Hard top users - what is your plan of attack for summer?

[MillerAndCheeto]

Where do you store the rear shell of your hard top?

Anyone have a good solution for easy on/off with a Jtops bimini installed? Seems like it would rule out a (2 Door) TopLift Pro?

I keep it hung up in the garage with the Harken Hoist.

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[THE Buckeye Bronco]

Where do you store the rear shell of your hard top?

Good question. It stays on the RollNJack in the Garage.

So I can do this...........

 

[CarGuy]

Would love to take my roof off, but i have too many cars in the garage and the Bronco is, unfortunately, an outdoor car. Looking to see if the waterproof covers would really prevent water from getting in…and pooling on top.

 

[rblock50]

Does anyone know what the complete hardtop weighs for the four door? I’m talking all four pieces (front two pieces, large middle section, and the clam shell from the back). I’ve heard different numbers so I want to be sure.

I bought a cargo rack hoist that says it’s rated to 150 lbs, and I want to make sure I’m not too close to that. I’d hate for have it come crashing down!

 

[BCHBRNC22]

Anyone run into any issues storing these tops longer term suspended? I am using an electric hoist and a couple hammock straps run through pool noodles. Nice and easy. Just wondering about warping or deformed gaskets?

 

[dinosaurkun]

I have a 2dr and regularly use the TopLift Pro to take off/store the top.
The panels I leave in their bag which hangs on some hooks attached to garage shelves.
The doors are in Ford storage bags and left on a DIY wooden cart with casters.
The JTops mesh is a lifesaver, and I leave it on all the time...hardtop on or not.
I can confirm it does NOT get in the way of the TopLift Pro.
Just raise the top a couple notches to clear any obstacles...then extend the arms...and lift away.

TX heat wave be damned...I'll leave the top and doors off, for now.

 

[rblock50]

Anyone run into any issues storing these tops longer term suspended? I am using an electric hoist and a couple hammock straps run through pool noodles. Nice and easy. Just wondering about warping or deformed gaskets?

I like the pool noodle idea. I was just trying to figure out what to use for the same sort of setup. Thanks!

 

[Duvel]

I went with Lange Originals Hoist a Top.
Uses the roof rail attachment points, and the power hoist makes it a breeze.
Plan on leaving it off most of the summer, but will probably put it back on during really hot days.
Considering JTops mesh bimini, but no plans to purchase a soft top.

 

[darinhouston]

Well.... I got stuck by my first downpour with my front panels off. I have Badlands with MGV and wash-down floors and wondered how water-resistant it all was.

We've had a lot of rain in Houston and it was supposedly all over for a week or two with hot sunny days ahead and I drove to work without my panels on - I apparently looked at the wrong day and we had the last downpour while I was in the office - a big one. I ran out and put the tops back on but not before getting a good dousing.

This might justify a separate topic for folks' ideas, but things I noticed which should be considered and at least one which Ford should fix.

(1) (USER TIP) Leave your visors down if you think there could be rain. They stick out past the frame and collect water and divert it to the dash area and elsewhere. More importantly, however, it collects on the mirror and seeps into the visor which is very hard to dry. If hanging down, there is very low likelihood visor will fill up. On driver side, this can affect garage door electronics as well as mirror.

(2) (DESIGN FLAW) re: visor above, there is a recess to put your finger in to raise the mirror. This collects water and drains it into the visor. Eliminate this or add drain holes in lower seam of visor.

(3) (DESIGN FLAW) plastic cups that cover the latching mechanism for front panels fill up with water. They need drain holes are need to be removable.

(4) (CLEANUP) you really have to remove visor. mirror clips can be released to blow air in and garage door control cover is removable to blow air and maybe spray electronics cleaner to displace water. Water only really drains out of hole that the visor rod slides in and out of. Strange angle.

(5) (DESIGN FLAW) there really should be an upset cowling above the defrost vents by side windows to divert water - much too easy for water to get in those vents and drain down into system.

(6) (DESIGN FLAW) there's a strip of carpet between each front seat and the console. Why???

(7) (DESIGN FLAW) wash-down floors have recesses that are not connected to one another to drain out of drain. These channels need to be angled and connected to drain

(8) (DESIGN FLAW) there should be an upset cowling (even a slight ridge) above A/C and Stereo controls. Water gets in between those switches.

MAIN TIP - get out asap and drive at high speed to get water out of channels and such - otherwise, you'll dry things twice. Get off camber each direction if you can to move water out of channels and recesses and such -- then... dry everything best you can. Leave top off for a while after you clean up so it airs out well. Preferably in sun and breeze. After initial drying with towels and such, I went straight to car wash and used their high capacity vacuums to suck water out of everything best I could - even and especially between switches and dials in instrument panel - sucked out of vanity mirrors for quite a while. Sucked out of all drainage channels and flooring and phone charging area (there really should be a drain there). Then, went home and did same with blower from air compressor. Then, removed visors and drained - tilted to drain out of visor extension rod hole, removed garage door opener button panel, propped vanity mirror from visor to create air gap and put fan on for an hour or so. Took all panels off and doors open and left in sun and breeze. Left off overnight in garage.

Anything else that others have noted?

 

[PNBLD]

No garage or shop here, I'd go Bestop Skyrider for the 4dr Bronco

 

[Bbelle32]

I bought a hoist made for a rooftop cargo box for like $45. So far I have used it to hoist up the front and mid panels. I’ll try the HT next weekend and see how it works.


https://www.storeyourboard.com/rooftop-cargo-box-ceiling-hoist-essential-garage-storage-pulley

Do you think this could be used to take the middle panel directly off, instead of taking it off then putting it in the hoist?

 

[rblock50]

Do you think this could be used to take the middle panel directly off, instead of taking it off then putting it in the hoist?

Sure you could wrap the straps around the middle panel while it is still on the truck and hoist it on up. I now have the HT and the middle panel being held up with this hoist system. I have the front pieces in their bags.

 

[FDHog]

Bestop Sunrider. I like having the option of closing up if it gets too hot. Haven't seen a full soft top for the 2 dr that I like yet.

 

[JonDW29]

Sure you could wrap the straps around the middle panel while it is still on the truck and hoist it on up. I now have the HT and the middle panel being held up with this hoist system. I have the front pieces in their bags.

Could probably just flip the middle panel back on the clamshell prior to hoisting too I'd imagine. Assuming you have enough clearance.

 

[Area51BS]

I'm going to turn on the AC and stay nice and comfortable.

I assume with top up or on. AC does nothing if off or down.

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