Soft Topper .. to Buy or not to Buy

I think kbvoodoo has a rack for soft top but someone said u can’t fold the topper down bc of the rack so maybe have ur guy put that into consideration and would love to see pics of that when it’s done

 

For sure, I need to create a build thread but (as dumb as it sounds) I'm not entirely sure how. Is it just a normal post that I can link in my sig? Anyway for racks I'm leaning toward dissent offroad bed and cab racks. Arb bumper arrived this week so stuffs goin down.

 

I'll have it mounted to the rails with bushings, so I will be able to pull two bolts and pivot it over (if it's not too heavy), or at the very least take the rack off and then fold the topper from there! I'll definitely share pics once it's done. I think its getting powder coated at the moment! I'll be sure to post pics when I get it. Just hoping it fits correctly, all the measurements were done via email, as he's about 5 hrs away.

 

well the topper is on the truck ..over all i like the quality of it only using the velcro atm to see how it holds up . i left the back flapping might need to put some back there . cant decide to put on top of tailgate or the front of it .

 

LoL! I was wondering if you would mount it.

Honestly after 10mo, the no velcro on the tailgate just works for me. If your the least bit worried about the paint, toss on a 1in strip of clear vinyl.

Also, you don't need any velcro to tuck the flap. Just pop it over the top of the TG and it stays there.

 

I owned a softopper for a couple years before selling it - here's my .02:

1.How is the overall build quality of their product ?
It's actually really good for what it is. The vinyl windows wear fast (get scratched, foggy) which sucks. They sell replacements but they are pretty pricey. I REALLY wish that they would make a softopper with glass windows like BESTOP does for their new generation hybrid Jeep tops. The buckles/straps that you snap to roll up the sides start to age over time as expected. I believe softopper sells replacements and if they don't Amazon does so would not be too worried about it. Some of the hardware (snaps, pins, etc) were starting to show signs of oxidation but I certainly wouldn't say it was so bad or unsightly as to be worried about it. Mine stayed on all year round, outdoors and overall I can't complain at all about the build quality/longevity. It really is waterproof if you install it correctly which is more than most hard tops can claim. I will say I don't think they got the fit right... it seems like it needs another 4-6" of length to fit the short bed nicely. Look at how the back window on a hard top mostly comes "straight down" to meet the tailgate... on a softopper you have this harsh angle that just doesn't quite look right. I also do not like the loose flap that hangs over the top of the tailgate - that should have been tidier in my opinion. The access cab softopper does seem to fit a bit better from the pictures I've seen (not sure which version you have).

2.Is it worth the money to purchase this product?
I guess this depends on your expected use. For me, it ended up not being "worth it" because of the window situation I mentioned above. In the winter time, the snow, ice, general need to defrost always made having the windows in a PITA. Then they got a little too foggy over time where the general visibility annoyed me all the time. I ended up removing the vinyl windows and rigging up my own netting to use instead (similar to the mesh screen option you can buy from softopper). For me this worked OK since my main reason for having the Softopper was keeping the dogs out of the cab. If I went on a long trip/really needed waterproofness I'd just throw them back in. Annoying fact - Softopper will not let you forego the vinyl windows and sub mesh windows which is what I would do if I bought it again. They make you buy both even if you only want the mesh screens. Also - don't waste your money on the stupid bag to store it in. I used it exactly never and it's a huge PITA to actually put it on - kind of defeats the purpose of the setup being so easy to put up/down/take on or off. Additionally, I got tired of always messing with the rear flap (snaps, zippers, bar to remove, velcro) to get something in and out of my bed everyday. I'm always throwing kayaks, bikes, building supplies, etc back there. All this combined with the fact its only true usefulness to me for 90% of the time was really the dog hauling factor I decided to sell it and go with a nice bed rack/waterproof lockable bins for dry storage when I need it. If I had a longer bed that I could sleep in, I prob would have kept it for the camping factor.

3 & 4 How well does it do in the sun over the years?
I bought the grey color specifically for this reason (wanted tan but grey looks better with inferno color IMO) - it did not fade at all. I've had black convertibles which have a similar material on the tops and of course those always faded a bit over time. In all fairness, I have never heard of anybody complain of the black color fading.

5.Any noise or constant adjusting ??
Not at all - if you install it correctly you shouldn't have issues with either of these. I also did not observe any MPG loss.

 

Same w me. I have nothing over the rear. Works great

 

Slit the rear panel open and stuff some magnets in it works better than velcro

 

Mine will arrive in 3 days, ordered Saturday. I've been putting the order off for a long time since I had a tonneau. Tw guy here is picking that up tomorrow. Looking forward to full use of the bed again, but now sealed off.

 

Awesome I was kicking tires for a few days trying to decide to put mine on .once it went on it’s pretty secure in there . The only thing I have noticed and I saw this in another Thread is the rails it clips into tend to lean in one side when you tighten the clamps .it feels pretty secure to me.

 

No issues here. Had the truck close to 120 mph and no flapping shaking or drama. It's fine. It's not going anywhere

 

Same with tonneau I had on there.. prob should make sure my rails are tightened down properly before install. Along with figure out why tf my bumper lightbar ain't working (just found out tonight, guessing something came unplugged).

 

@tonered what lighting system are you using under your topper?

 

You should at least try it before you peddle it. You will get the same money if you sell. ( I hope you don't).

 

Just an LED strip that I cobbled together. It is excess from making a 3rd brake light.

The parts that I used are in the post below. 2in wide one-wrap is overkill though. 1in would be just fine.

 

Ugh I need a dual sport.. why they gotta be so dam expensive. Haha. 3rd brake light is gonna be on the list too, forgot about that.. thanks

 

I installed I have a pic of it on here few posts back . I said ehh give it shot . So far I’m pretty happy with it . Took it on the freeway no noise or flapping and lots people Turning there heads lol

 

The third brake light do u cut the led strip on the link it shows a huge roll of it ..

 

Yessir. There are diodes every 1in or something like that. Just cut between the terminals to whatever length you want. You do have to slice off a bit of the waterproofing silicone to expose the terminals.

That was great for me as the mod was still cheap, I got some good lighting out of it afterward, and was able to share.

 

You're welcome!

Yeah. They really took off in price. When I first started looking, I could have gotten a plated bike with the big tank and a set of SM wheels for $2k. Now, they're over double that for just a mostly stock bike.

That DR was almost perfect, but I am pretty tightly targeting a WR450F. Too many good reports and reccys.