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Alternating Hard and Soft Top? My fellow mechanically inclined friends give me your thoughts

meffie

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Curious question for my fellow do it yourself/mechanically inclined folks out there.

Would it be feasable to run both hard and soft tops alternating?

I realize both tops will have different hardware to secure the top, but how is that hardware mounted?
IAre the mounts it in the same place on the bronco, but different style?

Could you swap out hardware in a few hours and say run the soft top during the summer, but hard during the winter?

Since I haven't gotten my hands on one, or looked at how both tops are mounted, I am really unsure.

Thanks for your input
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meffie

meffie

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Curious question for my fellow do it yourself/mechanically inclined folks out there.

Would it be feasable to run both hard and soft tops alternating?

I realize both tops will have different hardware to secure the top, but how is that hardware mounted?
IAre the mounts it in the same place on the bronco, but different style?

Could you swap out hardware in a few hours and say run the soft top during the summer, but hard during the winter?

Since I haven't gotten my hands on one, or looked at how both tops are mounted, I am really unsure.

Thanks for your input
 

Cable Guy

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This shows the Bestop Trektop install. It is a very thorough video. It will give you a good idea how the two work together. Short version - yes you can swap them out. It’ll take you a bit of time. Guess the OEM soft top would be some similar.

 

iwantabasebronco

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Talking from no experience other than owning a soft top 4-door. This what I hope to do when the hardtop market becomes more like the wrangler’s (existent and affordable)…. ST in summer and HT in winter. Mine came with hard top prep kit and from what it looks like the hard top just bolts on.
 
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Talking from no experience other than owning a soft top 4-door. This what I hope to do when the hardtop market becomes more like the wrangler’s (existent and affordable)…. ST in summer and HT in winter. Mine came with hard top prep kit and from what it looks like the hard top just bolts on.
Yepp, I however ordered HT since I am not in a rush, because I know for a fact I will never come close to purchasing a HT for $800 as with ordering that way. But I do like the ease/convenience of the softtop at certain times as well.
 

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iwantabasebronco

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Yepp, I however ordered HT since I am not in a rush, because I know for a fact I will never come close to purchasing a HT for $800 as with ordering that way. But I do like the ease/convenience of the softtop at certain times as well.
FWIW I’ve loved the soft top so far! It’s seen 0F days and 60F days and is pleasant in both. I’ll just want a quieter ride and ski rack in the long term
 

Drex

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yes, it is designed that way, you used to be able to order dual tops from the factory.
 

Dads_bronze_bronco

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This is what I have been doing for 12 years on a Jeep JK 4 door:

November: remove soft top and trim pieces / lower hard top from garage ceiling & bolt on.

March: remove hard top by hoisting to garage ceiling / put on soft top trim pieces and soft top

June / July: remove soft top and trim pieces / lower hard top from garage ceiling & bolt on.

September: remove hard top by hoisting to garage ceiling / put on soft top trim pieces and soft top

The only alterations in routine: I may put the hard top on for a road trip in soft top season, or the soft top on for a beach or other expedition in the summer heat season.

I should note I do have a Kargo Master Congo Cage on the garage ceiling too that I can run with either top. If I didn’t have that I would need the hard top on any time I needed to run a roof rack.

I figure on getting a Bestop Slantback Soft Top for my Bronco and pretty much running the same routine. The only thing I might consider instead is a Sunrider. The Jeep truck guys I’ve talked to really like the Sunrider - “best of both worlds”.
 
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meffie

meffie

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FWIW I’ve loved the soft top so far! It’s seen 0F days and 60F days and is pleasant in both. I’ll just want a quieter ride and ski rack in the long term
Yea, my only issue with the soft top is I have a 37 mile 1 way highway commute in which I think the wind noise at 80mph daily would drive me bonkers
 
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meffie

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This is what I have been doing for 12 years on a Jeep JK 4 door:
Yepp as a former Jeeper myself, fully aware of it working on the Jeeps and I would HOPE Ford made it just as easy, but since I don't have my hands on one yet, I thought I'd come ask the folks who do
 

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Yepp as a former Jeeper myself, fully aware of it working on the Jeeps and I would HOPE Ford made it just as easy, but since I don't have my hands on one yet, I thought I'd come ask the folks who do
Oh, I see your question. Having watched the BroncoNational flannel YouTube videos on top removal, it seems like pretty much the same deal.

There was a thread on here about swapping tops also, which may have the exact details.
 
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meffie

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Oh, I see your question. Having watched the BroncoNational flannel YouTube videos on top removal, it seems like pretty much the same deal.

There was a thread on here about swapping tops also, which may have the exact details.
Ok I'll have to look again. I tried searching but didn't see anything at first.
 

Seatmandan

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Yea, my only issue with the soft top is I have a 37 mile 1 way highway commute in which I think the wind noise at 80mph daily would drive me bonkers
Make sure you have glass protection on your auto insurance
 
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meffie

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Make sure you have glass protection on your auto insurance
Oh I do. Used it far too many times throughout the years and have owned a few jeeps. I have a 0 deductible on glass, lol
 

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Remember when Ford had it so you could buy a dual top option when your made your order? Pepperidge Farms does.
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