Sponsored

Will Sunriders be compatible with roof racks?

annieVonBebop

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
annie
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Threads
10
Messages
307
Reaction score
781
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2004 Xterra XE 4WD
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Possibly a dumb question but haven't found any answers in all of my trawling of the forum (of which there's been a ridiculous amount).

I'm very new to the party - just reserved 4dr BD this week after a lot of soul searching - and initially, naively thought that going soft top would shave some time off my order turn around 🤦🏼‍♀️ After discussing with my husband, we realized our long term vision for this thing would be best realized with a hard top, but I'm still really into the idea of how easy it is to get a full or partial open air ride with the soft top. We live in CO and the weather in the mountains is temperamental during the summer (to say the least), and that's where Bebop Bronco is going to be living most of its best life, so not having a quick way to get the roof back on could pose a problem.

I was looking at this sunrider and wondering if anyone knew if it'd be compatible with a roof rack: https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-su...-PyJ0Qt8zDDFiaE1Vhmdoe8n2S82ZQOwaAqc3EALw_wcB

Alternatively, is it possible to only take the front driver and front passenger parts of the MIC top off? I haven't been able to find a definitive answer on that. How hard is it to remove/reattach the roof rails?
Sponsored

 

sanford

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Ross
Joined
Sep 29, 2020
Threads
57
Messages
381
Reaction score
1,445
Location
Columbus
Vehicle(s)
Chevy Silverado, Subaru Crosstrek, BD Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Clubs
 
The Sunrider doesn’t work with the standard Ford roof rails. No one has come up with a roof rack option without an attachment to the windshield frame.
 

BroncoChicken

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tim
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Threads
7
Messages
282
Reaction score
713
Location
Denver!
Vehicle(s)
‘12 Lexus GX, ‘75 Bronco Sport “Buddy”
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Clubs
 
Why don’t people just order two crossbars and put them both on the clamshell portion? I know I could use my ski and bike racks this way without needing the pieces that attach to the windshield.
 

ZackDanger

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Z
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
23
Messages
6,451
Reaction score
28,975
Location
Massachusetts
Vehicle(s)
2021 Toyota 4Runner
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Possibly a dumb question but haven't found any answers in all of my trawling of the forum (of which there's been a ridiculous amount).

I'm very new to the party - just reserved 4dr BD this week after a lot of soul searching - and initially, naively thought that going soft top would shave some time off my order turn around 🤦🏼‍♀️ After discussing with my husband, we realized our long term vision for this thing would be best realized with a hard top, but I'm still really into the idea of how easy it is to get a full or partial open air ride with the soft top. We live in CO and the weather in the mountains is temperamental during the summer (to say the least), and that's where Bebop Bronco is going to be living most of its best life, so not having a quick way to get the roof back on could pose a problem.

I was looking at this sunrider and wondering if anyone knew if it'd be compatible with a roof rack: https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-su...-PyJ0Qt8zDDFiaE1Vhmdoe8n2S82ZQOwaAqc3EALw_wcB

Alternatively, is it possible to only take the front driver and front passenger parts of the MIC top off? I haven't been able to find a definitive answer on that. How hard is it to remove/reattach the roof rails?
Not sure if the Ford roof rack would work with the sunrider. The question is whether there is enough clearance to flip it back with the rack in place… I suspect not.

As far as the front roof panels… YES. The whole point is that you can easily take off the front two panels for quick sunroof action. Furthermore, you can take those two panels off with the roof rack in place.

Here is a video that shows both the action of the roof and also how easy it is to remove and attach the roof rails.



Why don’t people just order two crossbars and put them both on the clamshell portion? I know I could use my ski and bike racks this way without needing the pieces that attach to the windshield.
The roof rack isn’t designed to allow this. Basically the rear crossbar and both rails going forward are one piece. The parts that are interchangeable is the forward cross bar that can be bolted to two different positions…either all the way forward or about halfway.

You can order an additional cross bar from the catalog… providing three cross bar total.

You can not purchase just the rear cross bar, nor do we know if the second mounting point is even a real option…

…what we do know is the setup you are describing, as shown on the OB Fishing concept, was a 1-off prototype that Ford said they weren’t making. Who knows why… but I suspect that those mounting points aren’t strong enough, and the rack requires the solid bolts at the front to be secure.
 
OP
OP
annieVonBebop

annieVonBebop

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
annie
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Threads
10
Messages
307
Reaction score
781
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2004 Xterra XE 4WD
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
@ZackDanger thank you!! That was exactly what I was trying to figure out but feel like a lot of posts have mentioned issues with the middle sections still needing the front ones to latch into 🙏🏻

The clearance issue with the sunrider and racks was what I was worried about, but I think just taking the front panels off may be good enough. We want to get an awning eventually so it seems like we can in fact (mostly) have it all
 

Sponsored

ZackDanger

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Z
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
23
Messages
6,451
Reaction score
28,975
Location
Massachusetts
Vehicle(s)
2021 Toyota 4Runner
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
@ZackDanger thank you!! That was exactly what I was trying to figure out but feel like a lot of posts have mentioned issues with the middle sections still needing the front ones to latch into 🙏🏻

The clearance issue with the sunrider and racks was what I was worried about, but I think just taking the front panels off may be good enough. We want to get an awning eventually so it seems like we can in fact (mostly) have it all
Those questions you’re referring to is whether or not you can take the rear clamshell portion off but leave the fronts on… that’s what Ford says is okay only at low speed.

But it is 100% designed to remove just the fronts, or the front and the middle (on the 4 door), or everything. That’s good to go!

;)
 

Low Hammer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
152
Reaction score
332
Location
Idaho
Vehicle(s)
10th gen F150
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Clubs
 
Possibly a dumb question but haven't found any answers in all of my trawling of the forum (of which there's been a ridiculous amount).

I'm very new to the party - just reserved 4dr BD this week after a lot of soul searching - and initially, naively thought that going soft top would shave some time off my order turn around 🤦🏼‍♀️ After discussing with my husband, we realized our long term vision for this thing would be best realized with a hard top, but I'm still really into the idea of how easy it is to get a full or partial open air ride with the soft top. We live in CO and the weather in the mountains is temperamental during the summer (to say the least), and that's where Bebop Bronco is going to be living most of its best life, so not having a quick way to get the roof back on could pose a problem.

I was looking at this sunrider and wondering if anyone knew if it'd be compatible with a roof rack: https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-su...-PyJ0Qt8zDDFiaE1Vhmdoe8n2S82ZQOwaAqc3EALw_wcB

Alternatively, is it possible to only take the front driver and front passenger parts of the MIC top off? I haven't been able to find a definitive answer on that. How hard is it to remove/reattach the roof rails?
Ford actually had a pre production demo unit with a roof rack and sunrider. Here is a Bronco Nation video showing it.

Obviously a different roof rack then the standard one though. Also this demo unit had the mod top.
 
OP
OP
annieVonBebop

annieVonBebop

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
annie
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Threads
10
Messages
307
Reaction score
781
Location
Denver
Vehicle(s)
2004 Xterra XE 4WD
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Ford actually had a pre production demo unit with a roof rack and sunrider. Here is a Bronco Nation video showing it.

Obviously a different roof rack then the standard one though. Also this demo unit had the mod top.
Interesting! One of the reasons we wanted the rails was to throw an awning if not a roof top tent on there eventually, so I think the setup in the video may not work for what we were after, but still really digging that setup for sure!

And now I want that slide out tailgate too 👀👀
 

Low Hammer

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
152
Reaction score
332
Location
Idaho
Vehicle(s)
10th gen F150
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Clubs
 
And now I want that slide out tailgate too 👀👀
Me to. And honestly I think 1/2 the people in this forum want that thing. Not just for the tailgate functionality, but also to make the seat bump disappear for a load flat surface with the seats folded. So far that accessory is missing though; much like the mod top. Although the mod top has for all intents and purposes been officially canceled for 2021/2022 and I don't think there has been any official story on when if ever ford will offer the slide out tailgate. It has become pretty obvious that Ford is having weight rating issues so I suspect they just don't want to offer accessories with a nontrivial weight addition, but that is just an educated guess.
 
Last edited:

BroncoKong Jr.

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Andrew
Joined
Mar 7, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
4,895
Reaction score
8,430
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2021 Ford Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Me to. And honestly I think 1/2 the people in this forum want that thing. Not just for the tailgate functionality, but also to make the seat bump disappear for a load flat surface with the seats folded. So far that accessory is missing though; much like the mod top. Although the mod top has for all intents and purposes been officially canceled for 2021/2022 and I don't think there has been any official story on when if ever ford will offer the slide out tailgate. It has become pretty obvious that Ford is having weight rating issues so I suspect they just don't want to offer accessories with a nontrivial weight addition, but that is just an educated guess.
The last info we got on the tailgate was that it was late-availability and still being worked on. End of the year, but as an accessory and not orderable from the factory.
Sponsored

 
 


Top