The metal trim strip that goes above the windshield on convertibles has been off my truck for ages, maybe 10 years. So recently I got around to removing the rust from it and painting it, but when I put it on it has a gap on the side facing toward the front. Now, its been so dang long I can't remember how it looked originally, so I'm asking someone with a convertible to take a look at theirs and see if it has a gap there. Robertmee, if you're reading this, can you look at yours? Here's a picture to show what I'm talking about, that washer is thicker than a quarter:

 

Well, I pulled it apart today after getting feedback from a guy on FB who owns a couple convertible Dakotas. As expected, there shouldn't be a gap there, especially one as wide as I was seeing. Before re-installing I had added some butyl sealant to freshen up what was there originally, particularly around the holes in the body. Apparently, the butyl I put under the head of the trim screws wasn't compressing. The trim screw heads are pretty big, as they span the inside width of the metal trim strip. Even though I tightened them up good, the sealant is pretty viscous and doesn't seem to be squeezing out very much.

Now I'm removing the sticky mess, or some of it anyway, so (hopefully) the trim can be pulled down . A job that should have taken 2 hours is now taking 2 days.

 

Sorry I'm on a startup in California and just now seeing this. I'm home later this week if you still need me to look at something.

 

Thanks Robertmee, its all good now. I removed some of the butyl sealant yesterday and cleaned everything up again. I just finished putting it back together tonight, only this time I just put a little sealant around the threads, forming a cone just under the screw head so it would seal the hole in the body where the trim screw goes thru. Kind of like bedding hardware on the deck of a boat. It did the trick, I was able to pull the trim down flush and I feel like it's sealed well.

I recently adapted a Jeep sunshade to my truck, so I wanted to get the trim all finished up to show it off. The sunshade is pretty neat, I can use it like a bikini-style top or unroll the back half and let it drop behind the roll bar to function as a top and a rear window/rollbar shade. It even fits under the regular top. Here's how the trim looks now:

 

 

Ha, yeah, I tried the same manuever on my first go-round with that trim. Those clips that are sticking up thru the windshield frame are actually the heads of trim screws and they're held in place with nuts. To access the nuts so you can pull everything straight up and out you need to remove the headliner panel. Then you can reach the nuts, remove them, and the trim comes right off. Goes on the same way.

To remove the headliner panel: 1) Remove the plastic interior windshield post covers by pulling them straight back. 2) Remove the visors. 3) Remove the visor clips. 4) Remove the latching mechanisms for the top. 5) Pull the headliner panel forward a little to get it out of the rear slot, then it should come free. You'll find 8 trim screw nuts recessed in the overhead. The nuts are 11/32's, and you'll need a deep socket.

That's the right way to get it off, and on. Good luck!

 

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