During the process of replacing my tailgate, the rear glass shattered due to a crooked bolt.  Since I had no rear window I decided to take off the hard top for the summer.  I made my own tarp top to keep the rain out but I felt that it was too much of a hassle to put up and take down and wasn't very sturdy.  I shopped around for a good top and a good price and decided to buy my Kayline top from the 4x4 Store for just under $400 shipped to my door.  Installation was pretty simple with a lot of holes to drill (over 100).  I recommend having two drills- one for drilling holes and the other one for the screws (preferably with a clutch to prevent stripping).  The whole job took me about 8 hours.  The instructions are pretty clear so I will just show a few pictures and descriptions.

Prior to installing the rails, I put some silicone in each hole to prevent any rust from forming.

This is a view of the drivers side pillar where the side rail meets the cab rail.  After securing the rails, you drill the holes for all the snaps so it is a custom fit.

This shows you the two bows that support the soft top.  The bows pivot from one bracket on each side to allow you to adjust how tight the top is.

This is what the finished soft top looks like with the sides and back rolled up.  I have found that it is pretty sturdy at highway speeds and not that windy inside with the sides rolled up.  It sure does help keep the heat build-up to a minimum while parked and provides shade as well.

This is the soft top with the sides and back secured to the body with snaps.  I have taken the Bronco up to 85 mph and the top doesn't move very much.  There is an occasional flap when a crosswind hits but nowhere near as much flapping as my homemade tarp top.

When I put the soft top on, it was about 90 degrees and the material was very flexible.  Now that it is getting colder, I have noticed it is harder for me to snap the sides down due to the material shrinking a bit.  This is not a major concern for me but I have decided not to keep the soft top on in the winter because I don't want to worry about not being able to snap the sides back down or possibly cracking a Plexiglas window due to the extreme cold plus the hard top will provide more insulation.  Overall, I would have to say that I am pretty happy with the Kayline top and I would recommend it to Bronco owners in warm climates.

Off Road T rucks

Page last updated on October 18th, 1999