Bestop LJ black twill soft top review

[Ericshere03]

@BradyW
You are both absolutely right. The key with that cross member is that is needs to be in constant contact with the soft top. As it is....it only is in constant contact while parked but flaps while driving causing the crossmember to continuously contact and bang against its bracket slots. To keep it more closely touching the soft top while driving you'll have to add something to the top of it. I use dense foam (1 side is sticky to the crossmember)...1 layer at a time and add more if needed after driving.

Here is what I have used before and will use again on this top

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07LB21S31?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

We shouldn’t have to do that to a $2000 soft top! Made by a company who “makes the same thing as OEM”. Every “MOPAR” soft top I’ve ever had for like a drum and never had a single imperfection! They are perfect. I’ve bought used, new old stock and of course what came from the factory.

I am thinking of buying a LJ soft top on Craigslist and use the factory hardware, refresh the nylon straps and put my black twill fabric on it.

Looking at the mismatched bends and brackets in slightly different locations left to right. I am guessing for cost reasons they opened up their tolerances and sometimes the “stack effect” makes for a reduction in function while 80% will never know the difference …

Being a “NEW” product, I would think that Bestop would take a keen interest in our experiences as early adopters … but then again, one month of LJ sales probably equal a year of TJ/LJ sales.

 

[sideproject]

We shouldn’t have to do that to a $2000 soft top! Made by a company who “makes the same thing as OEM”.

I 100% agree. None the less...I'm just trying to help people out who are in the same boat

 

[WWII Jeeper]

So, I went ahead and splurged … … I was on the phone with Bestop hoping I had some warranty on my SuperTop NX, but I was just a couple years past… all well, I decided to splurge since I was on the phone with Bestop and get the BLACK TWILL for the LJ. Finally we long butt Jeeps hat a quality top!!!

HOWEVER!

I am not sure Bestop did a very good job retrofitting the twill to the LJ platform. It fits a little crooked and it’s actually LOUDER than my used and tired Super Top NX!

I did a decibel meter hoping to be blown away with the difference. Here is a decibel meter snapshot of a specific stretch of road, same speed of 50mph, 5th gear, no HVAC, no radio and no cars around me.

OLD FLOPPY TOP
View attachment 410369

Same setup, this is the black twill
View attachment 410370

Well, this is disappointing…


I’ve had 3 TJs with Mopar soft tops (one dual top) and 3 LJs with Mopar tops (one dual top). I have gotten rid of every hard top because I thought the soft top was just as quiet unless it’s flapping… I very much HATE hard tops…

I have had 3 JK unlimiteds, 1 factory twill top, one hard top that I sold for a mopar Khaki Diamond (vinyl) top. And another with hard tip that I didn’t keep long enough to sell the top (haha) … in my experience the regular black Diamond was good but that black twill was AMAZING!

Sooooo, enter the LJ. The black twill should lift my skirt just like my JK, right ?!?! WRONG!

Then I realize that I totally forgot that aluminum bar that goes across the top of our heads, this will make it better, right??? WRONG. That thing just rattles and clanks around as the soft top vibrates against it.

It is pretty tho… I do live the look and feel of this material.
View attachment 410393

I also notice Bestop cheeped out on the hardware. The surrounds no longer come with knobs, just bolts. Ok, cheesy, but ok… a couple of the holes of the rods needed to be redrilled because they were off. The header doesn’t quite fit as well on the passenger side as it does the driver, makes a little whistle but super super minor.
View attachment 410380

View attachment 410379

Also the driver side sits an inch higher that the passenger when comparing to the tub.

I’ll call Bestop Monday and see what they say. Curious your thoughts … also, I have all my background so you don’t think I am some Mercedes driving yuppy criticizing the humble Jeep world for our archaic tractors we love so much.

And of course
View attachment 410392


As a side note:
Previous owner stripped the rear tailgate bar bracket screws. So I went all out and drilled for nutserts. M4 nutserts work GREAT! I should have done this to me fender flares when I swapped for Rubi flares… I HIGHLY recommend these nutserts.

I had a similar fitment issue with my header and the twill top. It's a TJ, not an LJ. I removed the fabric from the header, then set the header on the frame to where it was even across, and then locked the levers. Lowered the side bars down to the header pegs and measured.

I found the pre-drill holes by BT were off, making the header too short in length, which gave that big gap (s) on the windshield frame. Once I made even measurements on the pegs to the new header placement and screwed it in, everything worked fine.

In the pic of your top, where the center material is flush on the windshield gasket, after my adjustment , the entire top looks and fits like that. It also cut the road/wind noise significantly.

Ray

 

[Ericshere03]

I had a similar fitment issue with my header and the twill top. It's a TJ, not an LJ. I removed the fabric from the header, then set the header on the frame to where it was even across, and then locked the levers. Lowered the side bars down to the header pegs and measured.

I found the pre-drill holes by BT were off, making the header too short in length, which gave that big gap (s) on the windshield frame. Once I made even measurements on the pegs to the new header placement and screwed it in, everything worked fine.

In the pic of your top, where the center material is flush on the windshield gasket, after my adjustment , the entire top looks and fits like that. It also cut the road/wind noise significantly.

Ray

That’s EXACTLY why I thought of doing!!! Or re bending the arch bar for a little more “reach” … but they want to void my warranty for relocating a screw hole in one of the bows (inner silver sleeve) because it was way off … so. These jerks make it real hard to do anything … I shouldn’t have said anything but I wanted them to know it was an issue. You can tell the bow was in the jig wrong when drilled because every hole and bracket on that bow rod is off the same degree …

How do you scoot forward the header on the rod? I feel the adjustment would be so minor that the hole would only need to be oblonged, but then it could scoot.

 

[WWII Jeeper]

That’s EXACTLY why I thought of doing!!! Or re bending the arch bar for a little more “reach” … but they want to void my warranty for relocating a screw hole in one of the bows (inner silver sleeve) because it was way off … so. These jerks make it real hard to do anything … I shouldn’t have said anything but I wanted them to know it was an issue. You can tell the bow was in the jig wrong when drilled because every hole and bracket on that bow rod is off the same degree …

How do you scoot forward the header on the rod? I feel the adjustment would be so minor that the hole would only need to be oblonged, but then it could scoot.

With the bare header (completely disconnected from the top material) and locked in place on your windshield frame (where you want it to seal all across), then lower the frame pole on each side to see where on the header peg they will rest. Make sure the measurement is same or close on each side and mark the pegs. Then slide the poles onto the pegs to your marks. Drill a small hole in each and lock in with the screws they provide in the top kit.

I'm guessing you have the fold-back. Unlock the header and fold it back, then re-attach your top material to the header.

I hope I've understood your question. I didn't take any pictures when I did mine, but here is a pic of a bare header with the peg.

Ray

 

[Ericshere03]

With the bare header (completely disconnected from the top material) and locked in place on your windshield frame (where you want it to seal all across), then lower the frame pole on each side to see where on the header peg they will rest. Make sure the measurement is same or close on each side and mark the pegs. Then slide the poles onto the pegs to your marks. Drill a small hole in each and lock in with the screws they provide in the top kit.

I'm guessing you have the fold-back. Unlock the header and fold it back, then re-attach your top material to the header.

I hope I've understood your question. I didn't take any pictures when I did mine, but here is a pic of a bare header with the peg.

Ray

View attachment 413027

Totally understand! And that’s exactly what I believe it needs … but like I said. I do not want to blow my “lifetime” warranty because I moved a screw hole. I was already threatened … stay tuned with my Bestop sanctioned fix.

 

[Ericshere03]

So, the only thing Bestop wants to do is replace the piece where I had to redrilled a screw. Literally has NOTHING to do with the fittment of this too.

In fact, since I confirmed the part number I “modified” they haven’t replied nor responded … I jut remembered this too has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee … this POS is going back!!!

I was on a short road trip to the beach and even my wife said “this top sucks” within 10 minutes of driving.

On my drive I had to reattach the rear panel to the tub several times as it would constantly unhook and flap around. I cracked open the rear window sides for ventilation (since we were cruising with the windows down) and they still unhooked …

I slowed my drive down to 60mph to make it tolerable but it was BAD. Not just the noise but the pressure waves on the top flapping so much.

Sorry Bestop, you didn’t get this one right.

I might just buy a mopar, there is one on eBay. But I love this twill material

 

[WWII Jeeper]

So, the only thing Bestop wants to do is replace the piece where I had to redrilled a screw. Literally has NOTHING to do with the fittment of this too.

In fact, since I confirmed the part number I “modified” they haven’t replied nor responded … I jut remembered this too has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee … this POS is going back!!!

I was on a short road trip to the beach and even my wife said “this top sucks” within 10 minutes of driving.

On my drive I had to reattach the rear panel to the tub several times as it would constantly unhook and flap around. I cracked open the rear window sides for ventilation (since we were cruising with the windows down) and they still unhooked …

I slowed my drive down to 60mph to make it tolerable but it was BAD. Not just the noise but the pressure waves on the top flapping so much.

Sorry Bestop, you didn’t get this one right.

I might just buy a mopar, there is one on eBay. But I love this twill material

Sorry to hear that the top is going back, I really like mine.

The other thing I did was install the cross-brace, and then installed a shade screen over the brace. This gave me more head room for my Stetson, and eliminated any chance of top flapping.

Ray

 

[Ericshere03]

Sorry to hear that the top is going back, I really like mine.

The other thing I did was install the cross-brace, and then installed a shade screen over the brace. This gave me more head room for my Stetson, and eliminated any chance of top flapping.

Ray

I KNOW ! I wanted to love this thing… I been periodically asking Bestop and MasterTop since 2016 when I bought SuperTop NX.

Do you have the TJ twill or LJ twill???

 

[WWII Jeeper]

I KNOW ! I wanted to love this thing… I been periodically asking Bestop and MasterTop since 2016 when I bought SuperTop NX.

Do you have the TJ twill or LJ twill???

TJ twill

 

[sideproject]

I KNOW ! I wanted to love this thing… I been periodically asking Bestop and MasterTop since 2016 when I bought SuperTop NX.

Do you have the TJ twill or LJ twill???

I have the twill as well and so far love it after minor mod to quiet the front crossmember

 

[BradyW]

I have found that running the air with three or four dots of fan speed does a good job of preventing pressure fluctuations in the cabin with the twill LJ top. It also seems to cut down on the window flapping a bit. I’m going to try the highest tension setting on the frame next. I’ve been running on the middle hole so far.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

regarding the header fitment / whistle with the twill top, bestop had sent me a replacement top after shooting this photo to them a few years back. mind you this top had been installed for about a year at this point and stretch should have occurred by then. replacement top issued had fit much better along with the 2 new bows and header bar sent along too and the whistling had stopped.

my assumption on why the header isnt fitting very well may be something to do with the silly "sunrider" feature, I see that with the top up the elbows above the door are not straight and somewhat folded back on themselves allowing for some slack in tension.. but then again the tubes are fairly light duty anyhow and I would assume that they really aren't pushing the top forward much anyhow.

by folded back on themselves I mean like a Z shape rather then a straight line.

elbows im discussing

its been years since ive been in a jeep with factory (non bestop) softop hardware.. im talking maybe 20 years ago. so I dont have anything to compare it to. but I suspect the minor amount of play in the elbow may be restricting the forward push of the top fabric to the front header seal.

the sunder feature is useless imo anyways. ive had the locking pins above the door come loose when driving with the sunder open and had the pins give loose and the top drop on me a few times. my top has since the occasional oh shit times just either been fully up or fully down.

 

[TheBoogieman]

So, the only thing Bestop wants to do is replace the piece where I had to redrilled a screw. Literally has NOTHING to do with the fittment of this too.
I was on a short road trip to the beach and even my wife said “this top sucks” within 10 minutes of driving.

I replaced my worn Bestop with a WAY less expensive ($289) Sierra Offroad "Trilogy" top and didn't tell my wife. We took an hour drive on the highway and she commented, " what did you do to make the top and windows stop that loud flapping?
p.s. Now she talks even more when riding in the Jeep.

 

[tnjeepguy]

This is why the good Lord made hardtops. Just sayin.

And if quiet is your thing, maybe a Jeep and older Corvette are not the best vehicle choices. Just sayin again. D

 

[Ericshere03]

That’s the age ole secret to highway driving …

This is why the good Lord made hardtops. Just sayin.

And if quiet is your thing, maybe a Jeep and older Corvette are not the best vehicle choices. Just sayin again. D

I hate hard tops! Ive had 2TJ's and 3LJs. All factory mopar soft tops, 1 dual top. I once bought a used hard top for my factory soft top TJ, hated it and sold it immediately, no complaints on the factory top, I was just curious. This jeep was also a 1998 with a super tight factory top, I also later upgraded to the "Sail cloth" off of a later jeep (This was all back in 2006-2008). Then in 2009 got a LJ dual top and never used the hard top, just took space in the garage. Another LJ in 2014 with a factory 8 year old soft top (Perfect fit). Much later in 2018 I got a TJ with a hard top which I sold pretty quickly and bought a used factory soft top in khaki (Perfect fit, a little faded but no complaints). Then we get to this POS I bought in late 2022, it came with a 6 year old Bestop Supertop NX that was clapped out and tired and header fit like crap and whistled which I just replaced with my new twill and have pretty much the same experience :-/ ... As you can see on my resume, I have installed and swapped a lot of tops on these jeeps, not even getting into my JK's or friends vehicles.

Observation, a factory soft top new or old will fit so tightly that the door surround clips will nearly break you fingers to take off, the top is tight as a drum on top of your head. On a calm day without traffic a factory jeep top will start flapping around 60mph+, the twill about 35mph.

Bestops can be pulled to onside and easily unclip. The old bestop would regularly unclip itself.

Rear window on a mopar fight nice and tight so that reflections look mirrorlike. sometimes closing the rear window feels tight. on a new mopar top feel like the zipper is going to break.

Bestop is baggy and even flaps in the wind on a warm day, reflections looks wavy and sloppy. this goes for BOTH twill and diamond. This same looseness allows the rear corners to unclip themselves occasionally. The rear corners will regularly do it if I unzip the sides for ventilation.

on a factory top, running the AC blower with the windows closed allows the side windows to bulge and resist flapping around. with both bestops I've owned, even the blower fails to keep the sides from flapping around. And on this LJ I do not have the rear ventilator, its been covered up with a steel plate for a tire swing bracket.

 

[Ericshere03]

I replaced my worn Bestop with a WAY less expensive ($289) Sierra Offroad "Trilogy" top and didn't tell my wife. We took an hour drive on the highway and she commented, " what did you do to make the top and windows stop that loud flapping?
p.s. Now she talks even more when riding in the Jeep.

Yea, we went to Mexico some beach time and the ride was terrible, wife was not enthusiastic. before we got on the highway she said the flapping was bad. She has been in a lot of my jeeps (read above)

 

[Ericshere03]

regarding the header fitment / whistle with the twill top, bestop had sent me a replacement top after shooting this photo to them a few years back. mind you this top had been installed for about a year at this point and stretch should have occurred by then. replacement top issued had fit much better along with the 2 new bows and header bar sent along too and the whistling had stopped.
View attachment 417165

my assumption on why the header isnt fitting very well may be something to do with the silly "sunrider" feature, I see that with the top up the elbows above the door are not straight and somewhat folded back on themselves allowing for some slack in tension.. but then again the tubes are fairly light duty anyhow and I would assume that they really aren't pushing the top forward much anyhow.

by folded back on themselves I mean like a Z shape rather then a straight line.
View attachment 417167

elbows im discussing
View attachment 417166

its been years since ive been in a jeep with factory (non bestop) softop hardware.. im talking maybe 20 years ago. so I dont have anything to compare it to. but I suspect the minor amount of play in the elbow may be restricting the forward push of the top fabric to the front header seal.

the sunder feature is useless imo anyways. ive had the locking pins above the door come loose when driving with the sunder open and had the pins give loose and the top drop on me a few times. my top has since the occasional oh shit times just either been fully up or fully down.

So, on my 06 with a factory soft top. there is a sleeve that slides over that knuckle to keep it straight and true... another cost saving measure by bestop. They also got rid of the door surround knobs and replaces with screws. I been looking for those sleezes to retrofit on my bestop bows. I do see a value in that sleeve.

 

[03coloradowrangler]

So, on my 06 with a factory soft top. there is a sleeve that slides over that knuckle to keep it straight and true... another cost saving measure by bestop. They also got rid of the door surround knobs and replaces with screws. I been looking for those sleezes to retrofit on my bestop bows. I do see a value in that sleeve.

cost saving.. its a feature

the bestop tube at my elbow joint measures out to 3/4" OD and 5/8" ID. ill probably end up exploring my options at the local hardware's for some sort of tube I can cut to make a sleeve with a inner diameter of 3/4 that I can fab up for shits and giggles. looks like a sleeve may fit over the elbow joint too. dont see this as much of a solution though, more of just a thought.

 

[tnjeepguy]