Let's See Some Softoppers

Answering my own question, for the benefit of anyone else looking for info that the Rough Country bedside molle panels work with the Softtopper supports:

 

@loyaltothetaco I am attempting this same thing. Is the brake light attached to the canvas on the topper with bolts and nuts or did you attach it to the support bar? Thanks.

 

It’s attached to the canvas, bolts going through the openings on the light bar and through the grommets I installed on the canvas, washer and nut on the backside. Since the wiring going into the back of the light bar made it stick out from the canvas a little bit I used some bigger nuts as spacers between the bar and the grommet.

Here’s a closeup from the side, I can take a few more pics if you want.

 

Perfect. Exactly what I needed. Thanks.

 

Question on the softopper - can you drive around in "safari" mode? Meaning, can you drive around with the sides rolled up and the back rolled up? Does everything flap around or is it secure? Does it put stress on the softopper frame?

 

I’ve done it with no issues. This is over 80 miles on a fwy doing well over the speed limit. I’ll just leave it at that. Lol!

 

My kind of answer - thanks!

 

The only no no is sides up with rear down. That's going to end poorly.

 

I have a 6 ft soft topper and bed bars that I want to put up for sale. It's the HMO bed bars made specifically for the soft topper. I would like to sell them together. If anybody is interested. Shoot me a PM. I already have a buyer for the soft topper by itself if I decide to let it go individually.

 

Yeah, I can’t see that ending well!

 

Forgot to post this after I got my new tinted window. This is a standard clear rear panel off a third gen Softopper that I’m gonna post for sale, just need to find the Softopper sale thread and I’ll post it there too. Thinking $50 plus shipping. Not sure if that’s a fair price.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/correct-clamps-for-1st-gen-softopper.815402/

Cross posting this for visibility. Hopefully someone has a better idea.

 

Hi there, I see you are also in Az, do you mind sharing a link to the soft topper you use, how has it fared with our Az sun ? Does it leak wahen it rains or when you go through a car wash?

 

I bought it from them directly (https://softopper.com/products/softopper-toyota-tacoma/?sku=SO-TC60B-GSU#) in gray. Been roughly two years now with it, I park exclusively outside. I hit with some 303 protectant every now and then (I rarely ever clean the truck since it lives on trails). It looks great. No fading (that I can tell), no rips or tears (despite the truck getting pin stripes), no stains, etc. I don't ever take it into a car wash but others report it's fine in a touchless car wash. I I hit mine with a hose maybe once a year and while not 100% waterproof, I'm impressed with how little water gets in. Rain hardly ever gets in. The front corners may take some DIY solutions or 'finagling' of the canvas to prevent a small gap. It excels at keeping dust out. It's awesome when we all head out and my stuff likes like I just pulled it out of my garage and everyone else's stuff is covered in dust. I do recommend the 3rd brake light, super easy to do.

 

I did my 3rd brake light addition with magnets glued to the back of the light, and quick disconnect terminals so that I can remove and disconnect the light easily. Some pics if anyone's interested:

Tap from passenger brake into bed cubbie:


Magnets super glued to light:


Inside view of magnets and quick disconnects:


Wire run to cubby (I've since covered the lower part with a molle panel):


Outside view:

 

@RobotTheDog - thank you very much for yhe information !!!

 

Like you I had my light on the window but I would take the rear panel off so often for various reasons I moved it to the actual topper lip. So much easier than constantly unplugging it to remove the back panel

 

I mainly stuck it there so that the wire is cleanly hidden, but I do roll it up sometimes, which hides the light.

 

Are those connectors up top removable or just plain old crimps? I'm curious how you'd remove the rear panel without messing with wiring. Or do you never remove the window?

 

They are quick disconnects like these:

$8 80PCS Spade Quick Disconnect Wire Connectors, 22-10 AWG Male and Female Wire Crimp Terminal(22-18AWG Red 15Pairs, 18-14AWG Blue 15Pairs,12-10AWG Yellow 10Pairs)

https://www.amazon.com/Spade-Disconnect-Connectors-Female-Terminal/dp/B09HB3YTKG?th=1

I just disconnect, pull off the back 2 magnets and stow the light somewhere. Then I coil up the remaining wire and stow it in the cubby.