Soft Top or Sunrider

[D Rock]

While I wait to see if my Big Bend starts production this week (fingers crossed), I have a question for those of you who are in snowy areas.

I live in Michigan, and ordered a MIC top. I want on open top option for the summer months. Looking for opinions on what is a better option -- swapping in Bestop soft top, or just doing a sunrider for the front row. I'm of two minds - the full softop is obviously more open, but is more work to swap. The Sunrider is easier and cheaper, but isn't "fully open".

Not sure if I would miss the fully open, or if it would just be easier to to the hard top off (maybe with a bikini) when I want that.

I am getting a 2-door, to be clear. That may make a difference.

Thanks

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[mj63]

We have a 2 door Big Bend as well, we installed a Sunrider and I would say that it has been a great addition - in the spring/summer it is easy to open and close while seated in the car (at least for me at 6'4"), and should be easy to pull off and put the roof panels back in for winter. While I am sure that it isn't quite the same experience as having the entire roof open, from the front seats you really don't ever see/feel roof above you.

We have yet to take the roof off, my wife isn't large/strong enough to manage one side of the roof and at that point it is too much of a pain to remove/install... so we spent the money for the Sunrider and would absolutely make the same decision again.

 

[Roger123]

Sunrider is our best mod so far, we absolutely love it.

Soft top doesn't really work for us as we have two dogs and they need to be able to jump in, not sure how that would work with a full soft top. Get in, flip two latches and the top is back in about 4 seconds. Same thing to close it up when it starts to rain or stopping over somewhere.

Super easy to swap back and forth between it and roof panels as well, maybe a 5 min job if you take your time.

 

[TheShark]

Love my Sunrider as well.

 

[edernest]

I live in Michigan, and ordered a MIC top. I want on open top option for the summer months. Looking for opinions on what is a better option -- swapping in Bestop soft top, or just doing a sunrider for the front row. I'm of two minds - the full softop is obviously more open, but is more work to swap. The Sunrider is easier and cheaper, but isn't "fully open".

Fellow Michigander here. Purchased my 4 door with a hard top (probably waited longer as a result) because I know that I want a hard top for our winters. But I've never owned a convertable and I love the open air look and feel of the Bronco, so the full size Trektop was one of the first aftermarket products I installed after a set of mudflaps to preserve my paint.

The install manual states that the Bestop takes 1.5 hours to install and I can say even though I am mechanically inclined it took my wife and I over 4 hours to get all the pieces put together and I have heard reports from others that have said the same. Now that it's together, my hope is that I can leave it mostly assembled and simply swap between the soft and hard tops as the seasons change. I have yet to go through that process so can't comment on how easy/difficult that will actually be.

You really need to decide on whether you value having the open air experience for rear passengers imo. For me, having it wide open was worth the compromises I had to make. Otherwise, I will say that the Sunrider is the simple/easy option that also allows you to more easily use a hardtop mounted roof rack in the summer. Good luck!

 

[D Rock]

Appreciate the feedback from everyone. I think I’m leaning toward getting the Sunrider largely because I rarely have rear passengers (other than the dog). Also thinking I’ll get a cab cover so I can take the top off but at least have something to throw on in case of rain.

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