Every once in a while a product comes along that’s not only good for your vehicle and is good for your comfort, but is also somewhat easy to install. It’s rare indeed that a product can look good, work well, and slide in exactly like the instruction sheet says it should. Bestop’s Trektop NX (PN 56821) is just such a product.

First step installing a Trektop—or any soft top from Bestop (even a simple replacement skin of the OEM top)—is to wait until the ambient temperature is above 72° F for the entire install. Actually, the hotter it is the better. According to Bestop, the material can shrink up to an inch in colder weather.

Over the five decades I’ve been four wheeling, I’ve installed soft tops on nearly every model of Jeep—starting with a ’46 CJ-2a, going through a few more editions of CJs, an early model Bronco or two, an IH Scout, and on to an ’07 Rubicon Unlimited. With every new design, installation became easier and quicker.

Bestop’s Supertops have become the standard against which all other soft tops are measured, offering the highest quality in function, fit, and style. Supertops are available for nearly all Jeep models that are available with removable tops. Many of the kits include hardware, soft top fabric, windows, and printed instructions. Some include two-piece soft doors as well, and use the Jeep’s hard door strikers.

When I decided that I wanted a new top, I initially looked for a white top, due to the Arizona weather and my preference, but I found that white is no longer a favorite choice. Color choices are almost as varied as color choices were for Ford’s Model T—“any color you want as long as it’s black”—although (depending on the model of soft top) charcoal and spice are available.

Once I had the top in hand, I had to wait until daytime temperatures were consistently above 72 degrees F. I also made sure to leave the cloth portions of the top in the sun while we were installing the hardware. This allows them to be slightly larger and much more pliable, which in turn makes it easier to be certain the top is stretched tight when the installation is complete.

When you’re using your new Bestop soft top, each of the two side windows and the rear window can be removed and stored while leaving the top in place for shade. The forward portion can also be folded back into a Targa-style open cockpit for the driver and passenger.

The soft top’s installation is so easy, I’m not going to show you step-by-step instructions—Bestop’s manual does that—but I will show some tips.

A two-year limited warranty comes with each Trektop. Check the websites for either Summit Racing or Bestop for up-to-the-minute information on color availability and prices.

Source List
Bestop
http://www.bestop.com/

Summit Racing
http://www.summitracing.com/