Besttop Supertop front rail clamps? Ideas?

I have a Bestop Supertop and like most, the front flap doesnt really attach to anything.

Also like most, I have spring clamps holding the front flap to the OEM rail. Like so -



I wanna ditch them and use actual clamps.

The issue is, the upper part of the clamp is too long and doesnt sit right, like so -



Sure, I can spend 25$ on 2 clamps and cut them so they sit better but Id rather not.

Has anyone found a solution to this? Maybe an alternative make/brand clamp? Something custom/DIY?

 

I'm guessing you haveit velcroed down as well? Looks like you have the flat bar covered, all I did was go to Home Depot and picked up some like three $2 mini Screw type C clamps like these:

I bought some husky ones but they looked like these
http://m.homedepot.com/p/BESSEY-1-i...gclid=CPDAmeCc6swCFU88gQodQS0FHg&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I've since sold my Bestop, but I spent $25 for new camps and cut them so they fit better. First I tried spring clamps...

I also spent a little extra and put some aluminum angle up front for the clamps to rest on.

 

Hmmm. Maybe cutting the OEM clamps is the way to go. Do you remember how much you trimmed off of them?

I bought it used, so it doesnt have the velcro. But from what I understand, the velcro doesnt do much. The pictures above arent mine, but I do have a 1"x4' piece of flat stock on it along with the clamps.

The C clamps seem to work just as well as the spring clamps do. However, Id like to go a more OEM route.

 

Even if it's used I'm guessing the Velcro is still on the bottom of the cab window section though right? I'd still anchor it first to the front bed rail with Velcro, then crank down on it with some angle or flat bar. That way there is a little more meat to clamp down on. And it won't ever try to slip out on you.

To be honest the Bestop in its entirety doesn't exactly look OEM so some clamps at the very back of the bed that no one will ever see won't stick out. The difference between the C clamps and the spring clamps is the C clamps stay out of the way and I can crank them tighter.

But I guess I understand in the "make it look clean" aspect. It's a bummer Bestop didn't just have some shortened clamps for this exact purpose with their kits.

 

I had some free time today, so I experimented with a design and I think its gonna work well.



3/8" unistrut nut, flat stock bent to a 90*, and 3/8" button head bolts.





Compared to the existing mounting system -



Looks like its gonna work. One big plus is that these clamps are smaller than the Bestop clamps.

Im gonna run them like this for a while, and if they continue to work, I'll pull everything apart and paint it.

 

I know this thread is a year old, but how did your solution hold up?? I have the same problem myself on a 3rd gen. Just picked up a front bed rail. That velcro sucks!

 

Still going strong. I ran it for a year with out any Velcro and it worked pretty well. There was slack in between the clamps. I recently added Velcro to the rail then my clamping system. The Velcro gives the topper edge something to bite into then the clamp holds it in place. No more slop between the clamps.

I used Velcro I got off of Amazon. 5' x 3/4" firs perfect.

 

Did you end up re-using the clamps you took off?

 

It has the Velcro and 3 of the L shaped clamps I made holding the front edge down.