Hard Top to Trek Top

[Fishtaco]

So I am going to buy one eventually but the Best top will cost me an arm and a leg (Literally!) with import and tax's to Australia ( around 2k+ for a Twill) But I can get a Rampage Trek top for $450 au delivered, is it worth it?
I am not interested in the sun rider flip thing, I have that on my OEM soft top that I dont use due to hard top being on and soft top frame being a storage nightmare with twisty bits everywhere that refuse to fold in any even type order lol.

I can cop a $450 instant loss on Chinese rubbish if it be so but $2000+ for BT not so sure!

Cheers

 

[williambmac]

Take a look at Mastertop. I just installed one on my LJ. It uses your original door surrounds and the header from your o.e. softop, so you save $$$ over the complete top.
I ordered the masterTwill material. It is a quality top and well made, and it fits really well, nice and tight.
The only thing I don't like is it flaps around a bit at highway speeds, but for a top I am only using 3-4 months out of the year I'll deal with it.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/mastertop/fastback-replacement-soft-top-wrangler-tj
http://www.mastertop.com/products/new-products/

 

[Apparition]

I was thinking @NashvilleTJ had a rampage, could be wrong.

I’d try the rampage for that price difference.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I was thinking @NashvilleTJ had a rampage, could be wrong.

I’d try the rampage for that price difference.

He does and it has served him well. Mine lasted 2 weeks before I returned it. I even bought the sailcloth frameless. He must have got the Mexican version and I got the Chinese one.

 

[TheBoogieman]

So I am going to buy one eventually but the Best top will cost me an arm and a leg (Literally!) with import and tax's to Australia ( around 2k+ for a Twill) But I can get a Rampage Trek top for $450 au delivered, is it worth it?
I am not interested in the sun rider flip thing, I have that on my OEM soft top that I dont use due to hard top being on and soft top frame being a storage nightmare with twisty bits everywhere that refuse to fold in any even type order lol.

I can cop a $450 instant loss on Chinese rubbish if it be so but $2000+ for BT not so sure!

Cheers

I would definitely try the Rampage for that price difference. I have no idea what US vs Aus $ equals.

 

[williambmac]

I have no idea what US vs Aus $ equals.

It’s like comparing Budweiser to VB

 

[James C.]

I had an early top made by Viking that I believe was bought by Rampage. It was a good top but had a couple of things I didn't care for. The biggest was the windshield header. It used the bolt on header bar that didn't fit as well as the factory style and was noisy at highway speeds. The second was the straps coming down the back. Since they are outside the soft top the plastic is exposed to UV and became brittle after 6 or 7 years. I know the straps carried over to the Rampage but not sure about the header bar.

I replaced it with a Spirit Top by Pavement Ends (Bestop's budget brand). I have been very happy with it and I love the sunrider feature.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/11107_10XX_PG.htm

 

[NashvilleTJ]

I was thinking @NashvilleTJ had a rampage, could be wrong.

I’d try the rampage for that price difference.

He does and it has served him well. Mine lasted 2 weeks before I returned it. I even bought the sailcloth frameless. He must have got the Mexican version and I got the Chinese one.

I do run the Rampage frameless top - in fact I've had two - the first lasted 9 years, so I can't complain. In fact I love the thing. I got it because of the easy transition going from full top to safari-style top. All you do is pull the three windows - it's very quick. It does take a lot longer to completely remove or install the full top compared to an OEM style top, but where I am I almost never go full topless.

I like the top so much that I had to do a very minor mod to my cage to be able to run it...

 

[TheBoogieman]

It’s like comparing Budweiser to VD

Fixed that for you.
P.S. I have no idea what VB is (not that I have first hand knowledge of the other either). I was told it means Valentine's Day.

 

[TheBoogieman]

It’s like comparing Budweiser to VB

Now you have to tell me what VB is?

 

[williambmac]

Now you have to tell me what VB is?

Victoria Bitters. It's and Australian Beer and not to be confused with VD!

 

[Fishtaco]

I would definitely try the Rampage for that price difference. I have no idea what US vs Aus $ equals.

$350 US or $1500 US
Most tops I have to get from US with high shipping and import tax the Rampage I can get from Amazon prime free shipping and no ridicules tax, Most of the tops come from China but I have to get them sent from US!

Been on Ali Baba lately? So much of the TJ accessories are bought in bulk from China for a few dollars a piece then sold on by companies like QT for big profits.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

$350 US or $1500 US
Most tops I have to get from US with high shipping and import tax the Rampage I can get from Amazon prime free shipping and no ridicules tax, Most of the tops come from China but I have to get them sent from US!

Been on Ali Baba lately? So much of the TJ accessories are bought in bulk from China for a few dollars a piece then sold on by companies like QT for big profits.

When I bought my original Rampage, it was available in two fabrics - "regular" (don't recall what it was called) and the "Sailcloth." The Sailcloth is much heavier, and was also more expensive - but it's the version you want. Not sure if they still have the cheaper version available - the one I bought earlier this year was Sailcloth.

 

[Fishtaco]

When I bought my original Rampage, it was available in two fabrics - "regular" (don't recall what it was called) and the "Sailcloth." The Sailcloth is much heavier, and was also more expensive - but it's the version you want. Not sure if they still have the cheaper version available - the one I bought earlier this year was Sailcloth.

Thanks the one I am looking at says sailcloth.
I have the original door surrounds and tailgate bar plus I have a new Bestop Bikini header channel but the ad is showing the Rampage header included, what else do I need?

Cheers

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Thanks the one I am looking at says sailcloth.
I have the original door surrounds and tailgate bar plus I have a new Bestop Bikini header channel but the ad is showing the Rampage header included, what else do I need?

Cheers

The Bestop header may work, but I'm not sure. But if you go with the Rampage, you may never use the bikini again so if you have to change the header it should be OK. If the Bestop header works, so much the better as you can still easily swap to the bikini if you like.

Everything else is cool. The Rampage does use the stock door surrounds and tailgate bar.

 

[Fishtaco]

The Bestop header may work, but I'm not sure. But if you go with the Rampage, you may never use the bikini again so if you have to change the header it should be OK. If the Bestop header works, so much the better as you can still easily swap to the bikini if you like.

Everything else is cool. The Rampage does use the stock door surrounds and tailgate bar.

Thanks, so the bikini header is different to the trek top header?
I have my OME soft top header as well.
When I bought my Bikini top the only header available was the bestop and was advise they are basically the same as the rampage header for bikini top.
Gets quite confusing when you have to import stuff you end up with boxes of wrong stuff lol.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Thinking back, the Rampage does not come with a header, so I had to get one separately. I likey went with the Bestop header, but it has been quite a few years. The Rampage I bought this year definitely did not come with one.

The Rampage uses a header setup just like a bikini or safari top, so my guess is that the one you have now will work. I’m not familiar with the trek top header, so I can’t provide any insight there.

As you know, the factory soft top does not use a header, the top itself just clamps down to the windshield frame.

I assume you have the factory roll bar, correct?

 

[Fishtaco]

Thinking back, the Rampage does not come with a header, so I had to get one separately. I likey went with the Bestop header, but it has been quite a few years. The Rampage I bought this year definitely did not come with one.

The Rampage uses a header setup just like a bikini or safari top, so my guess is that the one you have now will work. I’m not familiar with the trek top header, so I can’t provide any insight there.

As you know, the factory soft top does not use a header, the top itself just clamps down to the windshield frame.

I assume you have the factory roll bar, correct?

Yes, I took the plastic header off my OME soft top its held on with 8 screws.
i am pretty sure the bestop bolt on header fits as it has a groove in the front where top fits in.