Let's See Some Softoppers

Merry Christmas to me! I'm typing this as the seam sealer dries. Was curious as to what sized drill bit I should use for those 3 screw-in snaps for the flap at the front that snaps to the bed? Unfortunately the guide left this little detail out I'm so gonna spend the night in this thing tonight!

 

Congrats. Was going to seam seal but never got to it. No real leaks to speak of and I've been in some intense rain. Including sleeping in it during a very heavy rain.

The snaps I just eyeballed a bit to the threads on the snap. Needs to be similar to the shaft NOT the threads on the shaft. So smaller overall than the width including the threads. 1/32 or 1/16 should work.

 

I screwed mine in by hand.. But I'm retarded and enjoy putting myself through torture..

With that being said an electric drill and the screws will work. No pilot hole needed.

 

yea i highly doubt i used a pilot hole.

i still haven't seam sealed either and its been like 3 years.

 

Appreciate all the replies! I'll give it a shot sans-pilot holes in the morning. As for the seam sealer, it was a "might as well" decision but glad to hear I might not need to ever apply it again! If anybody likes menial tasks, I found it was easier to apply the seam sealer with a small paint brush than using the supplied brush. Thanks again!

 

Never seam sealed mine either. Only leak in mine is the gaps in the corner and even that is so little I don't stress about it.

 

Here's mine.

 

Just installed. Need to put in the garage overnight to relax the vinyl. I can see light through the stitches in the upper rear corners. Seems overly tight down to the rearmost snap.

 

If by "rearmost" you mean above the tailgate, just snug the straps a little bit and you'll be able to button it much more easily.

 

I'll try that after it sits in the warm garage overnight. Thx.

 

I could see light coming through some seams. No issues for me.

 

Beware of cold weather

 

Better puts some clear packing tape on both sided of that. At the least, it won't get any worse.

 

I've been thinking about have the "glass" removed and solid canvas sewn in. I can't see out of mine anyway.

 

Im interested as to how that happened as well? I open like ^this and only roll the window up during the summer when there seems to be plenty of flex. When it's cold The clear window gets so stiff I'm afraid to flip it all the way up. But like you said at least it's a gentle bend in the plastic and not a crease

 

They will crack when cold after a few years. They made me a tinted version for replacement and it seems a little more flexible. We will see at enchanted rock next weekend.

 

It is probably +5 years old. I was trying to flop it over the top, but I guess I could have unzipped it more. I was working against +30 mph gusts, bringing temps down below 0F.

 

$64.99 via softopper.com...I'm rockin the packing tape until winter is over

 

I bought a Bestop which is coming in on Wednesday. Really excited about it, not so excited about the fact that I'll need to time the weather right to install it.

Besides securing Softoppers at the front end of the bed with velcro or snaps, I heard of people adding a flat piece of metal strap and clamping it down using the front rail, anyone done that? I guess I'm worried about the whole freak accidents of people catching a gust of wind that knocks the front window panel in and lifts the whole topper off.

 

The front windows to the bestop is an integrated window to the whole canopy. The only windows that zip in are on sides and back. That being said I still bought extra clamps to secure the front for the same reason.