Bestop Skyrider with TrailRax Half-Rack: Best of Both Worlds?

[lakesinai]

There's a group of us early bronco owners that wanted both softtop and hardtop at the same time on our 4dr MIC top Broncos. We wanted the security of the rear MIC top cap but also a convertable top for the front two rows . . . A one-row Sunrider was not good enough, not enough openess. A two-row Besttop was not available in 2021, but that didn't stop some of us from petitioning Besttop to make one, and finally it became available just over a year ago at the end of 2022. I bought mine in January of 2023. For a number of reasons, I waited, finally installing my Besttop Skyrider in early October, 2023. Now that I've lived with it for a few weeks, I'm ready to report on its use, compare it to the MIC top, and report on its pairing with the TrailRax half-rack, a sturdy 4' x 3' rack that sits atop the rear MIC top cap.

The Trailrax half-rack was a great place for storing the MIC mid-panel. It is great for attaching side-racks for my beach shovel and other items, such as a 4' ROAM awning, my next project. I use a Hammerbuilt tailgate bracket for gas cans & flags. I may mount a solar panel on the half rack for back-up power to the Dometic PLB40 battery that powers the Dometic Frig. Haven't bought Ice for a year!

We knew from others that the Besttop Skyrider worked well, and laid back nicely onto the hardtop Roof cap. The big question is, will the 2row Skyrider lay down over the rear Trailrax half roof rack, or is the rack in the way. If it lays over the rack, then this is truly a versatile vehicle for those who want an open top as well as a small rear roof rack at the same time. The rear rack provides additional storage space, a way to mount side-saddles, and a place to mount a solar panel or a 4' awning. That's alot of options if you dont need a rooftop tent.

My report is that the pair work well together, but not perfectly. The metal frame of the softtop hits the upper front corners of the rack, preventing it from laying back its final few inches. If I cut out a 1" x 4 " channel from the front top of the rack, the top would lay down more. I show that in the photos.

The good news after a few weeks of beach and town driving is that the inability of the convertible top to fully lay back doesnt seem to matter. It functions well. Its a great experience and I'm very pleased. I never went over 55mph with the top open. I was a bit concerned that, if it stuck up a few more inches than normal, that the wind would hurt the rack. Perhaps @Besttop can look at the photos and tell me if there's an issue with how the canvas top lays on the rack. So far, any 65mph interstate driving was always with the top up.

Noise: Now that I've had experience with both MIC Hardtop and Skyrider Softtop, I want to compare noise. Overall, the hardtop is definitely quieter in most road conditions. Both tops generate their own noise, but the softtop is quieter from about 40 to 55mph, because theres no wind noise below 55mph. At 60mph both tops generate wind noise, differently, but at 75mph the softtop gets worse, depending on the wind, it makes various crack, snapple & pop noises. The radio is also more muffled with the softtop. Around town and on state roads, the softtop is a quiet joy, open or closed. The one noise problem with the softtop in all road conditions is that road noise can be quite loud. That is, truck exhaust noise and tire noise from trucks, or Offroad vehicles with oversized mud tires create a ruckus that the hardtop muffles, but softtop lets right into the cab.

Quality: None of the noise issues is about quality, however. A fabric top can't block noise like a thicker hardtop. I am very pleased with the design and workmanship of the Besttop Skyrider. Its well designed, functions well. It works. Also, my son and I were pleased that we actually installed it, and it worked! Thank God for UTube!

Install: others have posted installation videos. I watched them for several days before the install, viewed tricky sections a few times during the install. Thankfully, the top comes with paper manual that is great for identifying screws (several types and sizes) and sequencing the install. The worst part was getting the multi-bend tie rods right, there were no labels on them marking "front" or "left". But we got it straight, and installed our Skyrider in about 5 hours.

Changeover: removing the Skyrider to reinstall the Hardtop will be easier, because the top can stay assembled. Its the mounting brackets that take time, and I was careful to label everything so next year I'll know where it goes. I expect to put the MIC panels back on next Summer, when its too hot in SC for a convertable top. But, we'll see how it goes. If I was still in the Adirondacks, soft-top would be a Summer accessory, Hardtop a winter top.

I'm really pleased with this set up for my Bronco, which is my daily driver, trip car and beach vehicle. I'm really pleased with quality of the accessory market. The @Rockworkx thumbscrews make top removal easier, and the front top thumbscrews do work with the Skyrider. The @TrailRax half rack is excellent, carefully crafted, as were various racks from @Hammerbuilt, @Builtright. TrailRax provided a protective trim along the front metal edge of the rack to protect the softtop fabric from fraying.

That's @Builtright license plate bracket

The softtop frame just hits the edge of the roof rack. If the frame was an inch wider, it would lay to the side of the rack. The wind pressure over 50mph will move it to the side. Im considering cutting a channel in the rack. I'm also thinking of leaving it around! @Besttop, is it ok?

The Trailrax side rack (Pak-Rak) is a great place to mount the Builtright shovel mount. The side racks cant go on without a roof rack to attach to. National Park Service ORV beaches require all vehicles to carry a good shovel for digging out when stuck, luckily I use mine for beach umbrellas and sandcastles and other fun tasks, in my old age I avoid situations where I might get stuck in the sand.

Rear view

The top is great fun on the beach

The Besttop Skyrider Softtop is good looking, fits well, is tight, doesn't leak, operates easily!

Trailrax provided this protective trim so I could do my best to protect the fabric from fraying on the rack.

The lower control arm link hits the top front of the half-rack, preventing it from laying fully down.

The hardtop rear cap must be raised up and back a few inches to install one bracket that attach the softtop to the hardtop. Once the bracket is installed, the MIC shell goes back into place. The Rockworx thumbscrews make that easy. Besttop designed a plastic transition plate (photo below) that mates the softtop to the hardtop. Great design.

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[WildOne23]

I had the skyrider on all summer, and took it off to go back to the hard top for the upcoming winter. It's quite simple, takes about an hour and a half - with original hardware and hand tools. Just get some help lifting the mostly assembled soft top off the car to avoid scratching something - whether you go forwards or backwards.

 

[lakesinai]

I had the skyrider on all summer, and took it off to go back to the hard top for the upcoming winter. It's quite simple, takes about an hour and a half - with original hardware and hand tools. Just get some help lifting the mostly assembled soft top off the car to avoid scratching something - whether you go forwards or backwards.

Sounds good! That's why i didn't pay someone to install, I wanted to be able to do the reverse. Good to know its pretty easy. Here in Charleston, SC, I'm not sure what my Softtop season is going to be! My current plan is to put the hardtop back on for the Summer, its too hot for open top!

 

[Zavala]

@lakesinai this looks like a great setup, but I'm wondering about how it sits on the rack. I saw the new Broddict rack and wondered if it might allow the top to come down a little more flush. Not as nice of rack, but budget would allow me to get Skyrider too.

Pic credit: Michael Grasso from the other forum.

 

[lakesinai]

@lakesinai this looks like a great setup, but I'm wondering about how it sits on the rack. I saw the new Broddict rack and wondered if it might allow the top to come down a little more flush. Not as nice of rack, but budget would allow me to get Skyrider too.

Pic credit: Michael Grasso from the other forum.

That looks like a nice rack as well, and at $289 an easy buy. It does more like a car rack, you'd have to try it to see. It's only the one tie rod that prevents fuller lay-down with the TrailRax, and I could cut out some metal. Too bad these companies don't try the cross-mfgr fitment trials for us . . . Otherwise it takes a customer to buy both as an experiment!

All that said, I'd still buy the TrailRax because I want the side-racks, the versatility metal provides for adding crossbars and other fasteners . . . My next add will be a solar panel. But, the Broadaddict looks great if that style is what you're looking for!

Why not you buy both and see? Then let 6g world know?!

 

[Zavala]

That looks like a nice rack as well, and at $289 an easy buy. It does more like a car rack, you'd have to try it to see. It's only the one tie rod that prevents fuller lay-down with the TrailRax, and I could cut out some metal. Too bad these companies don't try the cross-mfgr fitment trials for us . . . Otherwise it takes a customer to buy both as an experiment!

All that said, I'd still buy the TrailRax because I want the side-racks, the versatility metal provides for adding crossbars and other fasteners . . . My next add will be a solar panel. But, the Broadaddict looks great if that style is what you're looking for!

Why not you buy both and see? Then let 6g world know?!

Agreed completely on the TrailRax, just thinking of a budget approach for now. Hoping to get into the Skyrider first and then go from there. Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[Kmautah]

The Trailrax half-rack was a great place for storing the MIC mid-panel.

@lakesinai thanks for the write-up and pics. I have the trailrax half-rack as well, but I don't have the pax rax yet. Two questions:

• you said the trailrax is a great place for storing the MIC mid-panel, what do you mean by that? just resting it on top when both are off the vehicle? do you have a pulley system for lifting the rear MIC section?
• For the pax rax, does the lower section attach to the bronco BETWEEN the hard top and the frame? Does that create a seal issue?

 

[lakesinai]

@lakesinai thanks for the write-up and pics. I have the trailrax half-rack as well, but I don't have the pax rax yet. Two questions:

• you said the trailrax is a great place for storing the MIC mid-panel, what do you mean by that? just resting it on top when both are off the vehicle? do you have a pulley system for lifting the rear MIC section?
• For the pax rax, does the lower section attach to the bronco BETWEEN the hard top and the frame? Does that create a seal issue?

1. I mean that, before I got the Skyrider, I used three x long bungee cords to place the midpanel on the half-rack while I was riding on the beach. The front panels stored behind the front seats ( no rear passenger).
2. For the PakRak (side saddles) you do have to take the rear cap off, install the plates with strips of seal to keep out the water, but its designed for that plate and it doesn't change the fit of the cap at all. You do have to mount both plates, or no plates, but you don't have to use them . . . I use one sidesaddle, not the other. That operation is a good time to buy a set of the Rox fasteners. See pics.
Top 2 photos with MIC top.

Next photos with Besttop Skyrider.

Here's some pics of the install of the plates last fall

 

[Kmautah]

1. I mean that, before I got the Skyrider, I used three x long bungee cords to place the midpanel on the half-rack while I was riding on the beach. The front panels stored behind the front seats ( no rear passenger).
2. For the PakRak (side saddles) you do have to take the rear cap off, install the plates with strips of seal to keep out the water, but its designed for that plate and it doesn't change the fit of the cap at all. You do have to mount both plates, or no plates, but you don't have to use them . . . I use one sidesaddle, not the other. That operation is a good time to buy a set of the Rox fasteners. See pics.
Top 2 photos with MIC top.

Thanks so much for confirming, and for the photos. I guess driving slow on the beach that would work. I can see why you eventually went w/ the Bestop.

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