Talk me into the JTOP Bimini

[ThatWilsonGuy]

For Raptor owners who have JTOP Bimini, help push me over the edge of getting one. I was going to last year but was waiting for the custom option.

I just finished my DIY top hoist and I've been hemming and hawing on getting the JTOPs. There aren't really any alternatives for the Raptor and the cheapy Amazon special I bought to prove that point, did it's job, it sucks.

My only issue probably sounds silly but I don't like how it covers a significant amount of the side of the roll bar. Even if you remove it which it's really made to stay on, you still have the Velcro.

With the way the frameless windows work, you don't actually see much of the bars and like pop of color up there.

Absolute first world problems and knit picky, I know.

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[Nogame24]

As someone who just removed the Velcro - I’d love to know how the hell you get this adhesive off. I loved mine for a bit but it killed the open air feel so I ditched mine. I also didn’t love the “headliner” look when you had to fold some back.

 

[ThatWilsonGuy]

As someone who just removed the Velcro - I’d love to know how the hell you get this adhesive off. I loved mine for a bit but it killed the open air feel so I ditched mine. I also didn’t love the “headliner” look when you had to fold some back.

I greatly appreciate the input but you are doing the opposite of what I'm going for here . Seriously though, that is good perspective and removal of the Velcro was a concern.

 

[BD6G]

I don’t have a Raptor but I do have the Cover King/Ford Accessories Bimini Top that is very much the same as the J Top. I was in the same boat with initially not wanting the Velcro on the bars. However once I actually pulled the trigger and went with it I am very glad I did.

The Velcro really doesn’t bother me like I thought it would. The flap is very minimal when driving, and the best part is the coverage goes all the way to the front so no sun blinding. The mesh is very transparent so you still feel the open air experience (to me at least).

Hope this helps you somewhat in your decision. For me it ended up being a great one that I personally do not regret.

 

[ThatWilsonGuy]

I don’t have a Raptor but I do have the Cover King/Ford Accessories Bimini Top that is very much the same as the J Top. I was in the same boat with initially not wanting the Velcro on the bars. However once I actually pulled the trigger and went with it I am very glad I did.

The Velcro really doesn’t bother me like I thought it would. The flap is very minimal when driving, and the best part is the coverage goes all the way to the front so no sun blinding. The mesh is very transparent so you still feel the open air experience (to me at least).

Hope this helps you somewhat in your decision. For me it ended up being a great one that I personally do not regret.

Any input is greatly appreciated. The Raptor request is really because I'm not aware of any other top explicitly designed for the Raptor.

I do like the coverage, the fact it is US made, and I've had positive interactions with them via email and on here.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[tasman]

I agree with your assessment of looks. It is probably the best option out there in my limited research. Like the sun shade feature of the top. Do miss the completely open feeling though. Can live without being blasted by the sun so worth that. Wish I could tighten it up more. Flaps a bit much for my liking. Just my 2 cents. YMMV

 

[Mlarv]

I love the Jtops cover. I have a Navy emblem on mine. It doesn't flutter even at 80mph. with that said.

The velcro failed on mine The velcro part was still attached to the top while the adhesive was on my Bronco. It took me three or four days to get it all off. I used a sticker removal wheel on my drill. It worked the best. I tried goo gone, paint thiner, acetone, and a few other things, and none worked so well.

The wheel would bead the adhesive to a point I could peel it off.

Good luck stay away from chemicals, because they will destroy the plastics. AMHIK.

 

[Saltwater Junkie]

This guys Braptor vids are pretty good..



We don't have a Braptor, but we do have a @JTopsUSA and we absolutely love it!

 

[Johnny Mo]

I'm here for moral support...in the same boat as you. I want one but I need someone to talk me into it - had my roof off since May and I don't plan on putting it back on until Sept Oct. I don't love the look, the Velcro or the loss of open air feeling but preserving the interior and my own skin are kind of high on the priority list...

 

[ThatWilsonGuy]

I'm here for moral support...in the same boat as you. I want one but I need someone to talke into it - had my roof off since May and I don't plan on putting it back on until Sept Oct. I don't live the look, the Velcro or the loss of open air feeling but preserving the interior and my own skin are kind of high on the priority list...

Yeah, I'm going to have some type of shade. With my Jeep I had a soft top and soft doors so going open air was an every day thing. I had a Bimini under the sun rider.

The $40 one I installed today almost came right back off but it's raining so I'll at least take it for a drive tomorrow. I've had Dirty Dog 4x4 and Alien SunShade on Jeeps but they are similar in design to the one in installed today and don't accommodate the Raptors additional bracing.

I also really like the edge to edge coverage of the JTops but I also expect that is a reason it requires velcro along the sides.

Even in the video Johnny posted (which I've already watched multiple times) you can tell he really likes the top but isn't thrilled about the velcro.

 

[Palmermc]

As someone who just removed the Velcro - I’d love to know how the hell you get this adhesive off. I loved mine for a bit but it killed the open air feel so I ditched mine. I also didn’t love the “headliner” look when you had to fold some back.

3M makes a special solvent for removing the adhesive. You can find it on Amazon.

https://a.co/d/02cCqQIX

 

[drewski]

As someone who just removed the Velcro - I’d love to know how the hell you get this adhesive off. I loved mine for a bit but it killed the open air feel so I ditched mine. I also didn’t love the “headliner” look when you had to fold some back.

As someone who just removed the Velcro - I’d love to know how the hell you get this adhesive off. I loved mine for a bit but it killed the open air feel so I ditched mine. I also didn’t love the “headliner” look when you had to fold some back.

This, rags and a plastic scraper. It takes awhile, is messy and you’ll get the adhesive that balls up on everything. Goof off or any other product like that is worthless. I never want to do that again. Good luck.

 

[derichio02]

I was in the same boat and I have had JTops for my other Bronco’s (WT, BL, and Braptor) but with my 24 Raptor I decided to try out the OEM Soft Top. I found a new OEM Ford Soft Top on Facebook Marketplace and talked them down to $600. I actually like the soft top very much and will be running in Safari Mode or full back until October/November then I will throw the Hard Top back on til the end of spring.

 

[ThatWilsonGuy]

I was in the same boat and I have had JTops for my other Bronco’s (WT, BL, and Braptor) but with my 24 Raptor I decided to try out the OEM Soft Top. I found a new OEM Ford Soft Top on Facebook Marketplace and talked them down to $600. I actually like the soft top very much and will be running in Safari Mode or full back until October/November then I will throw the Hard Top back on til the end of spring.

I've started to come around to the idea that this might be a viable option.

There are lots of OEM soft tops on FB marketplace in my area.

I had a Bestop Trektop Pro on my 2dr Wrangler and that thing was great. It was a very nice twill soft top but also had glass side windows and rear glass. It was the best of both worlds. You can even slide out the sides and remove rear glass to get a top only configuration.

Maybe Bestop will make the Pro for the Bronco.

I know others have posted about the process of swapping from soft to hard and back. I'll have to look into it more.

 

[WD.]

I had debated getting a JTops for mine, but the combo of the velcro, their massive logo and it needing to install under the cross brace was a turn off for me. I take the top off for the summer so i didn't need anything that would essentially stay on there permanently year round like the JTops is meant to. I ended up going with a Spiderweb shade and have zero complaints. It provides some shade from the sun without completely killing the open air feeling and it stays nice and tight with no flapping in the wind. You do have to take it off if you want to put your hardtop back on but it literally takes about two minutes by yourself to install or remove and once it's off there's no sign you ever had one installed. It's easy enough too where if i was out somewhere and wanted a full open air experience I could take it off quick and just stash it in the back.

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