Let me get this straight - The factory soft top is not a BestTop, but the accessory is?

[quickstep192]

I spent a bunch of time looking on the forum to learn about soft top options for my ‘24 2 door.

I’m piecing together info from a variety of posts but what I think I read is that if I had originally bought my Bronco with a soft top, the top would have been made by Webasto.
But, if I order a soft top from Ford now as an accessory, it would actually be a BestTop?

Also, do I correctly understand that the original factory soft top folds all the way down to the rear door, but the BestTop just folds to the roll bar?

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[Brian_B]

I don’t think Ford has a Factory soft top for the 2 door

Webasto makes the MIC but not sure who makes the OEM soft top

 

[11811]

I don’t think Ford has a Factory soft top for the 2 door

Webasto makes the MIC but not sure who makes the OEM soft top

I Agree. I don't recall a soft top option when I ordered mine.

 

[BroncocnorB]

I agree no OE softtop for 2 door

 

[quickstep192]

Thanks, let’s advance to round 2

Is the Ford Accessory Soft Top actually a BestTop? They’re both called TrekTop.

https://www.ford.com/product/retractable-top-soft-twill-2-door-trektop-p2996847932

https://www.bestop.com/products/categories/trektops/?vid=169469

 

[Smocaine]

Yep, just sold through Ford Accessories. Going straight through BesTop may give you a more favorable warranty position because the Accessories guys can be hard to work with.

 

[quickstep192]

OK, one more -

I browsed the BestTop installation instructions. There are a lot of parts, but it looks pretty straight forward and the instructions look well written.

Here’s the question:
When it comes time to remove the soft top and put the hardtop back on, how much does the soft top need to be disassembled? Do things like the tailgate bar retainers need to come off?

 

[trcim4pu]

Going back and forth between the soft top and hardtop is definitely a process. I ended up rewatching the installation video each time I swapped. Took a couple of hours each time, and yes several parts come off when going from soft top to hardtop. Had the mic top on my 1st bronco that got totaled and swapped at least twice. Have a heritage now, and gonna try to not swap with the additional possibilities of the painted top. But, honestly I tried to not swap with the mic top and previously with a jeep. In the end the soft top is better choice for summer and much easier to open than the hardtop it’s worth the effort of the swap…

 

[quickstep192]

I’m watching the installation video from BestTop. One of the first things he dies is to install “closeout films” at the top of each rear fender. These look like foam strips adhered with 2 sided tape. Do these need to be removed when putting the hard top back on?

 

[trcim4pu]

I’m watching the installation video from BestTop. One of the first things he dies is to install “closeout films” at the top of each rear fender. These look like foam strips adhered with 2 sided tape. Do these need to be removed when putting the hard top back on?

No, that can stay.

 

[Brian_B]

Wow the Bestop sounds like it's much more involved.

On the 4-Door OEM, it's a huge process for the initial installation and alignment on the soft top, but once you have all the brackets lined up - they all stay. It's just 6 bolts to pull the soft top out and the same bolts go back in to secure the hard top. Mechanically, very simple, but the soft top is very heavy and awkward, so it's still a 2-person job. Takes about an hour all in.

 

[trcim4pu]

Wow the Bestop sounds like it's much more involved.

On the 4-Door OEM, it's a huge process for the initial installation and alignment on the soft top, but once you have all the brackets lined up - they all stay. It's just 6 bolts to pull the soft top out and the same bolts go back in to secure the hard top. Mechanically, very simple, but the soft top is very heavy and awkward, so it's still a 2-person job. Takes about an hour all in.

I am able to install/uninstall by myself on the 2 door. A bit awkward at times, but doable by 1 person...

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