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Bestop soft top vs Rampage soft top vs Tom’s bronco parts soft top. Need help choosin

abn373

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Full Member
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Jan 6, 2012
Messages
380
Loc.
Charleston, SC
I have had both and the BestTop is far superior quality especially the seals around the hard doors, if you run them, which I rarely do. I will say the ease of sliding the Bestop right out of the channel and sliding a bikini top back in is nice. I have done that many times bc I keep the bikini folded under my passenger seat in case it gets sunny
 

ep67bro

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Bronco Junky
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Aug 28, 2008
Messages
3,642
Loc.
Easton, MD
Like others have said both have pros and cons. I have Had a bunch of Rampage tops, the early one had issues with zippers and stitching. The newer Rampages with the diamond black material are much better than the old tops. The rampages go up and down fast and the zip out windows are really nice and with the windows out and the top up the design of the rampage stays really tight. I had a friend that had a bestop on his bronco, it sat higher than the Rampage and sucked how it attached to the riser on the windshield. I think the Rampage looks better than the Best top. For me I have chosen the Rampage, I keep the tops down on my broncos all summer and in the winter I rarely drive them so it was hard to justify the extra price for the Best Top.
 

pipeline010

Sr. Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
618
I don't have experience with the others, but I would say everyone should have the BC Broncos top, although it's certainly cost prohibitive.

I'm not sure I get why you need one that folds down? You have a roll bar, so you have bars anyway clogging up the look.

I absolutely love the look of my truck w/o any type of top on because I think it looks completely unique with no bars over my head, so if I know I'm going to get a few days without rain I'll take off the skeletal pieces. 20 minute job and totally stands out.

But when I 'might' see some rain I leave the soft-top skeleton in place and can have the top on in probably less time than you putting your rampage top up with the roll cage blocking your progress.

But even with just the skeleton on its own? The BC top looks very cool as well. I don't have too many pics, but this may give you an idea. And the ability to put my boards, oars, boats, etc on the roof without worry of damage is just awesome.
 

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DirtDonk

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Messages
47,355
Thanks, about the riser, is that necessary for all soft tops? I personally don’t like the look of it. Can a drop bracket work instead?

For the two tops to be used as-is, yes they both need the risers. Otherwise they would not fit the truck, seal at the leading edge, or be able to be used at all without some kind of new attachment protocol, such as a bunch of snaps drilled into your windshield frame, or a custom bracket of some kind.

Why do they sell the drop brackets, if you need an enormous riser for the front of the top?

Only Kayline, STC and now Rampage use the drop bracket for the wiper motor. It's sole purpose was so that they could get away with a shorter riser and still use the factory wiper motor without it sticking up through the top material.
Precisely so that you did not need a taller riser.

Don't remember for sure, but it was probably so Kayline could keep their shorter existing riser after '69 when Ford when to electric wipers. As opposed to designing the riser around the wiper motor that already existed.
I think Kayline had a Bronco top before the advent of electric wiper motors sticking way up inside the taller hard top.

Bestop probably designed theirs with the taller riser from the beginning, precisely to avoid the motor drop bracket that Kayline was using.
I don't remember what the first available tops looked like, or what kind of windshield attachment they had.

Those risers are so silly looking. Why would you want to add 6 more inches to that “sail” of front windshield.

It's only about 2" on a Rampage and about 3" on a Bestop I would guess. Don't have any in front of me to measure, but at a guess I'd say those numbers are close.
But their reason for being is so you don't have to drill twenty holes (only two) in your windshield frame, or so they don't have to come up with a new type of channel to lock in the top. Apparently neither company has wanted to reinvent the wheel lately.

And do do without the riser completely, you'd need to drop the wiper motor on the '69 and later EB's so far it'd be in your face (well, the passengers face mostly;D) more than the designers felt prudent doing. That or remove it completely.
Or install the individual aftermarket wipers for an additional cost.
None of those options sounded very good to most companies I'm guessing.

Many that have made their own custom bikini tops have done just what you're suggesting though. Done without the riser entirely for that super slick low-profile look. But they had to ditch the wipers entirely.
Not something most of us would put up with.

Also, there was something different about the best tops that had to do with the tailgate.

As someone mentioned already, it's the bar across the tailgate area that the back flap attaches to instead of the tailgate. Lets you open up the tailgate without unzipping first.
Both schools of thought are legit I think. The Bestop bar makes it so you don't have to drill as many holes into your tailgate for the snaps (something lots of people hate doing) and also lets you open up the tailgate much easier/quicker.
The Rampage is a bit more secure perhaps, by making someone go to more work to open the tailgate. And it's more convenient because you don't have to deal with the cross bar when the back is open.
I think there's a relatively quick release on the bar to get it out of the way, but never messed much with them myself and don't remember how exactly it's set up.
Still running my original Gray colored Kayline from '92-ish.

Paul
 

Crush

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Bronco Guru
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May 30, 2007
Messages
3,463
Loc.
Greenbottom, WV
Hey Paul. Im still running a blue kayline from the 90’s that was goven to me by a buddy. Still goin strong. I fabbed up a bar to cross the tailgate. It slides through the loop of material that used to house the bar that clipped into the angle brackets on the inside of the tailgate. And i secured it with two hand tighten knob type bolts on each end. Now i can open and close my tailgate without unhooking a thing. And if i want to raise the rear flap its just two bolts that i dont need tools to remove. Works greaat
 

Bronco4x4

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2009
Messages
598
The Kayline on my 69 EB has Velcro on the lower rear window. I only use this Velcro and never mounted the bracket on the tailgate. Works fine and never let go on the highway.
 

rydog1130

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,020
I picked up a rampage soft top and I'm wondering if the risers for the WH bikini top are interchangeable? I guess i'll find out but thought I'd ask in advance if anyone might know?
 
OP
OP
zfbailey23

zfbailey23

Jr. Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Messages
160
For the two tops to be used as-is, yes they both need the risers. Otherwise they would not fit the truck, seal at the leading edge, or be able to be used at all without some kind of new attachment protocol, such as a bunch of snaps drilled into your windshield frame, or a custom bracket of some kind.



Only Kayline, STC and now Rampage use the drop bracket for the wiper motor. It's sole purpose was so that they could get away with a shorter riser and still use the factory wiper motor without it sticking up through the top material.
Precisely so that you did not need a taller riser.

Don't remember for sure, but it was probably so Kayline could keep their shorter existing riser after '69 when Ford when to electric wipers. As opposed to designing the riser around the wiper motor that already existed.
I think Kayline had a Bronco top before the advent of electric wiper motors sticking way up inside the taller hard top.

Bestop probably designed theirs with the taller riser from the beginning, precisely to avoid the motor drop bracket that Kayline was using.
I don't remember what the first available tops looked like, or what kind of windshield attachment they had.



It's only about 2" on a Rampage and about 3" on a Bestop I would guess. Don't have any in front of me to measure, but at a guess I'd say those numbers are close.
But their reason for being is so you don't have to drill twenty holes (only two) in your windshield frame, or so they don't have to come up with a new type of channel to lock in the top. Apparently neither company has wanted to reinvent the wheel lately.

And do do without the riser completely, you'd need to drop the wiper motor on the '69 and later EB's so far it'd be in your face (well, the passengers face mostly;D) more than the designers felt prudent doing. That or remove it completely.
Or install the individual aftermarket wipers for an additional cost.
None of those options sounded very good to most companies I'm guessing.

Many that have made their own custom bikini tops have done just what you're suggesting though. Done without the riser entirely for that super slick low-profile look. But they had to ditch the wipers entirely.
Not something most of us would put up with.



As someone mentioned already, it's the bar across the tailgate area that the back flap attaches to instead of the tailgate. Lets you open up the tailgate without unzipping first.
Both schools of thought are legit I think. The Bestop bar makes it so you don't have to drill as many holes into your tailgate for the snaps (something lots of people hate doing) and also lets you open up the tailgate much easier/quicker.
The Rampage is a bit more secure perhaps, by making someone go to more work to open the tailgate. And it's more convenient because you don't have to deal with the cross bar when the back is open.
I think there's a relatively quick release on the bar to get it out of the way, but never messed much with them myself and don't remember how exactly it's set up.
Still running my original Gray colored Kayline from '92-ish.

Paul



Hey Paul,
Thanks for the info. Do you know if the rampage riser would fit a bestop soft top if I used a drop bracket?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

DirtDonk

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Messages
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I picked up a rampage soft top and I'm wondering if the risers for the WH bikini top are interchangeable? I guess I'll find out but thought I'd ask in advance if anyone might know?

Do you mean interchangeable as in using a Bestop riser for the new Rampage top? If so, the answer is a 99% no.
Did you get the aluminum channel with the new top?

Hey Paul,
Thanks for the info. Do you know if the rampage riser would fit a bestop soft top if I used a drop bracket?

See above. Also a 99% no.
At least not well.

The reason is that not only are they different heights, so the sewn shape of the top is going to look kind of puckered and pooched no matter what, I'm pretty sure that the channels that slip into the risers are not the same design.
I don't think they even attach to the risers the same way.

But you know, I'm not 100% sure you could not make one channel fit the other top, and therefore fit the other brand riser. But I'm pretty sure of one thing... It's probably not worth the work.;)
The cost of a new riser would likely be worth the time and lack of aggravation.

Maybe someone has tried it already and can tell us for sure.
One other issue that might crop up is that you can easily buy just the channel for the Rampage, but not sure if Bestop hardware is available separate from a new riser. If there is an aluminum channel that fits the riser on a Bestop design, maybe Bestop would sell one apart from the riser, but I've never done it.

Paul
 

sprdv1

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REBEL
Joined
Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
I picked up a rampage soft top and I'm wondering if the risers for the WH bikini top are interchangeable? I guess i'll find out but thought I'd ask in advance if anyone might know?

Riser didn't come w/it ?
 

sprdv1

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REBEL
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Mar 8, 2007
Messages
81,734
Do you mean interchangeable as in using a Bestop riser for the new Rampage top? If so, the answer is a 99% no.
Did you get the aluminum channel with the new top?

See above. Also a 99% no.
At least not well.

Good to know......
 

rydog1130

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Bronco Guru
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Jun 19, 2014
Messages
4,020
Riser didn't come w/it ?

Lol, I believe so...havnt checked the box! I bought it 2nd hand from a member. I would think that the bikini might fit the rampage riser but not the other way around. I was just curious, partly lazy, but i'll find out this week when Im able to mess around with it!
 

KingR

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Newbie
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Aug 27, 2018
Messages
19
Lol, I believe so...havnt checked the box! I bought it 2nd hand from a member. I would think that the bikini might fit the rampage riser but not the other way around. I was just curious, partly lazy, but i'll find out this week when Im able to mess around with it!

Curious if this ever worked out for you? I have a WH bikini top and am thinking about picking up the still discounted Rampage top from 4WP now that we're getting some rain again. I'll also need to install some windshield wipers...
 

roundhouse

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Joined
Sep 5, 2003
Messages
2,886
I wish someone would make a cloth top for the EB that’s a copy of the wrangler tops

They pop up and down really easy
 

sandman23

Newbie
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
29
I have the Best Top and I’ve heard it’s better than the Rampage, but I think the Rampage top looks better. The Best has a bump in the middle that I’m not crazy about. It takes me about 10 minutes to take off, could be quicker if you did it with 2 people. But it doesn’t leak, high quality, and is clean. Overall, I don’t have direct experience with Rampage and am generally happy with Best, except for the bump in middle of roof. Other thing to consider is you need to make sure the sides and back are held in properly, otherwise they will flap in the wind.
 

BGBronco

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Tennessee
I commented on this a few months ago and included pictures. I have had both and I think the comments above are on target. I think the frame on the Bestop is better and the Rampage top looks better. It would be so easy for either vender to tighten up the look. No idea why they don't.
 

roundhouse

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Sep 5, 2003
Messages
2,886
I commented on this a few months ago and included pictures. I have had both and I think the comments above are on target. I think the frame on the Bestop is better and the Rampage top looks better. It would be so easy for either vender to tighten up the look. No idea why they don't.



Cause they are making a fortune having these cheap tops made in Mexico or China and selling them for $800

Why change that ?
The exact same company sells a top for a Jeep for half price of the bronco top
 

Randy92Fox

Newbie
Joined
Dec 12, 2019
Messages
31
Trying to revive an old thread here. I have a half cab bronco and looking to get a full soft top. Leaning towards the Tom's top due to appearance and they're semi-local to me.

I'm curious though, I'd like to make as few new holes as possible and read some of the posts related to holes/snaps on the tailgate. Are there options that don't require holes on tailgate or would anyone be able to snap a pick of what it actually looks like as far as the number of snaps?

Thanks in advance!
-Randy
 

LUBr LuvR

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Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,956
Trying to revive an old thread here. I have a half cab bronco and looking to get a full soft top. Leaning towards the Tom's top due to appearance and they're semi-local to me.

I'm curious though, I'd like to make as few new holes as possible and read some of the posts related to holes/snaps on the tailgate. Are there options that don't require holes on tailgate or would anyone be able to snap a pick of what it actually looks like as far as the number of snaps?

Thanks in advance!
-Randy

Think all the current offerings have eliminated the snaps on the tailgate.

Here’s an older Bestop - 8 snaps. IMG_1272.jpeg
 

DirtDonk

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Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Maybe the very early factory tops had the deep rear flap and snaps, because nobody had spare tire carriers at that point?
Maybe they quickly saw the error of their ways and raised it up.
 
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