Install soft top on Raptor

[RedTailHawk]

I just bought the Ford OEM soft top. My intent is to have the soft top on during warm months and the original hard top on during cold months.

I’ve got all the parts laid out and read thru instructions but before I begin I wanted to make sure this soft top can be easily removed. The instructions make the install seem pretty permanent.

Anyone else with a Raptor have both hard top and soft top that can confirm if these are swappable?

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[mjsmit75]

I am in the same boat...have almost everything ready. There are good threads in this forum showing how it's done...and it has been done many, many times. And swappable. You leave the soft top parts in place and can put the hardtop back for the winter. Not from experience, just what I have read and seen in youtube videos.

 

[Brian_B]

I’ve heard the soft top fits just fine on a raptor, even with the C Bow, but I don’t have first hand knowledge.

As far as switching them - the soft top is heavier than the hard top and much more awkward to swap (almost requires two people, very bad center of gravity) - but it’s just six easy to get at bolts.

The brackets and such stay on (hard top fits right over them), and only require alignment on the first installation. After that it’s just the six main bolts on the main top itself and done. Not hard at all, just need a couple of people to get it set in place (or lift it off the mount)

I swap my tops seasonally and it takes a couple of lazy hours to complete - not bad. And most of that time is digging it out of where I have stuff stored and cleaning all the surfaces while I have a top totally off

 

[HeliPilot]

I have the oem soft top on mine. I wouldn’t call it an easy swap. But I do it each winter/summer. I have a ceiling mounted hoist that makes it a tedious 1 man operation. Even more tedious if you also have the oem Tuffy storage because that has to be disassembled to do the swap. If you have 2 people, install is much easier.

 

[RedTailHawk]

do all the rails along the top have to be removed before reinstalling the hard top?

 

[Brian_B]

do all the rails along the top have to be removed before reinstalling the hard top?

No.

 

[Johnny Mo]

@Bschurr Has a soft top on his Braptor

 

[HeliPilot]

I remove none of the hardware when I swap back to my hardtop. Though, I do adjust my front (windshield) latch plates when I swap, as the alignment pins from each top hit in slightly different places. I’m sure I could adjust that out somewhere else, but those two latch plates are the easiest to access.

 

[RedTailHawk]

@Brian_B & @HeliPilot How did you mount the Main Pivot Brackets and Rear Door Rails? Did you mount the Main Pivot on top of the Raptor b-pillar support brace or under it? This seems to be keeping the Rear Door Rail from lining up with the Front Door Rail.

 

[rayofsi]

funny thing, passed by a braptor with a soft top on, looks very convenient for the summer!

 

[Bschurr]

do all the rails along the top have to be removed before reinstalling the hard top?

Negative. The OEM soft top is a direct fit on the Raptor - no different than the standard full size Bronco. The toughest part was getting all the hardware.

 

[RedTailHawk]

Negative. The OEM soft top is a direct fit on the Raptor - no different than the standard full size Bronco. The toughest part was getting all the hardware.

did you have to remove the b-pillar center cross brace to install the Main Pivot Bracket under it or did it just mount on top of the cross brace?

 

[Bschurr]

@Brian_B & @HeliPilot How did you mount the Main Pivot Brackets and Rear Door Rails? Did you mount the Main Pivot on top of the Raptor b-pillar support brace or under it? This seems to be keeping the Rear Door Rail from lining up with the Front Door Rail.

Perhaps you can post a pic to illustrate exactly what you are referring to because the nomenclature is confusing. The brackets on the roof (M2DZ-78515A53-B & M2DZ-78515A52-B known commonly as the brackets on the roof simply bolt onto the roll cage above the passenger door - no braces need to be removed. I hope this helps.

 

[Bschurr]

did you have to remove the b-pillar center cross brace to install the Main Pivot Bracket under it or did it just mount on top of the cross brace?

Here is a pic from the front of the vehicle looking toward the rear. My finger is pointing at the mounting location of the bracket. (It’s waaaaay behind the center cross bar - like the center of the rear door)

 

[RedTailHawk]

@Brian_B & @HeliPilot I'm starting to think we've got different soft tops... I contacted Bestop (maker of the Ford OEM soft top) and they responded that their's doesn't fit the Ford Bronco Raptor specifically because of the center crossbar.

The soft top I bought from my local ford dealer is Trektop for Bronco 4-door (part 56873). Are you guys using a different soft top?

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