Rampage Soft Top Install

[lbbdoc]

For those of you who have installed a Rampage, simple but maybe silly question. I'm looking at the instructions and getting ready to install and wondering what holds the windshield channel into the channel mount. Is it just the tension of the fabric stretched over it? Looks like it will just drop out as I hold the two pieces together. Also, It looks like I will be able to use my BestTop bikini top with this setup. Anyone else done that?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Soylent]

The part of the top that goes into the windshield channel has a bead on the outer edge. It has to be fed into the channel from either side locking it in. It isn’t folded and pressed straight into the channels like the rest of the top.

 

[lbbdoc]

The part of the top that goes into the windshield channel has a bead on the outer edge. It has to be fed into the channel from either side locking it in. It isn’t folded and pressed straight into the channels like the rest of the top.

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

 

[DirtDonk]

If you have not already, make sure that the top is fully warmed up. If not, you'll likely never get it to reach all the channels and/or snaps. Not without ripping something that is!
Get the top into the house, or let it sit out in the sun if you have warm temps right now. Or a heated garage perhaps? At least 70 in my opinion.

And to the Bestop bikini, not straight away I don't think. There are similarities, and there are differences in how they mount. Not sure if the bead at the leading edge will fit into the windshield channel or not frankly. but if it does, it might just work. My thinking though, is that it's going to look a little wrinkled at the front and corners. But hey, maybe a little bit of time in the sun will straighten that right out too.
Been a long time since I've had hands on both, so maybe someone here with recent knowledge can let us know if any attempts to use their Bestop on a Rampage riser met with success.

Paul

 

[.94 OR]

You might keep a hair dryer handy to allow some of the thicker areas to soften up if you need them to stretch. A heat gun can work better but has higher risk.

 

[DirtDonk]

When I installed mine in the winter, I did one of those “don’t try this at home“ kind of things.
I draped a large tarp over the entire top, then put a room size household electric heater in the bed of the bronco.
Plugged it in and went to work.
Got home and it was a toasty 75° inside and the top completely relaxed and I was able to get it all fitted. That was back when they were all snaps, and it went on easily.
Prior to that the snaps were at least 4 inches away from fitting on any side.

 

[pcf_mark]

You can also try draping a home heating blanket over it and put it in high to warm it all nice. Then leave it while you work and move it around.

 

[lbbdoc]

Thanks to all of you for the info. After I got the hardware installed, I took it to a Bronco Shop in a nearby town that has a paint booth. They were able to get the temperature up to 140 and the top stretched nicely. Btw, the BestTop Bikini top works fine, the leading edge fits perfectly into the Rampage windshield channel. One last question, is it possible to completely remove the back window instead of just rolling it up?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[ol gray mare]

Mine zips out completely.

 

[m_m70]

Btw, the BestTop Bikini top works fine, the leading edge fits perfectly into the Rampage windshield channel

Yup, I've ran my best top bikini top in the original channel, the Kayline channel and the BC channel with no issues.