For those with soft tops and bikini tops as daily drivers

[ren71]

I just took the hardtop off mine and love how much quieter it is now that 90% of the rattles are gone. And my dog loves being able to stick his head out of the sides now so I guess the hardtop might stay off for good.

How bad is the noise level of the soft tops on the freeway?

I imagine there's going to be a lot of whistles and flapping/ballooning going on, but how bad? Louder than with a hardtop on?

Will I be able to hold a conversation without shouting?

Also, with the side window sections removed, does the flapping and noise levels increase and does the top balloon up more? Is it more or less than with a bikini top?

Thanks for your input.

 

[Yeller]

The flapping is not as bad as you might think but its still noisy at highway speeds, you will have to yell. Can't compair to a hard top, I've never had a top, or doors come to think of it

I've had the hardest time keeping soft tops in 1 peice. I wheel a lot and always seem to find that branch in the perfect spot that realy likes my top enough to try to hang onto it, so I've gone to a sheet of 1/8" aluminum. with it siliconed to the cage it does not rattle pop or creek. It also makes a nice observation tower at events, shooting platform for hunting or just doing a roof dance when you do something you think is over the top.

 

[DirtDonk]

Every one is a little different unfortunately. Not just by design, but installation variations as well. I got lucky and my old Kayline (snap type) is actually super quiet and doesn't really have any flaps or whistles until I get into a fairly aggressive cross-wind.

Never spent much time with the windows rolled up (pre zip-out) but it was only a little worse in the flapping department.

But I've heard some real horror stories too, so wait for lots of other comments here too.
Still and all, if you don't want the hard top, a soft top is going to give you some flexibility even in your area. It still rains, some days are just too hot to sit in the direct sun (even with hair ) and the safari life with the windows gone is a great life.

That said, you can also do a pretty good job of getting rid of 90%+ of your hard top's rattles most of the time too. Some never get rid of them, but I had (again) good luck with mine until only the worst off-road bumps would generate a heavy thunk/clunk, but no rattles.

Good luck either way.

Paul
Paul

 

[jckkys]

I'm thinking of doing an aluminum diamond plate sheet. Since it would be walked on, it has to be stiff enough. Yeller do you find 1/8" thick enough by itself, or is bracing on the underside needed?

 

[Yeller]

I'm thinking of doing an aluminum diamond plate sheet. Since it would be walked on, it has to be stiff enough. Yeller do you find 1/8" thick enough by itself, or is bracing on the underside needed?

1/8" is pleanty thick enough if you bolt it about every 12-18" all the way around, it keeps it taught enough to be solid. If you run a bead of silicone around the tube it doesn't make any noise, with out it it will pop, squeak and rattle. I also had the front of it bent to take place of the windshield riser as well so its all one piece. Tread plate is more rigid that flat plate by design the raised portions are pressed creating hard spots making it more rigid.

 

[00gyrhed]

I run the modern best top. You can carry on a conversation but it takes soem getting use to. You dont really have to yel but you cant really talk normally. It is impossible to take a phone call running at highway speeds.

I sometimes remove all the side curtains and rear an just leave the full top. It is just about the same as full top with all the windows zipped up and the glass windows rolled up.

I can listen to my stereo but admittedly I have the speakers mounted on the roll bar right behind my head.

But as I remever it the hardtor was just as loud and maybe more becasue of the difference in the sound. However it may not be a fair comparison as my hardtop was a POS. THe PO found it in someones backyard they were using it as a dog house haveing long ago sold the bronco that went with it. I was going to fix it up because I wanted the hard top for winter. but the cost of new weterstripping and the amount of work it was going to take to get it to where it would be quiet and provided some relief from the sun and cold, it was cheaper and much faster to just get the softop.

I kept the hardtop for 4 years after I got the softtop before I sold it for scrap. The negative aspects of the soft top just really werent that big of an issue.

I also have a bikini top and when I cruise at 80 it balloons so bad as to come up over my roll bar and when I stop I have to take it loose to get it back in the right place. I cant strech it enough to put it back.

With the side curtians and back window out anf the glass windows down the best top also balloons up really bad at 75-80. I was going down the highway and the top just came off. The little plastic retainers that hold the bars in the proper position just broke from the strain of the balloon affect. I made some out of aluminum and the problem has't occurred again.

 

[ren71]

Thanks for the input you guys answered all of my questions.
I went ahead and just bought a bikini top for now.

I'll have to save up for the BCB soft top that I really like.

 

[BronCowie]

You won't regret the bikini purchase... that's what I use 6 months out of the year here in the PNW, and I do drive it most every day. I go with a soft top/hard top, alternate every other winter, don't mind the floppy window noise of the soft.