Let's See Some Softoppers

Thanks. That's what I was figuring. He has someone that's supposed to look at it Friday... I'm hoping the guy backs out so I can snag it.

 

F that, swoop in and snipe it before Friday

 

He's 2-1/2 hours away... not exactly convenient :\

He is driving up close to me on Tuesday and I will meet him then if it's still available.

 

Got some stuff mounted under my softopper yesterday! TRED boards, axe, light saber

 

HELP! The front window of my Bestop fwaps against the truck window at over 60moh. Anybody have this problem before? Anybody solve it before?

 

Solve it with a softopper

 

Unclamp & slide it back an inch? Take up more slack with the velcro along the front of the bed lip? Check the corners of the bestop to make sure they're snapped all the way into the rail? Slide the rails apart further to take up slack on the cover?

 

The guy on Craigslist in Louisville?

 

Got my ST in yesterday night, took about 90 minutes to install it. Pleased thus far. Certainly looks the business.

 

Questions for SoftTopper owners, preferably 3rd Gen:
1) what is the usable width and height of the rear opening with window up? In other words with the tailgate closed, how big a hypothetical box (width and height) could you fit in, just grazing the fabric?
2) how much of the length of the bed is impaired by the slope of the rear window? If you dropped a plumb-line from the inside top of the rear window opening, how far is it from the inside edge of the tailgate?

I carry mountain bikes in the back of my DCSB and my current ARE Z Series is very tight. In reference to the attached pics, I'd like to have more clearance around the handlebar of the orange bike, and the black bike is bigger and doesn't fit unless nosed-in which is a hassle. I think the ST offers more space plus no struts or hinges, but I'd like some measurements. I really wish the rear window wasn't sloped so much ... been looking at commercial shells but like the flexibility and light weight of the ST. Thanks in advance.

 

Hmmm I'd have to go measure when I get a chance. You have two options here if they are too tight. Fold the whole thing down until you get to camp or just roll up the tailgate window. I drive like that all the time.

 

Few more gratuitous pics of said Softopper

 

^^nice!! Mine came in about an our ago. Gonna get up bright an early and clean up the bed a bit before the install.

Other than heavy duty double sided Velcro, any other suggestions on what to do prior to install or products for the top?

 

I actually didn't use velcro. I used snaps on the interior and nothing on the tail gate.

The instructions aren't fantastic but they're complete.

 

Don't take the strip off of the bedside of the foam. Mine is adhered to the Softopper rail only so the rail can be removed or relocated at will. It's watertight even at the car wash.

 

Keep the canvas in the house with you tonight, ideally under a heat vent if you have central. As soon as you wake up tomorrow go find a nice patch of sunlight and put the canvas in it. Then let it bake until internal temp hits 350 or a golden brown Serious though, the warmer you can keep that canvas the easier your install will be. Trim your fingernails so you don't rip one off stretching it over the frame. Fingers will be useless by the end of the install.

All that being said.... once it's stretched over the frame for a week or so it'll relax a bit and be much easier to install in the future.

 

Would appreciate measurements if you can, but no rush. Thanks. I do like the ability to fold down or drive with the window open, but closing up and hiding the bikes when parked plus some protection from weather (though our bikes do get ridden in some nasty stuff!) is the whole purpose, otherwise I'd just go open bed all the time.

 

Did you get black?
It's gonna look killer on your rig bro!
You gotta post pics after the install

 

That looks great. Does your flap just hang loose inside the tailgate?

 

Not exactly. I'm not sure why everyone is so obsessed with securing the rear flap. Softopper even tells you it's an option to secure it.

The flap has a metal rod just above the top of the tailgate that engages metal supports on either side of the tailgate, then snaps in. It's more than secure enough just with that. Rather than have the bottom couple of inches of fabric below that rod just hanging loose (this would be the portion that some guys use velcro or magnets on), I folded it up and closed the tailgate onto it (as is visible in one of the photos, above).

I took a pretty long drive after I got everything installed, and I knew I'd be in a lot of dust, so I just unzipped the rear window and left if totally off, so the vinyl wouldn't get dust all over it that could potentially scratch it. The ST worked just fine with no rear flap installed. I think that's going to be my "go to" day to day style, it's easy to see out of and still protects the bed contents, plus keeps the vinyl window clean and new for the few times I may want to use it like in hard rain or on a trip or what have you.