I am looking at getting a soft top for the 71 and was wondering what is everyones favorites or the pro/cons of the different brands?
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Best/ favorite soft top?
- Thread starter MNorby
- Start date
Burt4x4
1 Ton First Gen
I started with Kayline snaptop, now STC. I ran this soft top for years, about 10..the windows started turning white & brown, I cracked the rear window one year when it was cold outside...found out the hardway that they crack if too cold and you try and roll them up.
In this pic you can see the rear straps that are needed to keep the top tight so it doesn't flap as much when the windows are rolled up. This top sealed out water & wind perrty good. I was very happy with it. Sure it flaps around but the added straps took most of the flapping out. You can also see the snap rail that are on the bed. All in all I have no complaints.
Then last year at BFest I won a STC FastTrack in the raffle.
Not a very good pick as I wasn't finnished with the install so the fit doesn't look all that tight. I love the tinted plastic windows & the fact they zip out instead of rolling up. Also the rear window goes straight up | as apposed to the snap top that has a rake to it \.
Here are the windows zipped out. You can see the aluminum rails on the bed & tailgate. The bed rails used the hardtop boltholes so that saves a bit of driling in the sheetmetal. I am aslo diggin the 'denim' vynal used to make this top. Very close to the canvas look and feel that Canback uses.
Let me know if you have questions.
Burt
In this pic you can see the rear straps that are needed to keep the top tight so it doesn't flap as much when the windows are rolled up. This top sealed out water & wind perrty good. I was very happy with it. Sure it flaps around but the added straps took most of the flapping out. You can also see the snap rail that are on the bed. All in all I have no complaints.
Then last year at BFest I won a STC FastTrack in the raffle.
Not a very good pick as I wasn't finnished with the install so the fit doesn't look all that tight. I love the tinted plastic windows & the fact they zip out instead of rolling up. Also the rear window goes straight up | as apposed to the snap top that has a rake to it \.
Here are the windows zipped out. You can see the aluminum rails on the bed & tailgate. The bed rails used the hardtop boltholes so that saves a bit of driling in the sheetmetal. I am aslo diggin the 'denim' vynal used to make this top. Very close to the canvas look and feel that Canback uses.
Let me know if you have questions.
Burt
basically i have a guy wanting to trade my half top for a new soft top of my choice. I am thinking I might do that deal but wanna make sure I can get a top that will work the best for me. If you had any choice in top be it hard or soft what would you pick?
Burt4x4
1 Ton First Gen
Soft for sure!
I hated wheelin with the hard top..that is why I gave it away. Convertable on demand is sweet...visability tripples whe wheelin too. replace the weight savings with cases of beer
I hated wheelin with the hard top..that is why I gave it away. Convertable on demand is sweet...visability tripples whe wheelin too. replace the weight savings with cases of beer
MNorby said:
I run a soft top wheeling also but if I had a 1/2 top available it'd be tempting to run that.
Reason's would be having the durability of a hard top (soft tops rip) yet still have quick and easy removal.
The whole reason I got the blazer is for 4 person wheeling and having a place to sleep in the back when camping and such. Already got the 2 seatter truggy
MNorby said:The whole reason I got the blazer is for 4 person wheeling and having a place to sleep in the back when camping and such. Already got the 2 seatter truggy
So now the whole story comes out, ya never told us that...
Sounds like you need a soft top.
vtblazer said:So now the whole story comes out, ya never told us that...
Sounds like you need a soft top.
Yep
so is the fastrack the soft top of choice then from what I read? I plan to build a full family cage and still possibly find a hard top for winter. Does the heater keep up with your softop in the snow months?
MNorby said:
Good plan but no real need for the hard top.
The heater does fine.
We wheel in the winter when we can, adds a whole new demension to it.
Sweet. Hey Burt, did that top ever tighten up any? Looks kinda loose in those pics.
Burt4x4
1 Ton First Gen
Yup sure did, my install is not standard cuz I did not use the window frames (front door windows) or the 3rd bow as my cage was in the way. So I ended up extending the rear bow up as far as I could get it to go and that pulled the top tight. I am not done customizing the fit as the pass side was still a bit loose. Plus now that I flopped my K5 over the bows are now bent a bitMNorby said:
If you have not built a cage yet I would wait until you get yer softtop then build the cage so the top & cage fit eachother...with a family cage you may beable to get rid of some of the bows and use the cage to hold the top up. My hartop leaked more than my soft top and heater worked the same with both really..
cool deal, sounds like I just need to get a top on the way. Anyone have any experience with bestop?
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I ran an old Kayline for about 4 years continuous in Colorado winters. Heater had no problem once truck warmed up to temp. I liked the weight savings and the ability to change from full top to safari top to no top in minutes.
Specialty top took over kayline. I had the snap top. No experience with any of the others.
Specialty top took over kayline. I had the snap top. No experience with any of the others.
gjk5
3/4 ton status
I too have the Kayline(Specialty) snap top. I like it now that I got it installed correctly (long story, damn PO). Heater keeps up once it gets warmed up, just takes a little longer initially. The roll up sides are great, comes on and off easy. I will probably go to a Fasttrack when I get her painted as the old white Kayline looks like poo.
Either way, helluva lot better than hard top anyday.
Either way, helluva lot better than hard top anyday.
Well I got a fasttrac demin black with tinted windows on the way. A guy traded for my half top
Burt4x4
1 Ton First Gen
Sweeet deal!MNorby said:
You will love that top...take your time with the install and they say doit with the sun shining so the top will streach easier and don't forget during the winter don't fold or bend a cold plastic window
Just say no to crack heheheHave fun!
cool, thanks for all the help on this choice! 
yeah they said 6 weeks out
