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Bestop Pros and Cons

DirtyB

DirtyB

Crazy Cajun
Lifetime Member
City
Port Allen
State
LA
So I am considering to buy a Bestop full soft top for the CJ-8. I currently use a Kayline (I think it may be original from 1981!!). It's in bad shape with some rips, poor zippers, really scratched up plastic etc.

I'm hesitant to drop over $1000 for a new top and soft doors when I see things like:

"I have to admit, this issue on these tops has frustrated me for a while.

"Gotta say, as excited as I was to get a new soft top the fittment issues sure have taken away the joy..."

"The fit is nowhere as good as the old Kayline, and the Kayline has a better profile too."

"The metal door surrounds on mine bend in too sharp and hit the metal window frame causing the rest of the door to bend out.... Haven't been able to bend correctly to match door......"

"have hated this setup from the first day I installed the Bestop"

"Thought I'd do a writeup on how I added an additional bow to my Bestop Supertop."
"The water pools up badly in the big patch of top. Snow as well. It stretches the top to the point you can't see out the rearview. Oh and it will soak through the top after sitting as a pool."

I'm wondering if the Bestop is worth the trouble. It also bothers me that I won't be able to roll up the side windows "safari style". That's what I like best about the Kayline. Should I just focus on making the Kayline work for me?
 
Look at BD tops. Pricey but I have heard good things about them.
 
I dont think you have much choice anymore in the top area do you? I have been totally unimpressed by Bestop as a provider for anything over the past several years, since the two Bestop reps at EJS told me their LJ top would fit, after I explained what a Scrambler was... Different reps at SEMA were similarly unhelpful.... If possible take your kayline to a boat shop or someplace like that and have one made using it as a pattern.
 
I ordered my circa 2008, so I might have one that was made in the USA prior to exporting the manufacturing to Mexico. I've never had any issues with it that weren't self-imposed.
 
AK-RWC said:
I ordered my circa 2008, so I might have one that was made in the USA prior to exporting the manufacturing to Mexico. I've never had any issues with it that weren't self-imposed.
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What brand was it? BD does still sell tops (although they are shut down for Christmas holidays). Looking at the pictures, it looks identical to my Kayline except that the side windows completely unzip. Looks like I'll have to modify it if I want to go safari with the sides rolled up.
 
DirtyB said:
What brand was it? BD does still sell tops (although they are shut down for Christmas holidays). Looking at the pictures, it looks identical to my Kayline except that the side windows completely unzip. Looks like I'll have to modify it if I want to go safari with the sides rolled up.
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I definitely have a BesTop.
 
Just talked with Heather at BD. She's telling me their tops are not compatible with soft doors. Whaaat? I don't have nor want steel doors.

I know I'm stubborn, but I can't see where the steel doors would cover anything differently that the Best top soft doors for example.

1982JeepCJ8_01_700.jpgRed_cj_8__57184.1432737864.1280.1280.jpg
 
I always thought there the same opening..

Sent from my SM-N910P
 
I like the top in general. I did the 3rd bow mod and that definitely helped. But I can't get a good seal on the soft doors. The steels doors are heavy enough that they make a nice seal at the top, but the soft doors don't have enough structure to do the same thing the steel doors do. I assumed it's just my Jeep and some alignment issue with the windshield frame, etc...

The top in general I like though, and I didn't think there were many options.
 
To get my soft uppers to seal better (not perfectly tight) to the top, I bent the uppers inward so that they applied pressure. It makes me have to shove harder to shut the doors, but less rain comes it.
 
The Bestop soft doors seal AGAINST the top, they don't go inside a door surround/frame like on a hard top/hard door combo. If the BD design is similar, that's why they're not compatible.
 
And I have a pretty epic thread going about my fun with their two-piece doors and the soft top I got from them new. I'm guessing you found it based on the quotes you cited.
 
I like the look of a Supertop on a CJ7 but all they did was stretch the top for a Scrambler and it just does not look right. Look at a factory LJ top. Much better looking. Mopar got the extended look right.
 
bigwalton said:
And I have a pretty epic thread going about my fun with their two-piece doors and the soft top I got from them new. I'm guessing you found it based on the quotes you cited.
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Yeah. Your posts are some of the reasons that I'm avoiding Bestop.

Anybody got some good pictures of the BD top with the doors off?

Anybody got some good pictures of the Bestop doors?

I'm having a hard time believing that they won't work together. Honestly, my old Kayline top doesn't 100% hold out the rain. I don't expect it to. Bringing it to a manageable drip is probably OK.
 
I got mine used but in like new condtion from a fella who bought a restored scram with a new best top on it. I got everything for 200 bucks and can say it keeps me warm and dry but I do not like the roof profile. Typically its on in dec and off in mid march so it don't stay on long.
 
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I've had the bestop for 10 years. It's been a good top.

Sent from my SM-G928V
 
I don't want to bang this thing to death :banghead:, but....

I would really like a few pictures of the door and frame from the BD/Kayline design. This is the one designed to go with full hard doors only.

I also need a few pics of a Bestop design that was built for full soft doors.

My intention is to purchase the BD top and the Bestop soft doors. I specifically don't want steel doors (full or half). From all of my internet searching, it appears that the BD top is of superior quality and design, but they don't provide a soft door option. If I can make the Bestop doors work with it, I'll be in business.

Anybody can help out?
 
DirtyB did you ever decide on a top? I am trying to decide whether to go the Bestop Supertop or the BD route. I will either run full steel doors or steel half doors with soft uppers.
 
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