Soft Top Life

[southtj]

My soft top is now about 6 1/2 years old and I can tell I'll have to replace it this summer. The velcro doesn't hold any more and there are cracks forming above the doors that I'm sure will probably tear once I start putting the top down this spring. So is this the normal life span for a soft top?

 

[SteelHeadz]

Contingent on your geographical location, that's about average. Places where there's not much of freezing temperatures seems to have a longer life span on these sailcloth tops.

 

[73CJ]

Mine usually last 6-8 years. UV rays kill the windows and fabric. Park in the shade or garage and they will last longer.

 

[jps4jeep]

here in the north east, granted I only used it from the spring to fall.. I got about 11 years out of the super top. I replaced due to just getting old.. I wasn't ripped and all teh windows still zipped in great, was just getting old, had a bit of an odor, little bit of mildew probably from storage. I replaced with the same thing.

 

[TerryMason]

I replaced the top on mine after 4 years - it still functioned fine, but the windows were too scratched up to see out of.

I use the old top in the summer, when I just rollup the windows and throw them in the back. Then, in the winter I use the new top, so that I can see out of teh windows.

 

[HiHood]

Anything out here gets sun baked after a summer or two. The black bikini tops even turn sort of a "humpf" color after a summer or so. Then should you dare touch em they just come apart. Plastics, rubber,nylon all turns to powder. (unless you park in the shade with the AC and humidifier going full BLAST!!)
:shock:

 

[southtj]

Would most of you agree that the best quality top would be the Bestop Sailcloth Replace a Top?

 

[HiHood]

I've bought two Best Top kits for two different Jeeps I've owned. One was a '47 Willys CJ-2A and the other was a '72 CJ-5 i used to own. I am not familiar with your particular application but I will say that the two tops I got came with all the hardware, easy instructions and were excellent quality. I'ld buy best top again and I am eyeballing the BT tigertop for my 3B prodject as well.

 

[TerryMason]

Would most of you agree that the best quality top would be the Bestop Sailcloth Replace a Top?

I can't comment on the sailcloth, but I bought the base model Bestop replace-a-top and am not really happy with it. It's louder (which isn't a big deal to me), but the big problem is that the windows aren't as thick. This means that they seem to stay creased and are a bit flimsier. The overall fit of the top is great, but the material used to make the windows is lacking.

I've heard that the sailcloth top doesn't have these problems.

 

[volaredon]

I still have my orig soft top that came with my 97; but its been in the attic for a few years since buying the hardtop; had I not done that, I know that I would have had to replace the soft one before that winter. Thread is starting to unravel in a couple of spots.
On a related note what is a "good" price to pay for a replacement soft top? I have all the hardware; and I have heard that the sailcloth material would be the way to go; what year did they start puttin that on, as orig equipment?