Jay Honeck wrote:
Now, does anyone know where I can find replacement hydraulic pistons to
replace the ones that used to hold up the back and side windows on the
topper? I'm tired of them hitting me in the back of the head!

Most car parts stores carry them. They get used a lot on hatchbacks and
sometimes on hoods. If it's an aftermarket topper, the store may not
have a way to look up the right part - your best bet is probably to find
out how many different kinds you have (by inspection) and take one each
of the old ones to the store and match them up. If you end up with a
choice, the ones with a lower weight rating are probably OK, assuming
that the topper windows are the standard "glass with aluminum frame"
design.

If the topper manufacturer is still around, you might get in touch with
them. They may just want to sell you replacements, or they might simply
tell you what will fit - "ask for the ones that fit an '84 Yugo" or
whatever.

They're usually pretty easy to remove and replace. Some of them have
nuts or bolts; some of them have an unthreaded stud and a clip; some of
them have a ball-and-socket joint with a spring clip around the outside
of the socket.

The last time I bought one I think it was about $15-$20. The canonical
lower-cost option is a stick that is cut to the proper length and used
to prop the window open. Some car parts stores carry a little clip that
fits over the piston rod and stops it from going back into the cylinder,
kind of like the thing that keeps a screen door closer propped open.

Matt Roberds