If your Jeep’s soft top is in great shape other than the zipper, it can be hard to rationalize replacing the entire thing. The great news is that zipper issues are often easy to fix. Here’s a quick guide to repairing a Jeep soft-top zipper.
Candle wax and bar soap are surprisingly effective lubricants. To fix a stuck zipper, clean everything with soapy water and grab a pair of pliers. Get the zipper moving a few inches, and then rub your soap or candle onto the zipper’s teeth. Pull the zipper back down over the waxed section, and zip it back and forth.
This process works wax into the zipper mechanism, helping it run smoothly. Your zipper should be sliding smoother now. Repeat this process on the rest of the zipper track.
Note: do not use oil or Vaseline for this trick. Though they may work short term, sticky substances will trap dirt, making your problem worse in the long run.
A missing zipper tooth is a bigger issue than it may appear to be. This missing tooth will either prevent the zipper from closing or cause the zipper to separate once it does close. Search for a replacement on your soft top itself; you likely won’t need to buy a brand-new part.
Check for any zippers that don’t close all the way. The zippers along the roof are a good place to start. These zippers usually have a few teeth at the end that go unused. Remove them and replace them in your zipper gap.
Cut these replacement teeth free using a razor blade and needle nose pliers. Remove any excess fabric from the tooth channel. Slide the replacement tooth into the zipper gap and slide the zipper across it a few times. This allows the tooth to move slightly to mesh well with the other teeth. Place a small amount of superglue on the end of a toothpick or small flathead screwdriver and wiggle it under the tooth to glue the tooth to the fabric.
If your soft top is damaged, you may need to buy some replacement parts. Luckily, this should be inexpensive. Fix N Zip makes affordable, high-quality replacement zipper pulls that are designed for durability. Simply loosen the thumbscrew on the zipper pull, place the zipper on the track, and tighten. It really is that easy.
We hope you enjoyed our quick guide to repairing a Jeep soft-top zipper. Fix N Zip is here to keep your Jeep—and zipper—running smoothly.
