ledge, aligning the hole in the
plate with the hole in the vehicle and install
the screw and washer from the top. Test the
door seal again and adjust the bottom of the
Door Surround if necessary for a good seal.
Install Door Surround Assemblies

Halftop – Installation Instructions
Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 5
Windshield Header Installation
Windshield Header Installation
Use the rear hole in the Windshield Header
mounting bracket as a guide to drill a 1/8" hole.
Install a #8 x 1/2" Pan Head Washer Screw to
secure the bracket to the vehicle. Repeat this on
the other side of the vehicle.
Windshield
Header
Windshield Header
Mounting Bracket
Drill 1/8" Hole
#8 x 1/2" Pan
Head Washer
Screw
Release the header latches and fold the Windshield
Header back to reveal the front holes in the mount-
ing bracket. Use the front hole in the bracket as
a guide to drill a 1/8" hole. Install a #8 x 1/2" Pan
Head Washer Screw. Repeat this on the other side
of the vehicle.
Windshield Header
Mounting Bracket
Drill 1/8"
Hole #8 x 1/2" Pan Head
Washer Screw
Locate the left and right Tailgate Retainer
Mounts. Place the mounts flush with the edge
of the tailgate opening. Install the Tailgate
Retainer Mounts with two #8 x 1/2" Pan Head
Washer Screws for each mount.
If your vehicle does not have holes at this
location, align the Tailgate Retainer Mounts
flush with the edge of the tailgate opening.
Then mark the locations of the holes in the
mounts, center punch and drill a 1/8" hole at
the marked locations. Install the mounts with
two #8 x 1/2" Pan Head Washer Screws for
each mount.
Tailgate Retainer
Mount (Left)
Tailgate
Opening
#8 x 1/2" Pan Head
Washer Screws
Place Tailgate
Mount flush with
edge of opening
Install Tailgate Retainer Mounts
The J-Clip Strap in the parts kit is to secure the fab-
ric when the Sun roof is open. To install the strap,
orient it with the plastic J-Clip toward the front of the
vehicle and with the clip opening up. Wrap the long
end of the strap over the top and around the Sport
Bar and thread the end through the buckle sewn to
the strap.
Buckle
Strap
Install J-Clip Strap

Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 6
Halftop – Installation Instructions
Web Strap through
Footman Loop
Secure Mesh Divider
Locate the web strap sewn inside the top. Make
sure that it is above the Sport Bar and pull it to the
windshield. Thread the end of the strap through the
Footman Loop on the windshield frame and then
loosely back through the buckle on the strap. DO
NOT tighten the strap at this time.
Thread Strap through
Footman Loop
Thread Loosely
through Buckle
Threading Strap
through Buckle
Buckle
Strap
Rotate the Windshield Header forward and lay it
along the top of the windshield frame.
Locate plastic strip sewn to the bottom of the mesh
divider inside the vehicle. Roll the plastic into the “Z”
Channel.
Mesh Divider
“Z” Channel
Roll Plastic
Strip into “Z”
Channel
Open the Windshield Header and stand inside the
vehicle to access the front of the assembly. Wrap
the front edge of the Halftop Fabric around the front
edge of the Windshield Header. Make sure that the
fabric is centered on the header. Press the plastic
retainer along the front of the top into the channel
on the header until it snaps into the channel.
Make sure the plastic retainer is
snapped firmly into the Header
channel. The Sun Roof feature will not work
properly if the retainer is not securely installed.
Wrap Fabric around
Windshield Header and
snap plastic retainer
into channel in header
Attach Halftop to Windshield
Header
NOTE

Halftop – Installation Instructions
Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 7
Open the tailgate. Orient the Tailgate Retainer with
the rubber bulb facing down, in order to form a seal
with the top of the tailgate. Slide the groove in the
Tailgate Retainer onto the tube inside the rear of
the Halftop. Roll the Tailgate Retainer into the top
of the Tailgate Retainer Mounts. Slip the plastic on
the bottom of the Halftop under the bottom part of
the Tailgate Retainer Mounts
This product is designed for a “Custom
Fit”. Be patient during the installation, it
fits tight!
Install Tailgate Retainer
NOTE
Install Side Retainers
Locate the plastic strip sewn to the Halftop along
each side of the vehicle. Start at one end on each
side and roll the plastic strip into the Side Retainers.
Fabric
Side Retainer
Plastic Strip
Plastic Strip
Roll Plastic
Strip into
Side Retainer
Detail of
Plastic Strip
Plastic
Strip
Tailgate
Retainer
Mount
Tube on inside of
Rear Curtain
Tailgate Bar - Oriented
with Rubber Bulb Down
Slip Plastic Strip under
Tailgate Retainer Mount
Tailgate must
be open Slide the tube on the
rear section of the
Halftop into the groove
in the Tailgate Retainer
Tailgate Retainer
Mount
Tailgate
Retainer
Fabric

Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 8
Halftop – Installation Instructions
Secure Sport Bar Collars
Tuck the seat belt assemblies into the rear sport bar
collars and close the rear sport bar collars by pull-
ing firmly on the fabric and fastening the Hook and
Loop Strips to each other. Then secure the Hook
and Loop Strips on the upper sport bar collars.
Fasten
Hook
and Loop
Strips
Sport Bar
Sport
Bar
Fasten Hook
and Loop
Strips
Install Rear Corners
Roll the plastic strips, sewn into the rear corners
of the Halftop into the Corner Retainers. Slide the
corner plastic strip toward the front of the vehicle
and make sure that the plastic strip fits up into the
retainer so that the collar fits properly.
Plastic Strips
The Plastic Protector sewn into the fab-
ric must be properly located to minimize
abrasion between the Halftop Rear Section and the
Tailgate Retainer Mounts.
NOTE
Fabric
Rear Corner
Retainer
Plastic Strip
Detail of
Plastic Strip

Halftop – Installation Instructions
Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 9
Secure Door Opening
Roll Plastic
Strip into
Retainer
Pull the fabric around
the door surround at the
rear of the door opening
and fasten the hook and
loop strip. Then roll the plastic
at the bottom of the panel be-
hind the door into the retainer.
Make sure that the fabric is
smooth where the retainers
meet.
Close the front deck completely and secure the latches in the Windshield
Retainer to the windshield.
Tighten the web strap.
Secure Windshield
Header Latches
Tighten
Strap
Secure Windshield Retainer
Secure Sides of Front Deck
Roll the plastic strip above the door opening into
the retainer.
Roll Plastic Strip into
retainer above door
To Open Sun Roof
Open the Windshield Header latches to release the header from the windshield. Use the loop sewn to the
top to pull down and out to release the plastic retainer strip above the door.
Rotate the front of the header toward the rear of the vehicle.
DONOTOpentheSunRoof
while driving.
Release Windshield
Header Latches
Pull Down and Out on Loop
to Release Plastic Strip
Fold Front of
Deck Back
Wrap Flap around Door
Surround and fasten
Hook and Loop

Rev. B 0912 53819 pg. 10
Halftop – Installation Instructions
Opening the Rear Window
Opening Window
The window may be opened partially or completely
by unzipping it. If completely unzipped it may be
folded down and left in place.
Removing Window
To remove the window completely, unzip it and re-
lease the snaps at the bottom corners. Then release
the Hook and Loop strip along the bottom of the
window opening.
Reinstalling Window
In order to reinstall the window all the zipper slides
must be together at the end of the zipper or they
will not catch properly. Close the zipper, secure the
Hook and Loop strip along the bottom and attach
the snaps on the corners.
Snap
Hook and
Loop
Zipper
Rear Window
To Start Zipper - Sliders
must be together
DONOTOpentheSunRoofwhiledriving.
DONOTOpentheSunRoofwhiledriving.
To Secure the Top with Sunroof Open - Option A
Release the hook and loop above the doors. As you fold the Windshield Header Assembly back on top of the
deck, pull the loose fabric up and back at the midpoint between the header and Center Bow, allowing the
fabric to fold, accordion style on top of the deck.
Hook the plastic clip on the J-Clip Strap to the rear edge of the Windshield Header Assembly to secure the
Sun Roof.
Sport Bar
Deck
Fabric
J-Clip Strap
Windshield Header
Assembly
To Secure the Top with Sunroof Open - Option B
Release the hook and loop above the doors. As you fold the Windshield Header Assembly back on top of
the deck, pull the loose fabric in the center down into the vehicle in front of the Sport Bar and roll the fabric
inside the vehicle. Tuck in the loose fabric on the ends.
Hook the plastic clip on the J-Clip Strap to the rear edge of the Windshield Header Assembly to secure the
Sun Roof and the rolled fabric inside the vehicle.
Roll Fabric
inside vehicle
Tuck Fabric in
above doors
Catch Rolled
Fabric in J-Clip
Strap
Deck Fabric
J-Clip Strap
Windshield Header
Assembly
Sport
Bar