Bestop Trektop Questions

[mikalcarbine]

Just bought a Trektop NX for my TJ a few weeks ago and so far I'm indifferent to it. It is replacing a framed soft top and a Bestop safari top.

So far I've only installed the top "safari" top since the weather has been so nice. It was in the 70/80s when I installed the top part and it was very loose when you snapped the sides into the door channels. On the highway it was also flaps a lot above the cabin even with the spreader bar that was meant to prevent flapping. Everywhere I read people say these things are tight and are a PITA to install, why is mine so loose? My other dedicated Bestop safari top uses the door channels and its extremely tight to snap in comparison

I also noticed that there are two strips of velcro on the inside of the top by the rollbar and I can't figure out what they do (not the outside velcro that is used for the windows). I called Bestop and the woman that answered the phone was clueless. I asked if they could get back to me with an answer and she seemed unsure. Very surprising to not know your own products...

Here's a photo of the velcro strip

Here's a video showing how loose the top is above the cabin, I can very easily pull the snaps out of the door channels
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ohs4hbtic98EShxY9

 

[MountaineerTom]

I bought one a couple years ago. Mine flapped like crazy over your head too. It lasted 3 days until I put it up for sale. Ended up getting the Bestop supertop NX. It hasn’t flapped anywhere near as much.

I don’t remember the Velcro though.

 

[chad]

Just bought a Trektop NX for my TJ a few weeks ago and so far I'm indifferent to it. It is replacing a framed soft top and a Bestop safari top.

So far I've only installed the top "safari" top since the weather has been so nice. It was in the 70/80s when I installed the top part and it was very loose when you snapped the sides into the door channels. On the highway it was also flaps a lot above the cabin even with the spreader bar that was meant to prevent flapping. Everywhere I read people say these things are tight and are a PITA to install, why is mine so loose? My other dedicated Bestop safari top uses the door channels and its extremely tight to snap in comparison

I also noticed that there are two strips of velcro on the inside of the top by the rollbar and I can't figure out what they do (not the outside velcro that is used for the windows). I called Bestop and the woman that answered the phone was clueless. I asked if they could get back to me with an answer and she seemed unsure. Very surprising to not know your own products...

Here's a photo of the velcro strip
View attachment 97656

View attachment 97657

Here's a video showing how loose the top is above the cabin, I can very easily pull the snaps out of the door channels
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ohs4hbtic98EShxY9

 

[chad]

I got one for my 06 LJ and it drove me crazy. It flapped in the same spot bad and had a lot more wind noise the my old worn out OEM top to. I eventually folded up a towel and stuffed it between the roll-bar and the top and it helped a lot as long as I didn’t drive over 45 mph lol. I got rid of mine and went back to the OEM style. I almost forgot the cross bar squeaked to and it had a large gap on both sides near the windshield and leaked. Big waste of money.

 

[IPerkWVU]

Just bought a Trektop NX for my TJ a few weeks ago and so far I'm indifferent to it. It is replacing a framed soft top and a Bestop safari top.

So far I've only installed the top "safari" top since the weather has been so nice. It was in the 70/80s when I installed the top part and it was very loose when you snapped the sides into the door channels. On the highway it was also flaps a lot above the cabin even with the spreader bar that was meant to prevent flapping. Everywhere I read people say these things are tight and are a PITA to install, why is mine so loose? My other dedicated Bestop safari top uses the door channels and its extremely tight to snap in comparison

I also noticed that there are two strips of velcro on the inside of the top by the rollbar and I can't figure out what they do (not the outside velcro that is used for the windows). I called Bestop and the woman that answered the phone was clueless. I asked if they could get back to me with an answer and she seemed unsure. Very surprising to not know your own products...

Here's a photo of the velcro strip
View attachment 97656

View attachment 97657

Here's a video showing how loose the top is above the cabin, I can very easily pull the snaps out of the door channels
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ohs4hbtic98EShxY9

The Velcro strap holds the top to the roll cage for when you pull back the top and utilize the sun rider feature. I’m a bit surprised it’s not tight to snap in the side clips on the door surround, so you have a speaker bar?

 

[Zukey14]

I am on my second year with my trektop NX and I think its great. Honestly the sides on mine are so tight that to remove the two plastic clips per side above the doors I have to use something (like a screwdriver) to pry them out. My cross bar didn't make any noise last year but I have been getting some rattles since putting it back in this weekend so I will have to see what I did different this year.

The only Velcro I have on mine is to seal the flap on the top over where you zipped the windows on. So I think you have the Velcro inside the roll bar and its supposed to be outside, when you put the windows in it should make sense. It has two nylon straps that attach the center portion to the roll bar which I have super tight.

Hope this helps.

 

[mikalcarbine]

The Velcro strap holds the top to the roll cage for when you pull back the top and utilize the sun rider feature. I’m a bit surprised it’s not tight to snap in the side clips on the door surround, so you have a speaker bar?

Yes I have a speaker bar. I had a suspicion that the velcro was used in sunrider mode but the front half of the top doesn't appear to have any receiving velcro when you fold it back, does yours?

I might give Bestop a call about how loose it fits. The first one I picked up from 4WP had missing hardware and no windshield header, horrible quality control. I'm not sure what to do if I decide to return it since I gave my old top to them as a $100 promotion through Bestop

I am on my second year with my trektop NX and I think its great. Honestly the sides on mine are so tight that to remove the two plastic clips per side above the doors I have to use something (like a screwdriver) to pry them out. My cross bar didn't make any noise last year but I have been getting some rattles since putting it back in this weekend so I will have to see what I did different this year.

The only Velcro I have on mine is to seal the flap on the top over where you zipped the windows on. So I think you have the Velcro inside the roll bar and its supposed to be outside, when you put the windows in it should make sense. It has two nylon straps that attach the center portion to the roll bar which I have super tight.

Hope this helps.

Take a look at the photos I posted, my window velcro is already on the outside and I have another inside strip

Have you ridden around with all of the windows off? Do the side snaps loosen up or remain tight? I might put my windows on tonight just to see if it tightens everything up but I can't imagine the windows affected the material between the front snaps

 

[Brian83]

Mine is tight and doesn't flap at all when the header is down and latched in. Do you have the rear straps going to the tub tight? Like really tight?

 

[Viking Jeeper]

I bought my Jeep with a Bestop and really liked it until I took it off this spring and the stereo sounded so much better and wind noise was quieter! Strange but true. I have put the top back on without side and back windows for Summer and yes, the stereo sounds better and the overall noise is quieter WITHOUT the top.

 

[IPerkWVU]

Yes I have a speaker bar. I had a suspicion that the velcro was used in sunrider mode but the front half of the top doesn't appear to have any receiving velcro when you fold it back, does yours?

I might give Bestop a call about how loose it fits. The first one I picked up from 4WP had missing hardware and no windshield header, horrible quality control. I'm not sure what to do if I decide to return it since I gave my old top to them as a $100 promotion through Bestop



Take a look at the photos I posted, my window velcro is already on the outside and I have another inside strip

Have you ridden around with all of the windows off? Do the side snaps loosen up or remain tight? I might put my windows on tonight just to see if it tightens everything up but I can't imagine the windows affected the material between the front snaps

I was referring to the piece of nylon strap that goes between the sound bar and roll bar.

 

[MountaineerTom]

Are they for use as a bikini top?

 

[BigWheel88]

Mine is pretty tight. if i install in the sun at 75-80degrees it is easy to install though. Only a pain when around 60 or below.

I have the bar foam (or whatever it is made from) still on where OP seems to have bare bars. I can't imagine that makes much difference but maybe.

I can't tell where that velcro is in first shot but the second shot one i use to fold over the zippers when in bikini mode. It is to protect paint on bar from zipper I think. On one side it stops the zipper pull from jingling annoying in the wind when driving.

 

[mikalcarbine]

Mine is tight and doesn't flap at all when the header is down and latched in. Do you have the rear straps going to the tub tight? Like really tight?

I had them cranked down, so tight that I'm actually worried about ripping the stitching holding them on by a few threads lol

I was referring to the piece of nylon strap that goes between the sound bar and roll bar.

Oh ya i have those 2 tightened down well

Are they for use as a bikini top?

View attachment 97782

Bingo! I totally missed this on my first pass through the manual, its on the back side of the very last page.

Mine is pretty tight. if i install in the sun at 75-80degrees it is easy to install though. Only a pain when around 60 or below.

I have the bar foam (or whatever it is made from) still on where OP seems to have bare bars. I can't imagine that makes much difference but maybe.

I can't tell where that velcro is in first shot but the second shot one i use to fold over the zippers when in bikini mode. It is to protect paint on bar from zipper I think. On one side it stops the zipper pull from jingling annoying in the wind when driving.

I decided to install the windows to see if everything would tighten up. The windows definitely gave some challenge even with the temps being in the mid 90s today, the backside is very tight and nice, I wish the front would be the same. Putting the windows on did tighten the front up a bit but I still have a lot of slack between the door channels. Pulling down with a little effort and I can stretch the top about an inch in this area! The photo is a little hard to see but the tape measure is bottomed out on the lip of the door surround

I might end up keeping it, the flapping wasn't loud by any means and my rig makes enough noise as is. I might add a foam block above the spreader bar or try to fabricate new end brackets to raise it another inch or two for more pressure. This was my first time fully doored and topped in over a year and a half, what a different experience!

 

[glwood]

Might be a dumb question, but I can't tell - you do have the plastic flaps tucked into the door surround channels, right? It is also possible that yours is looser due to not having roll bar padding.

 

[mikalcarbine]

Ya the plastic flaps are tucked/snapped in. I originally had the roll bar padding on but removed it just prior to taking those photos while tinkering on Monday. I can't imagine that would cause the front of the cabin to be loose, all my other bars still have their padding

 

[Zukey14]

Yes I have a speaker bar. I had a suspicion that the velcro was used in sunrider mode but the front half of the top doesn't appear to have any receiving velcro when you fold it back, does yours?

I might give Bestop a call about how loose it fits. The first one I picked up from 4WP had missing hardware and no windshield header, horrible quality control. I'm not sure what to do if I decide to return it since I gave my old top to them as a $100 promotion through Bestop



Take a look at the photos I posted, my window velcro is already on the outside and I have another inside strip

Have you ridden around with all of the windows off? Do the side snaps loosen up or remain tight? I might put my windows on tonight just to see if it tightens everything up but I can't imagine the windows affected the material between the front snaps

Sorry, missed that in the photos but yes I have used it without windows and I have never used that Velcro on the inside, honestly I had to go look to see if it was even there. But with the windows out the front is really tight. When the top was new did you have to screw it into the front header bar? I had to stretch the top around that bar and I remember it being somewhat difficult.

 

[Reign Mack]

get no flapping at all in mine, I can be on the highway doing 80 with the windows down or doors off without flapping. could have something set wrong. have you watched the full video on youtube ?

 

[glwood]

@mikalcarbine, did you ever end up sending that video to Bestop? It seems something is definitely out of whack, and I believe they would replace the top if they saw that.

 

[mikalcarbine]

Just sent them the video. Prior to installing I did watch their youtube video for any tips and tricks. When I installed the top fabric onto the windshield header it was very easy and it did not require any stretching to line up the holes before sinking the screws. We'll see what they say

 

[Reign Mack]

I have seen all the photos of the middle and back straps which looks correct but what about the bow knuckles and struts wish connect to the door surrounds ?