MIC top installed incorrectly by factory (front bracket mounted on top screw rather than through it)

[BronchoPeat]

So I just reinstalled the top, we’ll need it where we’re going for the weekend. I did remove the bolt that the bracket was resting on and use it to secure the bracket down. Now I have a real nice lip where the front panels meet the clamshell

Passenger Side

Driver’s Side

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[Phil]

Try a washer under the bracket and report back or maybe installing it incorrectly at the factory bent the bracket?

 

[mpeugeot]

So I just reinstalled the top, we’ll need it where we’re going for the weekend. I did remove the bolt that the bracket was resting on and use it to secure the bracket down. Now I have a real nice lip where the front panels meet the clamshell

Passenger Side

Driver’s Side

I am pretty sure that Ford designed it to look like that.

 

[BronchoPeat]

Try a washer under the bracket and report back or maybe installing it incorrectly at the factory bent the bracket?

I have a washer stack in there now and it’s sufficient but I think I need to fab a nice spacer plate for each side. It definitely makes 0 noise with the washer stack and it’s closer to flush. Waiting for rain to see if it’s leaking at all.

 

[Big Island Bronco ?♂️]

My hardtop was built on 6/29, blend date 7/2 (the Friday before a holiday weekend) and no problems with the roof at all. No bracket on my two-door hardtop where you have one. The place where you have a bracket is where the mesh top bolts in, FWIW.

Jeremy how is the Ford Bimini top on your 2-door? I saw people complain about the four-door version being loose fitting and flapping around At highway speeds.

 

[Blue's B6G]

Jeremy how is the Ford Bimini top on your 2-door? I saw people complain about the four-door version being loose fitting and flapping around At highway speeds.

I think it’s the best accessory so far. The first week without it, I got a serious forehead tan. I plan to leave the Bimini top on permanently because it fits under the hard top, looks super cool, and really cuts down on the sun.

The fit seems tight/tout to me. You do have to adjust the straps quite a bit to get everything centered and attached properly, which is a real pain doing with the clamshell still on btw. The directions say you can put the Bimini on without removing the clamshell, but I found that you’re going to want to remove the clamshell to get the Bimini on properly.

Regarding flapping, I drove from my house by LAX to Oxnard (47 miles) at highway speeds of 70-90 mph with high wind and downhill against wind and, while there’s obviously going to be straps flapping, it wasn’t constant flapping or annoying flapping. I left the strap ends just dangling loose, too; I know you can secure the strap ends a million different ways to reduce flapping, but it hasn’t bothered me enough to even really think about that project. Mostly what I do is just around town and there’s no flapping to report there at all.

 

[Big Island Bronco ?♂️]

I think it’s the best accessory so far. The first week without it, I got a serious forehead tan. I plan to leave the Bimini top on permanently because it fits under the hard top, looks super cool, and really cuts down on the sun.

The fit seems tight/tout to me. You do have to adjust the straps quite a bit to get everything centered and attached properly, which is a real pain doing with the clamshell still on btw. The directions say you can put the Bimini on without removing the clamshell, but I found that you’re going to want to remove the clamshell to get the Bimini on properly.

Regarding flapping, I drove from my house by LAX to Oxnard (47 miles) at highway speeds of 70-90 mph with high wind and downhill against wind and, while there’s obviously going to be straps flapping, it wasn’t constant flapping or annoying flapping. I left the strap ends just dangling loose, too; I know you can secure the strap ends a million different ways to reduce flapping, but it hasn’t bothered me enough to even really think about that project. Mostly what I do is just around town and there’s no flapping to report there at all.

Mahalo for the great review! Ya the Bimini for me will me a must once I move from cloudy Michigan to sunny Hawai'i. I plan on just leaving the top off most of the time. I am hoping other aftermarket manufactures besides Bestop develop soft tops for the 2-door Bronco.

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