Soft Top <--> Hard Top Swap : Tips & Lessons Learned - UPDATED

[Catmandu]

Wow! What a well-written, well- illustrated article, and about a unique scenario, as well, a straight swap of differing parts. Its very helpful in warning of some issues, since I have a Hard Top, and plan (or maybe plannED) to purchase a soft top in time.
Questions:

How would a Dual-Top vehicle be equipped? Eg, the side trim piece with the plastic window panel: would the Hard Top fit back onto that piece, making it "Dual" functional, or would a soft top kit have to include the "3-bolt" panel, and I'd swap the panel each time?

Same question for that inside rear attachment area, where the rear Cap bolts, and where the soft-top frame pivots: if I were doing seasonal swapping, Hard to Soft, Soft to Hard would I need a separate set of rear attachment hardware for each top, changing each time, or is there a hardware set that would handle both tops? How seasonally swappable are these Ford OEM tops, from what you've seen?

I watched a Besttop video installing the Besttop softie on a Hardtop vehicle (the Father-Son TFG Bronco). It seemed to me that to remove the Besttop softie, and reinstall the HT seasonally, there were alot of extra Besttop parts that would get in the way of the HT. But I haven't figured that out yet. The Father-Son duo did alot of complaining about their Gen-1 Hard Top, and the Besttop replacement sermed permanent to them, but my Gen-2 Hard Top works quite nicely and I like it!

Put another way, your research is helping me think through whether I want an OEM softie or a Besttop softie, to complement my HT and give me a Dual-Top set up!

On a personal note, whats your plan: are you two going to do a swap back at some point?

For the dual top setup, I believe Ford would just include all of the hardware as I don't believe any of it would conflict if left installed.

This was a permeant swap as they mutually agreed they preferred what the other had.

I will say that the removal of the tops are pretty easy, with the hard top being the easier of the 2. The soft top is very awkward and the exposed metal frame needs to be carefully positioned to avoid scratching.

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[lakesinai]

Great comparison post. I just installed Bestop Trek Top on my 4 door yesterday. I would love to be able to swap with @ADV Fiberglass hard top twice a year. I don't even mind it is takes a weekend to swap, but there will need to be some research done. @ADV Fiberglass I would be happy to be the guinea pig or maybe y'all could coordinate directly with @Bestop? As another user stated a lot of people have the soft tops and will want to go to your hard top at some point.

What I really want is a Trek Top that replaces the 4dr mid-section and front panels, but leaves the rear cap in place. Having a tre

you lost me at the end. Which would you get like that from factory and which aftermarket. And why?

I'm sorry, regarding your question, I mixed up the names of the top. I meant to say I wish there was a Sunrider available that covered both the Mid panel and the front panels on the 4dr.

Otherwise, I have the hard top, and trying to ascertain whether the OEM soft top or a Besttop would be better for me. Which is more easily switched back and forth seasonally?

However, as I said, if there was a two-row sunrider, that would be better for me than a full soft top. IF.

 

[Flourman]

Great write up! I’ve got a 2-door coming with dual tops (accessory soft top). Picking it up on Friday so we’ll see what it comes with.

 

[redflipppper`]

@ADVFIBERGLASS

People with soft tops will need the extra hardware and brackets . Hope you take this into account so when we buy your top it Will be install and move on. With all the ford issues with the factory hardtop many of us chose to go the soft top route in hopes of a aftermarket hard top.

SO please be sure you sell us a top with all the hardware and brackets for it to work with the 1 piece or the modular 3 piece top your offering.

 

[ocbucks1]

Hey if there are any hard top owners that want to switch to a soft top, hit me up!!!

 

[BroncoBoy22]

@ADVFIBERGLASS

People with soft tops will need the extra hardware and brackets . Hope you take this into account so when we buy your top it Will be install and move on. With all the ford issues with the factory hardtop many of us chose to go the soft top route in hopes of a aftermarket hard top.

SO please be sure you sell us a top with all the hardware and brackets for it to work with the 1 piece or the modular 3 piece top your offering.

The soft top comes already with all the extra hardware and brackets.

They are not needed for MIC vehicles which is why they don’t come with them.

this equipment is only needed for anyone who has a MIC and wants to use the OEM soft top. Then they need the brackets.

good to know thank you OP!! I plan to sell min once I get an ADV hard top. I’ll be sure to include all this stuff to whoever buys my soft top

 

[ChrisE]

What I really want is a Trek Top that replaces the 4dr mid-section and front panels, but leaves the rear cap in place. Having a tre

I'm sorry, regarding your question, I mixed up the names of the top. I meant to say I wish there was a Sunrider available that covered both the Mid panel and the front panels on the 4dr.

Otherwise, I have the hard top, and trying to ascertain whether the OEM soft top or a Besttop would be better for me. Which is more easily switched back and forth seasonally?

However, as I said, if there was a two-row sunrider, that would be better for me than a full soft top. IF.

I reached out to bestop and asked if this was in dev. They said no, but the more of us that ask for it,maybe they will do it. I would never take the top off I had a 2 row sunrider

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Yeah - this seems pretty similar to the seasonal Jeep dual top swap out. You could do it just for a weekend—say if you had the soft top on for spring, but wanted to swap to hard top for a weekend road trip for noise, security or the roof rack—but it is enough work that it becomes a longer term exercise.

It's ok though. You get the opportunity to have the best of both worlds!

 

[lakesinai]

I reached out to bestop and asked if this was in dev. They said no, but the more of us that ask for it,maybe they will do it. I would never take the top off I had a 2 row sunrider

Thanks for responding, Chris. I've had the Hardtop since October, and removed either two or 3 panels most days until the weather turned cold in January. I liked the open feeling, but saw no reason to remove the rear cap, and really liked the setup of the three panels removable.

I'll contact Besttop as well and tell them my wishes.

I guess the other option besides the bigger Sunrider, would be one of those Mopar Sky One Touch power sliding tops! They're a $4,000 upgrade, and they look pretty permanent -- not seasonal!

 

[rbinko]

How can I get a hard top? I live in Arizona.

Thanks!

 

[skhubbard93]

What I really want is a Trek Top that replaces the 4dr mid-section and front panels, but leaves the rear cap in place. Having a tre

I'm sorry, regarding your question, I mixed up the names of the top. I meant to say I wish there was a Sunrider available that covered both the Mid panel and the front panels on the 4dr.

Otherwise, I have the hard top, and trying to ascertain whether the OEM soft top or a Besttop would be better for me. Which is more easily switched back and forth seasonally?

However, as I said, if there was a two-row sunrider, that would be better for me than a full soft top. IF.

This is exactly what I want too. I don't want to take off the back cap for summer, because then I can put back on my roof rack if I need it. Not only that, but then I wouldn't really need to take of the back cap at all. It becomes kind of a double-targa at that point, which is fine by me. With a 4-seater, you don't get the same visibility improvement you get with a 2-seater so it's mostly just about how you think it looks and whether you want loose objects in the back to be blown onto the highway by wind.

I know that taking off a soft-top with the rack on is a potential problem, and I'm not worried about that scenario.

 

[Trilifter7]

So from what I gather from this if you have all of the hardware needed for the soft top and have a hard top there's nothing more that needs removed other than the soft top to switch between hard and soft? I've looked into the Best Top Trek top and it looks like a major pain to go from soft top to hard top and back.

 

[Catmandu]

So from what I gather from this if you have all of the hardware needed for the soft top and have a hard top there's nothing more that needs removed other than the soft top to switch between hard and soft? I've looked into the Best Top Trek top and it looks like a major pain to go from soft top to hard top and back.

Pretty much. If you have both factory tops, I'd say it would take around 30 minutes to swap.

 

[Trilifter7]

Pretty much. If you have both factory tops, I'd say it would take around 30 minutes to swap.

Ok great! Are there any brackets or hardware from the soft top that need removed other than the soft top itself to get the hard top back on? looks to me like the only part might be the brackets up on the roll bar section but those might be able to stay on?

 

[lakesinai]

This is exactly what I want too. I don't want to take off the back cap for summer, because then I can put back on my roof rack if I need it. Not only that, but then I wouldn't really need to take of the back cap at all. It becomes kind of a double-targa at that point, which is fine by me. With a 4-seater, you don't get the same visibility improvement you get with a 2-seater so it's mostly just about how you think it looks and whether you want loose objects in the back to be blown onto the highway by wind.

I know that taking off a soft-top with the rack on is a potential problem, and I'm not worried about that scenario.

There is a small rack that just covers the back cap in the early OBX model Concept photos, but i dont know if the clamps or rack parts are yet available. See photo. The photo shows what you and I are discussing the back cap on and a roof rack right on top of that. This photo has the Sunrider, but one could remove the mid panel and still have a rack on the back cap!

Above and below, here is how I solved the roof panel storage ussue while away from home in the Fall of 2022. Thats a TrailRax rear roof rack. It works with and without the official Ford mid-panel bag. The frint panels slide behind the front seats.

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