Soft top question

[Fishtaco]

I have never put my original on and am going to get a new one, not sure what type yet but my question is my OEM 2006 soft top has curved plastic stiffeners that fit into pockets/pouches and fit at the rear of the roll bar location, all the install vids I have seen do not show these stiffeners. Do the Replace a tops come with the pockets/pouches for the stiffeners? If so do they come on the trek top NX as well?

Cheers.

 

[Jamison C]

I ordered a Bestop sailcloth RAT a couple years ago and it didn’t include any stiffeners. I believe the trektop comes with them. My 05 factory top does not have any stiffeners in them either.

 

[jjvw]

I ordered a Bestop sailcloth RAT a couple years ago and it didn’t include any stiffeners. I believe the trektop comes with them. My 05 factory top does not have any stiffeners in them either.

My RAT from a couple months ago didn't either.

I'm also pretty sure my previous factory top was an 05 or 06. It didn't have stiffeners.

 

[Lou]

supertop nx has them, my last top(didnt last long) was a PITA to get them in and it sure seemed like the pockets werent big enough, i did not have this issue on my first top.

 

[Jamison C]

My RAT from a couple months ago didn't either.

I'm also pretty sure my previous factory top was an 05 or 06. It didn't have stiffeners.

@DaveC has a factory top with stiffeners, and I believe he said it was a catalog ordered top. Perhaps he can chime in.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Are we talking about the sail panels? The factory top on the 05 LJ I bought in 2010 I think had the stiffeners. I don't remember them specifically but I'm pretty sure they stayed rigid and I turned them laterally as I folded them up in the rest of the top when I put it down. It's been some years though.

 

[Fishtaco]

These things! I took them out to store the top, material is really thick too, thicker than the other soft tops i have looked at?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

These things! I took them out to store the top, material is really thick too, thicker than the other soft tops i have looked at?

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Yep, that's what I was thinking of. I remember those sections of the top being stiff, but I probably didn't even know those plastics were removable.

 

[MountaineerTom]

The Bestop Trek Top NX I had for a short time in 2017 and the Bestop Supertop NX I replaced it with both had them.

 

[DaveC]

My top is the OEM version of the Supertop NX and does have the stiffeners in the rear panels. It was from an 06 Rubicon that came with both hard and soft tops, per the original owner who I bought it from. Sounds like it may have been a upgrade option if @Jamison C 05 Ruby OEM top doesn't have the panels or sunrider feature.

The stiffeners were already inside the pockets in the rear panels when I bought it, so I can't give much advice on inserting them other than to let the top sit in the sun to loosen it up so it's more pliable.

I will say that the difference between my standard OEM top and the upgraded one I have now was noticeable. The original wasn't bad by any means, but the current one (with stiffeners) fits really, really snugly and doesn't flap or generate any noise beyond what you're already going to hear through a soft top.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

My Trektop NX has them. I do not recall the factory top having them… 2005

 

[Fishtaco]

My top is the OEM version of the Supertop NX and does have the stiffeners in the rear panels. It was from an 06 Rubicon that came with both hard and soft tops, per the original owner who I bought it from. Sounds like it may have been a upgrade option if @Jamison C 05 Ruby OEM top doesn't have the panels or sunrider feature.

The stiffeners were already inside the pockets in the rear panels when I bought it, so I can't give much advice on inserting them other than to let the top sit in the sun to loosen it up so it's more pliable.

I will say that the difference between my standard OEM top and the upgraded one I have now was noticeable. The original wasn't bad by any means, but the current one (with stiffeners) fits really, really snugly and doesn't flap or generate any noise beyond what you're already going to hear through a soft top.

Mine is an optioned up 65th and has the sunrider and was a factory dual top. I can get them back in ok, I took them out to fold the soft top for storage as I have only used the hard top since I have had it, has not been on for many years I can tell but maybe just needs a good clean? Surprisingly windows are not scratched and all zippers seem good, I am just not use to handling a soft top when its removed so I took it off the header and bows. There is no bestop tags on it.

 

[DaveC]

Mine is an optioned up 65th and has the sunrider and was a factory dual top. I can get them back in ok, I took them out to fold the soft top for storage as I have only used the hard top since I have had it, has not been on for many years I can tell but maybe just needs a good clean? Surprisingly windows are not scratched and all zippers seem good, I am just not use to handling a soft top when its removed so I took it off the header and bows. There is no bestop tags on it.

The OEM tops won't have Bestop tag or logo, but they're made by Bestop. If it's in good shape, that's a really nice top. Sells for ~$1,100 US last I checked. Was lucky to find mine virtually unused for a steal!

 

[Fishtaco]

So I have been messing with this softop and it looks like I only need the bow straps that I cut off and the screws to fix the bow to the roll bar, I might get the bits sent over and try it. It hasnt been on for years before I got it so should I condition it first? also where does this bit go? I forgot where I took I off from and should there be Two?

 

[Fishtaco]

Bumping the above as I have no idea what it is for or where it came off the soft top hard wear its around 5 inches long and someone must know what it is. Cheers

 

[SSTJ]

I ordered a Bestop sailcloth RAT a couple years ago and it didn’t include any stiffeners. I believe the trektop comes with them. My 05 factory top does not have any stiffeners in them either.

Ditto. My Bestop Sailcloth Replace-A-Top does not use any. Fits wonderfully, and is noticeably quieter than the previous soft top, which was a much older Replace-A-Top.

 

[MikekiM]

Trektop NX has them but I ran without them so it was easier to stow the windows when taking them out. Worked just fine.