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Cab gun ring vinyl cover "tented"

Valence

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Years ago I saw, and saved, a single picture of someone's solution for keeping the cover for their cab's gun ring cut out "tented" so that water wouldn't pool in it and thus leak into the cab (as mine had obviously done for years before I became the owner of my truck).

Inspirational photo:
2015-04-06 11.15.36.jpg

I can't claim that I made it, or even designed it, but I had a talented fellow, Scott at The Iron Works in Bountiful, UT fabricate it for me - who's made a number of various metal parts and brackets for me over the years.

It was intended for the "feet" to be mounted flush to the inside of the cab, but it would have actually been a little TOO tight on the vinyl - but this actually worked out PERFECT for me anyway. I wanted to be able to remove it (and the vinyl cover) without busting out a socket and wrench.

The support was meant to use the existing bolts, but after picking up the completed bar, I discovered they're not located exactly 180 degrees from each other. This required a simple drilling, centered between the opposite bolts. Of course black RTV silicon was used to seal both new bolts. I picked to make the support off center to greatly lessen the chance of hitting one's head on on the extended bolts and wing nuts.

As you can see, the bolts will say securely in place if the support bar is removed.

2015-05-17 16.46.59.jpg 2015-05-17 16.47.58.jpg 2015-05-17 16.48.41.jpg 2015-05-17 16.49.32.jpg 2015-05-17 16.50.23.jpg 2015-05-17 16.50.45.jpg 2015-05-17 17.09.09.jpg 2015-05-17 17.09.14.jpg

(Don't mind the ugly temporary rust patching/painting in the last pic on top of the cab)
 

camoyj7

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wonder lake IL
This was how I received my M923a2 with gunners soft top. They used a piece of aluminum with a slight bend to hold canvas up. Their 2x4 setup really works nice to keep the hatch from bouncing around. They just need some green paint to make them look official!
 

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Valence

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,112
555
113
Location
Davis County, UT
This was how I received my M923a2 with gunners soft top. They used a piece of aluminum with a slight bend to hold canvas up. Their 2x4 setup really works nice to keep the hatch from bouncing around. They just need some green paint to make them look official!
Thats the first soft top ring I've ever seen.
 

m715mike

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Montgomery, Texas
Valence - That's an awesome solution. I figured water would be a problem with a cover over the gun ring cut out.

Camoyj - I haven't seen a gun ring cut out on a soft top either. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
 

Valence

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Location
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do yall have a good picture of how the cover attached to the ring so I can possibly make one
My ring appears to be fiberglass and has a lip around the top. Sewn into the vinyl cover edge is a long spring that rests in that ring channel. That's all that holds it in, but it's a rather tight fit.

A close up of one of my pictures shows said spring, but if you'd like more I'll have to go out to the truck later and peel off the cover and take additional pictures.
2015-05-17 17.09.09 - Copy.jpg
 
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