Looking For Insight On MasterTwill Soft-Top For 2006 LJ

[williambmac]

I've had three Bestop Sailcloth tops and none were significantly noisier than my hardtop I sold years ago since it wasn't significantly quieter.

This is where I have to disagree a little. I've owned numerous soft tops on my jeeps, and my hardtop is hands down much quieter.
I dd all my TJ's and driving 75 mph on the highway with the hardtop, I can have a normal conversation without yelling. I can use my cellphone hands free without an issue. It is a bit different with the soft top on. The hardtop is also better acoustically for my stereo system.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

This is where I have to disagree a little. I've owned numerous soft tops on my jeeps, and my hardtop is hands down much quieter.
I dd all my TJ's and driving 75 mph on the highway with the hardtop, I can have a normal conversation without yelling. I can use my cellphone hands free without an issue. It is a bit different with the soft top on. The hardtop is also better acoustically for my stereo system.

Close/zip shut all the windows and turn the vent, heater, or a/c (non-recirc mode!) with the fan at the #2 setting and it'll inflate the top a tad so it's quiet as I described.

 

[red02tj]

Hey everyone,

Looking to get some insight on a particular Soft-Top for a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. My OEM is pretty much on its last few stitches on the seems, and a recent hail storm really beat her up. Luckily the LJ itself is still good to go. So I am in the market for a new Soft-Top for my LJ, and want something nice and good quality. I came a cross on Quadratec a Mastertop MasterTwill fabric Slant back soft top, and have some questions if anyone can help? Links to the websites I saw these on below:

Quadratec Link:
https://www.quadratec.com/p/mastert...j/msp-fastback-replacement-top-lj-mastertwill

MasterTop Link (Towards the Top):
http://www.mastertop.com/products/new-products/

1) Is this a good quality product or would I just be throwing my money away? Like is it durable and does the fabric actually help with noise reduction?
2) Does anyone know if it comes in the OEM square back type, or if anyone makes Twill OEM square back soft tops?
3) Outside of LJ Twill Soft tops, does anyone know who makes GREAT OEM square back soft tops for LJs? Can be other materials than Twill, but whats good?

Thank you everyone!

If you just have your seams pulling, take it to an old school cobbler/shoe repair shop. I had my entire top restiched for about $75

 

[Jerry Bransford]

If you just have your seams pulling, take it to an old school cobbler/shoe repair shop. I had my entire top restiched for about $75

Or a boat top shop.

 

[red02tj]

To the original question, I'm another thumb down on the MasterTop, I I had it on my TJ for about a month and sent it back. It was loud and leaky.

 

[CV04TJR]

I will try to answer a few of the questions here from an upholstery shop point of view. The differences between a cheap to and a quality top will have a lot to do with materials. Not just the fabric itself but the thread used to sew it together. Thread is mostly made of either nylon or polyester. It can be UV stable or not. Polyester thread is more UV stable but different threads have more or less life in them. Good thread costs more and a lot of companies that make cheap stuff that is sold to be something that lives in the sun use cheap nylon thread that is not IV stable.

Twill, Trilogy Acoustic Vinyl, sailcloth, black diamond are different from each other but the same regardless of what company sells the top.

A good top will have better zippers and windows.

 

[CV04TJR]

If you just have your seams pulling, take it to an old school cobbler/shoe repair shop. I had my entire top restiched for about $75

I wouldn’t do this to my own top. It will look bad, you simply can’t get to the ends of the seams on something that has already been sewn together without taking it all the way apart so it will continue to fall apart. It will leak an then then the customer that says they understand all of these things will complain that it leaks, looks bad and got them maybe another year of life which isn’t enough for there $75. Not worth it.

 

[MikekiM]

I did a ton of research on the Mastertop and actually purchased it twice only to cancel the order before it shipped. I was interested in the SkyMaster in Twill, primarily for the fastback and sunrider features. Every time I thought I had done my due diligence and placed the order, I found another negative and backed out. Although the Twill is super nice, and the underside of the deck is black instead of the pale grey most other tops have, excessive noise and fitment issues pointed me away from it. Plus, while I think Twill is a nice fabric, it looks out of place on a TJ to my eyes.

I just took delivery of the Bestop Trektop Nx in Black Diamond (originally came in black denim). I had one on my JK and was very happy with it. There are just is no shortage of negative fitment reviews but I think a lot of that is user error and Bestop always goes above and beyond on fitment issues.

Going to try to get mine installed this weekend.. still not sure if I have the tramp stamp model or not.

 

[WWII Jeeper]

I did a ton of research on the Mastertop and actually purchased it twice only to cancel the order before it shipped. I was interested in the SkyMaster in Twill, primarily for the fastback and sunrider features. Every time I thought I had done my due diligence and placed the order, I found another negative and backed out. Although the Twill is super nice, and the underside of the deck is black instead of the pale grey most other tops have, excessive noise and fitment issues pointed me away from it. Plus, while I think Twill is a nice fabric, it looks out of place on a TJ to my eyes.

I just took delivery of the Bestop Trektop Nx in Black Diamond (originally came in black denim). I had one on my JK and was very happy with it. There are just is no shortage of negative fitment reviews but I think a lot of that is user error and Bestop always goes above and beyond on fitment issues.

Going to try to get mine installed this weekend.. still not sure if I have the tramp stamp model or not.

I had the Trektop twill on my 06 and really liked it. Definitely quieter than the stock, until a crash this winter took it out.

I went with the Super Top Square Back twill, and the top arrived with sewing and fitment defects. A few pictures were sent in, and a complete new kit was given to me. A short time delay, and slight inconvenience for me, but poo happens, and I have zero control over that.

The new one did not have the same issues as the first one, and fit fine after some stretching. Even in a 90+ degree bake it was a little tight, but after it was completely buttoned up and sat overnight in the garage, it settled and works just fine.

It's quieter than the Trek, and I like the shorter flip back on the top, as opposed to the larger one on the Trek.

Have to say, as far as customer service goes, Shawna at Bestop was super with my situation.

Good luck on your top
Ray

 

[06TJ35's]

Can we all agree Bestop or no top

 

[MikekiM]

It's quieter than the Trek, and I like the shorter flip back on the top, as opposed to the larger one on the Trek.

Anything will be quieter than what I have now. It's a noname replacement top.

I really wanted to do away with the bulk of the frame when the top is down.

 

[williambmac]

Close/zip shut all the windows and turn the vent, heater, or a/c (non-recirc mode!) with the fan at the #2 setting and it'll inflate the top a tad so it's quiet as I described.

I used to do this with my 01 TJ, and it worked fantastic. My 05 has the vents in the tailgate, so it doesn't work nearly as good.

 

[Ericshere03]

To all those claiming soft tops are “consumable” NEVER had a black twill… same material on 90’s bimmers are rotting in junk yards with good looking soft tops…

BLACK TWILL IS IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN!

Now the problem with the LJ is no one makes a black twill soft top in stock style. Can get the ugly “fast back” in swill, duster in twill, bikini top in twill, basically everything BUT a stock replacement style in twill… it’s aggravating. I have breached out to Bestop in 2016-ish, and again recently only to be shot down, they won’t even do a custom one off for any cost… it sucks.

Keep in mind folks, when suggesting the OP and twill top, know THEYRE UNAVAILABLE! Sucks.

I got master top to consider making black twill roll bar padding, wondering if we can shove them to do a black twill top as well…

In my experience, a black twill soft top is QUIETER than a hard top, unless it starts flapping, the material had more deadening to it, in my opinion, a hard top sounds boomy, but consistently so. A black twill is quieter as if the material is absorbing/deadening sound, but it does flap and make noise.

 

[MikekiM]

I’ve never owned a Twill top on any of my Jeeps, though I have seen many. Most of them are on Jeeps that will likely never see top down or even windows down. (I’m amazed at the number of Soccer Mom JKs and JLs running around in perfect top down weather with the windows clamped shut, top up and AC on)

All reviews I have read support that Twill is quieter but (in my opinion) twill belongs on a bimmer not a Jeep..especially not a TJ. Only my humble $0.02.

 

[Ericshere03]

I’ve never owned a Twill top on any of my Jeeps, though I have seen many. Most of them are on Jeeps that will likely never see top down or even windows down. (I’m amazed at the number of Soccer Mom JKs and JLs running around in perfect top down weather with the windows clamped shut, top up and AC on)

All reviews I have read support that Twill is quieter but (in my opinion) twill belongs on a bimmer not a Jeep..especially not a TJ. Only my humble $0.02.

Where the heck do you get that load of crap ??? A top that doesn’t fade, quieter, cooler in the heat and warmer in the cold, looks better, lasts longer. I have had a black twill TJ, JK, JK again, JT (sun rider). I’ve had TJ sailcloth, JK sail cloth and a few hard tops for good measure … and guess what, the tops DO in fact come off, whether or not the owner does or doesn’t has ZERO bearing in the top itself.

 

[Ericshere03]

I’ve never owned a Twill top on any of my Jeeps, though I have seen many. Most of them are on Jeeps that will likely never see top down or even windows down. (I’m amazed at the number of Soccer Mom JKs and JLs running around in perfect top down weather with the windows clamped shut, top up and AC on)

All reviews I have read support that Twill is quieter but (in my opinion) twill belongs on a bimmer not a Jeep..especially not a TJ. Only my humble $0.02.

And to your point, in general I find it amazing how many people cocoon themselves in their car … not realizing how nice a day it is … sheeple mentality

 

[MikekiM]

AC is the ONLY thing on my TJ that doesn't work. Haven't really put any energy into trying to fix it.

 

[Ericshere03]

AC is the ONLY thing on my TJ that doesn't work. Haven't really put any energy into trying to fix it.

Doesn’t take a lot … I’ve had a 98 TJ, 06 LJ, 06 LJ again, 05 TJ and now a 05 LJ. HALF of them had leaking schraider valves! Replace valve, recharge and be on your merry way. One of those universal truths of TJ/LJ ownership. Like leaky radiators and sloppy slip joints on the steering shaft …

 

[MikekiM]

Doesn’t take a lot … I’ve had a 98 TJ, 06 LJ, 06 LJ again, 05 TJ and now a 05 LJ. HALF of them had leaking schraider valves! Replace valve, recharge and be on your merry way. One of those universal truths of TJ/LJ ownership. Like leaky radiators and sloppy slip joints on the steering shaft …

No idea where that is.. Help a brotha out.
I used the commercial recharge kits and it took one squeeze on the canister for the gauge to show full. I can hear the compressor clicking on and off. Alas, it still blows hot air.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Can we all agree Bestop or no top

Ahhh, no. Not even close.

Different people have different needs. Different rigs have different needs. I personally would never run a stock style soft top on my rig. It does not fit my needs, or how I use my rig.

I would also never run a Bestop. Not because it is not a quality product - it is - but because they don’t make a version that fits my needs.

That’s always the problem with gross generalizations.