repair holes in soft top

[jagayers]

Greetings all.

I recently found two small (about 1" slit) in my soft top. Form the location and size it looks like the top got caught or pinched by my tailgate when I had the top down and folded. I am using the age old fix of duct tape for now.....but I know this won't hold :)

Does anyone have any recommendations as to fixing this problem? I want to nip it in the bud early...and don't really need to replace the top yet (otherwise it it is in really good shape)

Do they sell patch kits anywhere (I didn't see anything on JC Whitney, etc...) or should I take it to an auto apohlstery shop? Any thoughts on how much it would cost to fix.

Thanks for the help. I recently found out about this club and one day look forward to seeing you on the trails this summer.

[Stowe63]

I have been meaning to contact some local upholstory (sp?) shops to see what they had to say. I know there is a sailboat sail shop in Springfield (off of Industrial Dr.) that can repair your sail cloth tops.

This would be a great discount benefit for this club.

[ToBlave]

Hit up a fabric store for sample swatches of fabric backed vinyl, not the foam backed for upholstery applications. Cut vinyl to cover the rip with extra overlap. Liberally coat the fabric side with GOOP (green tube) for fabrics and apply to the back side of the rip. Press/hold/clamp into place till glue dries. Apply thin coat of GOOP to exposed edges of the rip to prevent thread unraveling.

[jagayers]

Thanks for the tips ToBlave.....

I was looking at the Besttop website and they suggest Bondex Iron On patches for repairing holes in the fabric on their "Replace A Top" soft tops. Does anyone have any experience with these? Or is this Besttop's attempt at a product plug / endorsement?

[Stowe63]

I havea couple of holes that I must say the duck tape has once againbeen proven as the #1 jeping product, but I have some spots where the stitch hascome out.

[motorider]

my uncle does car and boat upholstry mainly dealing with the same soft tops that boats have ill ask him what he would do and get back to u.