I am looking to buy a soft top for my fj and was wondering which ones worked well or are they all about the same? I was looking at: Supetop Tigertop Bestop Or? Any Thoughts?
I've heard good reviews on the Bestop Supertop though I've never had one. I have a Kayline(STC now) top and doors and it installed with minimal problems and fits night and tight.It uses a lot of the OEM attachment points so there's not much drilling to do. The door latches are not the best design on the Kayline but I finally got them adjusted so they work OK. Paul
I have a Bestop TigerTop, black, never installed, no doors ( uses your hard doors). All hardware and bows. $405 plus shipping from 64701. Kansas City area. You can hit me direct if interested. I want a tan one for my cruiser, looks like I'm going to have to get it from SOR, everyone else just has black or grey. Ed Long
As soon as the missus gives me the go ahead, I'm going to seriously consider this company. http://www.specialtytopco.com/ I read good reviews over on "that Pirate place"
I had a Best top, Tiger top on my cruiser for a while, once you've properly adjusted it it works pretty well. You do have to drill holes for the snaps and the windsheild brackets. I'f I were buying a new top I'd go with one that doesn't require you to drill holes in the body of your cruiser.
A well respected, active poster at back at the SOR forum, (STR) had a Bestop Tigertop and a Kayline at one point I believe. He said that there is no comparison between the Tigertop and any of the others, especially SOR's tiger top, it is specially made for SOR and no one else. The material is better, thick enough to have zippers resewn, whereas the Kayline's is not. This softop was his primary top and he raved about it on several occasions. I may be able to dig out some emails we exchanged on the topic if anyone wants anymore info on the Tigertop.
I have the Bestop Supertop and it fits great. Easy to take on and off and seals pretty good. I also have the 2 piece doors from bestop, they are very nice. Only had the top and doors since September, but so far so good.
I was under the impression that the Tiger Top doesnt require drilling for the snaps..Isn't there a top that mounts a channel to the factory hardtop holes?
My 40 came with a Tigertop as it's only top and I think it is very well made. There are a couple of gaps in front of the doors that I will have to weatherstrip. The soft doors kept flying open on corners due to body flex, but a couple of washers at the door jams fixed that. Very quiet for a moving tent. I do not like the height of the middle bow... looks too jeepy. Someday I might have it cut down and resewn. Thats my only complaint.
I have a Supertop that I've been happy with. I still run the hard doors with it (when I have doors at all), and there's about a 3/4" gap between the door's window frame and the B pillar. That's on both the right and left. There's no gap along the top of the door frame, though, and nothing noticeable gets in, even on the highway in the rain.
wow glad i saw this topic, have any of u out there w/ a soft top had the joy of driving during the winter w/ your soft top installed? my fj came to me w/ no top at all, id like a hard top but cant seem to find one in my area in remotly ok shape for a desent price. so a soft top seems to be my only choice. being in colorado its a tad cold here in the am, pm, mid day and on the free way in the witner. am i looking to freeze my self to death thinking i can mak eit all winter w/ only a soft top on my fj?
I run an SOR tiger top. I think there is always room for improvement when it comes to this stuff BUT I think the fabric to be high quality and the design pretty good. I wish I could take out the sides like a Kayline top but they are no longer in production. There are a few cheap quick mods you can make to the frame system to make it more user friendly. I drilled out a few rivets and replaced them with removable pins so that I can remove the frame quickly, additionally I drilled holes in the rear bow mounting clips and use pins there vs. using the "bent metal tab" things that only work for a short period of time. Lowes sell a tractor impliment type pin that locks over and doesn't require a small clip to loose. I'll post a few pics tonight or tomorrow if anyone asks. Don't bother buying the soft-top doors from anyone as they all suck. They aren't worth the fabric they're made of.
Nice mods' to the frame Are you still of the same opinion about your top today? I'm lookin at the threads on tops..want to make a purchace for my 40.
Now that it is Winter I am surprised at how warm it actually is. I was ready to install arear heater, but I am not going to now. Thats my only new input.
