80 MPH Winds Tests Limits of Bronco Soft Top

[TakeNoGuff]

I just saw that video. With the soft top opening on the sides maybe that guy with the snow in his didn't actually leave it open.

That's what I said from the beginning. Stick your hand up between the frame and the top, a 50 MPH wind can bring a lot of snow inside to swirl around everywhere, as it did.

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[Razorbak86]

Not to mention the road noise with the soft top on the WT I test drove was almost as bad as being on a motorcycle in my opinion.

Wow! The soft top on the WT you test drove must have been installed incorrectly or most recently operated by an idiot who doesn’t understand how to lock the latches and maximize the seal along the edges.

I have a Bronco with soft top and a motorcycle, and I always wear ear plugs when I ride my motorcycle, simply to protect my hearing from wind buffeting, but I have never even thought about wearing ear plugs with the Bronco soft top closed, and I can talk on my phone over the speaker easily with the top closed.

I would suggest you test drive another soft-topped Bronco to see if you notice a difference.

 

[Russ.Gil]

Wow! The soft top on the WT you test drove must have been installed incorrectly or most recently operated by an idiot who doesn’t understand how to lock the latches and maximize the seal along the edges.

I have a Bronco with soft top and a motorcycle, and I always wear ear plugs when I ride my motorcycle, simply to protect my hearing from wind buffeting, but I have never even thought about wearing ear plugs with the Bronco soft top closed, and I can talk on my phone over the speaker easily with the top closed.

I would suggest you test drive another soft-topped Bronco to see if you notice a difference.

Ok so not literally as noisy as a motorcycle, that was an exaggeration I should have been more clear on that. It was noisy though, more so than I imagine the hardtop will be. Honestly though, it just comes down to I wouldn't know what to do with the soft top once the MIC was available for purchase. In my mind, The bronco is only going to be driven in two configurations. Top on, or top off and I'd just rather have the MIC. Shrug. It is possible it wasn't latched properly though I suppose. Everyone likes to test stuff so probably someone didn't make sure they latched it back down properly. Ah well, I can wait, the military taught me how to be very good at waiting lol

 

[Razorbak86]

Ok so not literally as noisy as a motorcycle, that was an exaggeration I should have been more clear on that. It was noisy though, more so than I imagine the hardtop will be. Honestly though, it just comes down to I wouldn't know what to do with the soft top once the MIC was available for purchase. In my mind, The bronco is only going to be driven in two configurations. Top on, or top off and I'd just rather have the MIC. Shrug. It is possible it wasn't latched properly though I suppose. Everyone likes to test stuff so probably someone didn't make sure they latched it back down properly. Ah well, I can wait, the military taught me how to be very good at waiting lol

Fair enough.

It may have been an issue of the middle latches not fully engaging. The front latches are pretty straightforward, but the middle latches are a little more finicky. See this video for more info.

Sometimes it helps to drop the top to activate the middle latches using gravitational force, just like you drop the hood from 10”-12” high to properly activate the hood latch.

 

[Russ.Gil]

Fair enough.

It may have been an issue of the middle latches not fully engaging. The front latches are pretty straightforward, but the middle latches are a little more finicky. See this video for more info.

Sometimes it helps to drop the top to activate the middle latches using gravitational force, just like you drop the hood from 10”-12” high to properly activate the hood latch.

Yea I saw the vid, hopefully thats something that can get fixed easily at a dealership and we don't get a recall on soft tops too lol

 

[RustysBronco]

TSB?

 

[HeliPilot]

In general, the public is not surprised when 80mph winds affect either the structural integrity of buildings, or components attached to those buildings. I am baffled why people are shocked that an 80mph cross/headwind, combined with a 60-80mph vehicle speed causes, what is in effect, a sail to catch wind and lift. The winds the Bronco experienced were in excess of 140mph at times. Hurricane’s damage things. I look at this through a different lens. They were lucky that the top actually remained attached to the vehicle.

 

[VVSidewinderVv]

Lite Brite's frame isn't lifting or anything so it's not the latches on this top. There's a steel cable the runs front to back along the sealing edge of the soft top. Their cable seems really loose. The cable on mine is tight enough I can maybe fit 2-3 fingers through it not my entire arm. The loose fabric sucks, but I think it's purely an aesthetic issue there.

If a company made a top that squared off like the OEM, didn't risk screwing up my roll bar every time it was opened fully, and didn't leave a fabric wing on the top of the roll bar when fully opened I'd be all in. For now the OEM works for me.

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