Let's See Some Softoppers

I drive normally. Dont notice any issues. However, I am a short bed. You being long bed, get some extra clamps. In this thread there was a guy who's long bed decided to 'taco' itself up.

 

I recently built an exocage around my softtopper. It worked out good because the main braces go through the velcro window.

 

Uhhhh....that's pretty bad ass.

 

Any issues or concerns so far with the bestop?

 

i am that guy lol, I added two extra clamps and its been a year without issue besides some small cuts from road debris

 

Not really anything big. Ive had it on just for the winter now and the few things I have noticed are -

-Putting it on in the cold is hard, the material doesnt stretch when cold... but this is expected
-Heavy snowfall builds up between the rear of the cab and the front of the topped, you need a snow brush to pull it out otherwise it blocks the window, melts and turns into a big ice block that WILL break your window when the frame flexes.
-After washing, the tailgate will freeze to the bar that seals the rear window area. You just need to open the tailgate after washing and let it dry off before closing it.
-The zippers for the topper are designed pretty bad, there is a flap that covers the zippers, but the flap is too tight to get your hands in there to put the zipper together. This could of been fixed if they had used double sided zipper pulls so you could put them on from the inside

Some of these things listed are also common on fiberglass toppers and softopper too.

This summer I should be able to get a better opinion on it, but so far this thing has been great, the fit and finish is A+, if I was putting it up and down every other day, I would of considered the softopper because its easier to do, but since I dont plan to put it up and down that often, the solid fit of the bestop is much better than the softopper. Even when all the way down, the rails on the bestop are much better to look at than the chrome square tube that softopper used. Also when You have the sides and rear window removed for "safari" mode, the bestop looks much better as you are removing the sides completely instead of just rolling it up like the softopper.

 

This has probably been asked, but how do you stop the leaks in the front corners of the bed? Seems to be the only place where water gets in on mine.

 

Im not sure where it is, but someone 3d printed cap extensions that fill in the space in the header rail. But you can also do it with some rubber door seals.

 

Preventing water from getting inside the bed with the softopper seems like an almost impossible task.

Granted I live in Az so we dont get alot of rain, but I've washed the taco with the topper on and do not notice "alot" of water in the bed. Def not enough water to wear I have to try and drain it out.

I wouldn't worry about water unless you live in very wet climate or you have important stuff in the bed.

 

I camped during a heavy downpour in Yosemite last May and nothing got in. Driving through that it only got in and trickled a little in the front corners of the bed, but that went right under the bed mat

 

Where are you seeing that it sticks up over the cab? Mine doesn’t.

 

Is that the suggested "2nd Gen" top?

 

Yep!

 

When I installed mine I moved it closer towards the cab and made sure when it was on you could not see out of the corner where the velcro flaps are towards the front. Mine has been leak free.

if you look at how the corner flaps are on mine you can see it overlaps the first snap a good bit. When you look inside your topper at the corner you should aim to have it so you cant see light outside. I adjusted mine a few times.

 

Never had any issues. Been up to 90 with mine.

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

 

Just finished putting mine on! Digging the white/ tan combo.

 

i must get me a softopper so can sleep in back and not get rained on!

 

There you go! Do it!

 

my tacoma is on a 'budget', the budget went WAY over last year
and have a few things of concern looming on the horizon currently