Skyrider vs Slantback trektop

[Sands bronco]

Any input on which one is easier to change on and off for winter? I want to have the softtop for spring to fall and put back the hardtop for the winter. I assume Skyrider is easier to go back and forth for the seasons, but interested in if anybody has done this and if so once you do the first install how is it, and why did you choose the skyrider or the trektop slantback. 4 door 23 bronco is ordered so I have some time.

Thanks
Steve

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[SaraB]

I have a hard top and a Sunrider so I can only offer my opinion on that setup, but so far it's been working well for me. It does have it's drawbacks though. I live in a climate that gets super cold in the winter and fairly hot in the summer. It takes me about 30-45 minutes to do the swap from full hard top to Sunrider. That is the main negative I see about it. It only takes maybe 5 minutes to just take the hard top panels off and store them in the back. I still prefer the Sunrider though for the convenience 95% of the time. I can open or close it at a stop light if I want. It comes in handy when I get cought in a sudden rain storm, or if I park to go do something and don't want to burn myself getting back into a hot seat on a summer day. I probably open and close it a couple times a day for three seasons of the year. I do notice a difference in road noise and interior temperature from the full hard top to the Sunrider setup.

 

[TootieQuivers]

I have the Trektop Slantback. I have a hardtop as well, but it just sits in the basement. I won't go back to it as I really like the Trektop Slantback look and function. My only complaint is that it doesn't fold all the way back. I wish it went all the way back, from a looks standpoint, but it functions basically the same as the OEM but the windows are way tighter. From a noise standpoint, I didn't think it was that much louder than having the hardtop on with all the sound deadening. It's a nice tight fit.

 

[Sands bronco]

I have a hard top and a Sunrider so I can only offer my opinion on that setup, but so far it's been working well for me. It does have it's drawbacks though. I live in a climate that gets super cold in the winter and fairly hot in the summer. It takes me about 30-45 minutes to do the swap from full hard top to Sunrider. That is the main negative I see about it. It only takes maybe 5 minutes to just take the hard top panels off and store them in the back. I still prefer the Sunrider though for the convenience 95% of the time. I can open or close it at a stop light if I want. It comes in handy when I get cought in a sudden rain storm, or if I park to go do something and don't want to burn myself getting back into a hot seat on a summer day. I probably open and close it a couple times a day for three seasons of the year. I do notice a difference in road noise and interior temperature from the full hard top to the Sunrider setup.

Thank you. So when you first installed the Sunrider I see that you attach it to the top. When you take it off and put the hard top on for the winter can you leave the top built and just unscrew it from the roof and remove those pieces to make reinstall easier?

 

[DaveH]

Thank you. So when you first installed the Sunrider I see that you attach it to the top. When you take it off and put the hard top on for the winter can you leave the top built and just unscrew it from the roof and remove those pieces to make reinstall easier?

As I recall, it took a few hours to do the first install of the Sunrider. When I took it off, I believe it was under 30 min. It comes off in one piece except for the bolts. I agree with @Sands bronco that it is noisy, but it is very convenient. Easy to put up or down at a stoplight. If I stop at a store, I'll quickly close it while I go in.

 

[Haelous]

It sounds like the Sunrider isn't bad to swap out for the winter once it's assembled the first time, and if you have a space large enough to just plop the whole thing.

I'm thinking the Skyrider would be more difficult purely due to size.

 

[Ksjrb03]

I have the Skyrider, but I will never take it off, no reason. It wouldn’t be hard to swap back to panels, but not quick or trivial either. To install the Skyrider you have to remove the hardtop mounting brackets, so those would need to be reinstalled. Saying that, I have watched videos on Trektop install, and it would be way more work and time to go back to a hardtop from a Trektop vs the Skyrider. I absolutely love the Skyrider.

 

[Haelous]

I have the Skyrider, but I will never take it off, no reason. It wouldn’t be hard to swap back to panels, but not quick or trivial either. To install the Skyrider you have to remove the hardtop mounting brackets, so those would need to be reinstalled. Saying that, I have watched videos on Trektop install, and it would be way more work and time to go back to a hardtop from a Trektop vs the Skyrider. I absolutely love the Skyrider.

Ah that's a good point. Installation of the Skyrider is a lot more involved period because of the hardtop mounting brackets in the center.

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