Soft topper installed/review

[Thealien]

I ordered the Soft topper a couple of months ago and it arrived on Saturday July 3rd.

I had to open a couple (and add a couple) of holes on the bed rails. You probably don't have to do this but I wanted to use the single wall captive nuts so I didn't have to take off the inner side panels to install (or if I want or need to remove).

I struggled to get the brackets installed on the rubber door and top seal. The holes were a bit off and the bracket was hitting the plastic door cap when closed. I tried a bunch of different ways and ended up cutting some of the bracket and enlarging the holes a little. Here is how it looks installed. I will post a picture with the door closed to show the interference.



Here is how it looks around a closed window. I can open and close the door with the widow up. It actually fits better than the picture but I didn't have the rear straps pulled tight and it is sagging a bit.



A couple of the top up. You can take the wrinkles out by tightening the rear straps and the middle straps. I was putting the Blazer away so I didn't care at the moment.





And with the sides rolled up.

[litebulblsc]

Nice

[viking427]

Very nice pics and write-up.
You could roll up some tan terrycloth towels with the plastic windows as well, to help protect them from abrasion, UV etc. and blend it in visually.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by viking427

Very nice pics and write-up.
You could roll up some tan terrycloth towels with the plastic windows as well, to help protect them from abrasion, UV etc. and blend it in visually.

I used to do that with some larger microfiber towels on previous tops that I’ve had. In the end it turns out to be more of a pain to do every time then it is to just let the window scratch. That’s just my opinion.

[hemi43]

Your rails are mounted too far forward. That rubber block must have a 1/8-1/4 gap so it doesnt rub against the top fabric. If you leave it like that, you will eventually wear through the fabric. This should solve some of your wrinkling issue too. I would also check the aluminum bow right behind the glass. moving the rails back a bit will help, but you may have to adjust the bow also so the top edge of the glass doesn't deform the fabric so much.

[hemi43]

Another thing caught my eye. Something just doesn't look right!
I think you need to adjust the bows. I've enclosed a pic of my softopper for comparison.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by hemi43

Your rails are mounted too far forward. That rubber block must have a 1/8-1/4 gap so it doesnt rub against the top fabric. If you leave it like that, you will eventually wear through the fabric. This should solve some of your wrinkling issue too. I would also check the aluminum bow right behind the glass. moving the rails back a bit will help, but you may have to adjust the bow also so the top edge of the glass doesn't deform the fabric so much.

It is exactly where the instructions show.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by hemi43

Another thing caught my eye. Something just doesn't look right!
I think you need to adjust the bows. I've enclosed a pic of my softopper for comparison.

I mentioned under my second picture that I didn’t have all the straps adjusted so it was sagging a bit in the picture.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by Thealien

It is exactly where the instructions show.

Who reads those? Regardless, they are too far forward.

[RustyBucket]

The previous owner of my Blazer had modified a soft top as a half cab cover. I think it is a BES-TOP... not sure, I haven't used it in a long while. He is a pretty crafty guy and he'd trimmed the inner roof liner out of a '67-'72 to use under the soft top just behind the windshield. It makes the top contour much
smoother. The panel isn't very heavy & has trim around the edge so it isn't sharp. I can take a picture of the panel next time I'm in the shop. The half top seals pretty well and doesn't flap.

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by RustyBucket

The previous owner of my Blazer had modified a soft top as a half cab cover. I think it is a BES-TOP... not sure, I haven't used it in a long while. He is a pretty crafty guy and he'd trimmed the inner roof liner out of a '67-'72 to use under the soft top just behind the windshield. It makes the top contour much
smoother. The panel isn't very heavy & has trim around the edge so it isn't sharp. I can take a picture of the panel next time I'm in the shop. The half top seals pretty well and doesn't flap.

I would like to see more pictures and details of that top please.

[RustyBucket]

Here's a couple of pictures of the metal interior roof panel. I don't have any pictures of the inside w/the half top installed. There's some more hardware for it in the loft in the shop. The complete full length top could also be attached w/a big zipper. As I said it's been a long time since I used the top. Luckily the weather is pretty predictable here & it's been a while since I got caught topless in the rain.
`

[CJM72]

Looks great! Eagerly awaiting mine to show up, but they are a bit backordered. Did you screw the aluminum header bar directly to your windshield frame? For some reason I'm hesitant to do this even though I'll probably run with the top on (rolled up like you pictured) 95% of the time.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by CJM72

Looks great! Eagerly awaiting mine to show up, but they are a bit backordered. Did you screw the aluminum header bar directly to your windshield frame? For some reason I'm hesitant to do this even though I'll probably run with the top on (rolled up like you pictured) 95% of the time.

I was hesitant to put screws into my header, but I bit the bullet. I thought about building an aluminum header bar that would bolt to existing holes, but I wanted to get the thing installed and didn't want to take the time to fabricate and fit my own.

The instructions say to use a 9/64 bit. The screws are pretty soft and break easily. I think if I were to do it over again I would buy better screws.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by CJM72

Looks great! Eagerly awaiting mine to show up, but they are a bit backordered. Did you screw the aluminum header bar directly to your windshield frame? For some reason I'm hesitant to do this even though I'll probably run with the top on (rolled up like you pictured) 95% of the time.

FWIW, I removed the snaps from the aluminum header bar and mounted them separately right on the truck's windshield header. The top fits tighter and you dont need to see that ugly strip of aluminum.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by hemi43

FWIW, I removed the snaps from the aluminum header bar and mounted them separately right on the truck's windshield header. The top fits tighter and you dont need to see that ugly strip of aluminum.

The new ones don't have snaps at the front. There is a hard plastic lip on the front of the canvas that goes under the edge of the aluminum. I understand it's similar to how Jeep soft tops operate.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by truckster

The new ones don't have snaps at the front. There is a hard plastic lip on the front of the canvas that goes under the edge of the aluminum. I understand it's similar to how Jeep soft tops operate.

I didn't realize they changed the design. Probably for the better.

[txagincali]

Originally Posted by Thealien

I ordered the Soft topper a couple of months ago and it arrived on Saturday July 3rd.

I had to open a couple (and add a couple) of holes on the bed rails.

I struggled to get the brackets installed on the rubber door and top seal. The holes were a bit off and the bracket was hitting the plastic door cap when closed. I tried a bunch of different ways and ended up cutting some of the bracket and enlarging the holes a little.

TheAlien, I finally received my softopper top a few weeks ago after I ordered mine in July. I am having the same issues with the L-brackets on the bedrail not having the correct holes in place to line up. After 3+ weeks of trying to get responses from the company (takes 1 week for email replies and 5 days for phone call responses) they finally told me I need to drill holes in my bedrails since obviously some modifications have been done to my repainted '71?

Does that not seem more like a defective sh!tty product with even sh!ttier customer support that you need to modify a brand new $1200 top by drilling holes in your bedrails that are said to line up appropriately??

Below is a pic of their brand new rail that I moved outward an inch just to show how the holes don't line up with nearly any mounting location supplied.

[72gmguy]

I’m not sure but aren’t the top mounting holes different between single and double wall? I’m saying this because I have a softopper that I originally purchased for my 70 blazer that I have since switched to a 72 blazer. The holes in the rail lined up on the 70 but not on the 72. I drilled the softopper rail to match the mounting holes that existed on the 72 blazer.

[1rippen6]

Originally Posted by 72gmguy

I’m not sure but aren’t the top mounting holes different between single and double wall? I’m saying this because I have a softopper that I originally purchased for my 70 blazer that I have since switched to a 72 blazer. The holes in the rail lined up on the 70 but not on the 72. I drilled the softopper rail to match the mounting holes that existed on the 72 blazer.

Yes, the holes are different between the double and and single wall tops.

[txagincali]

Originally Posted by 1rippen6

Yes, the holes are different between the double and and single wall tops.

Yes those mounting holes on the bed rails are different for each type of top, but would single wall top bed rails have threaded nuts under the bed rails? Or viceversa?

The Softopper instructions state: **The bedrails have extra holes to accommodate double and single walled vehicles. We have provided extra nuts and washers just in case your vehicle does not have the threaded parts under the side rails**

Which after reading that, it seems like you either have a single walled hard top whose holes have nuts under the bedsides, which the frame was made to fit without alteration. Or they give you nuts and bolts to drill new holes to attach the frame on your own.

Does that sound more like it?

[1rippen6]

Originally Posted by txagincali

Yes those mounting holes on the bed rails are different for each type of top, but would single wall top bed rails have threaded nuts under the bed rails? Or viceversa?

The Softopper instructions state: **The bedrails have extra holes to accommodate double and single walled vehicles. We have provided extra nuts and washers just in case your vehicle does not have the threaded parts under the side rails**

Which after reading that, it seems like you either have a single walled hard top whose holes have nuts under the bedsides, which the frame was made to fit without alteration. Or they give you nuts and bolts to drill new holes to attach the frame on your own.

Does that sound more like it?

Correct, single walls have caged nuts under the bedrail, as far as their directions I have no clue, lol.

[truckster]

The rails will fit either. They have slotted holes, and you put the bolts in where you need them. There is foam insulation that goes under the rail. I just used a Phillips screwdriver to punch a hole through the foam in the location I needed it. If you have a double wall top, you would do the same. The only difference is that you would need to thread a nut on the bottom.

[72gmguy]

All of the mounting holes lined up on the 70 and about half lined up on the 72. I just drilled the softopper rail for the rest. I will have to check but my softopper rails didn’t have that many holes to line up with both types of bedsides.

[truckster]

I didn't have to do any drilling on my 72.