Trektop nx
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Spring, TX
I just switched the 1-piece Bestop tailgate bar for the 3-piece OEM tailgate bar today. If you have a Trektop NX, I cannot recommend this enough.
The back window is so much easier top open and close with the OEM bar. It just pops in and out of the groove without any prying, but stays firmly in place. I really don't understand why Bestop uses a 1-piece bar. It is way too hard to pull off and on.
The back window is so much easier top open and close with the OEM bar. It just pops in and out of the groove without any prying, but stays firmly in place. I really don't understand why Bestop uses a 1-piece bar. It is way too hard to pull off and on.
JK Newbie
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Bristol, Tn
Best $15 mod I ever spent
Well, took my window out of the Trektop NX the other day and had no plans on putting them back in this summer. Keeping a Duster in Jeep for just in case rain.
Saying that I was driving down the highway this morning and every time I got over 50 mph the back flap was vibrating so bad, I couldn't even hear the radio. It was ridiculously loud. I tried tightening it up and it helped little but was still no way I could drive on the highway for long with it flapping in the wind like it did.
Got to thinking about how to fix the problem. I was testing bungees with little help and noticed the aluminum bar was just too flexible and no matter how tight I got the ends the middle would still wobble.
So it dawned on me. Galvanize water pipe. I went to Lowes and bought a 4 foot piece of 1/2" Galvanized pipe with two end caps for a total of $15 and change with tax. I changed it out in the parking lot. Pulled out the aluminum bar and screwed one end cap on the galvanized pipe and slid it through the top and put on the other end cap. Tightened it back down and hit the highway.
Got up to 75 mph and not even a flicker. Pulled over and opened the Sunrider and re-tightened the rear straps and hit the highway again. Again not even a flicker. It ran perfect open or closed. You need the end caps to make the bar long enough to fit perfect. The original bar is 50". The 48" pipe plus two end caps are 49" but is enough to work.
Love this mod
Saying that I was driving down the highway this morning and every time I got over 50 mph the back flap was vibrating so bad, I couldn't even hear the radio. It was ridiculously loud. I tried tightening it up and it helped little but was still no way I could drive on the highway for long with it flapping in the wind like it did.
Got to thinking about how to fix the problem. I was testing bungees with little help and noticed the aluminum bar was just too flexible and no matter how tight I got the ends the middle would still wobble.
So it dawned on me. Galvanize water pipe. I went to Lowes and bought a 4 foot piece of 1/2" Galvanized pipe with two end caps for a total of $15 and change with tax. I changed it out in the parking lot. Pulled out the aluminum bar and screwed one end cap on the galvanized pipe and slid it through the top and put on the other end cap. Tightened it back down and hit the highway.
Got up to 75 mph and not even a flicker. Pulled over and opened the Sunrider and re-tightened the rear straps and hit the highway again. Again not even a flicker. It ran perfect open or closed. You need the end caps to make the bar long enough to fit perfect. The original bar is 50". The 48" pipe plus two end caps are 49" but is enough to work.
Love this mod
Last edited by rics1997; Apr 3, 2012 at 03:49 AM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Forrest City, AR
Originally Posted by Stormcooper
Here are a few more photos...
870-630-4111
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
From: El paso, texas
Latches on Nx
I just put my new Trektop NX on today. It wasn't that bad until I got to the two windshield paddle latches. Woo! That was something else. I ended up having to loosen the two bars on the windshield, forcing the latch on, tightening the bars back, THEN closing the paddles. It was about 85-90 degrees out, and it still was that tough! I'll leave it latched for a few days in hopes it will stretch a bit. It would be a pain to do that every time.
And yes, it is definitely a very tight fit. Zero wind noise at 80mph on the highway.
And yes, it is definitely a very tight fit. Zero wind noise at 80mph on the highway.
Just mess with them a little and you will see what I mean, try pulling down on the part that actually latches not from the handle..
Good luck
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 402
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Spring, TX
Originally Posted by rics1997
Well, took my window out of the Trektop NX the other day and had no plans on putting them back in this summer. Keeping a Duster in Jeep for just in case rain.
Saying that I was driving down the highway this morning and every time I got over 50 mph the back flap was vibrating so bad, I couldn't even hear the radio. It was ridiculously loud. I tried tightening it up and it helped little but was still no way I could drive on the highway for long with it flapping in the wind like it did.
Got to thinking about how to fix the problem. I was testing bungees with little help and noticed the aluminum bar was just too flexible and no matter how tight I got the ends the middle would still wobble.
So it dawned on me. Galvanize water pipe. I went to Lowes and bought a 4 foot piece of 1/2" Galvanized pipe with two end caps for a total of $15 and change with tax. I changed it out in the parking lot. Pulled out the aluminum bar and screwed one end cap on the galvanized pipe and slid it through the top and put on the other end cap. Tightened it back down and hit the highway.
Got up to 75 mph and not even a flicker. Pulled over and opened the Sunrider and re-tightened the rear straps and hit the highway again. Again not even a flicker. It ran perfect open or closed. You need the end caps to make the bar long enough to fit perfect. The original bar is 50". The 48" pipe plus two end caps are 49" but is enough to work.
Love this mod
Saying that I was driving down the highway this morning and every time I got over 50 mph the back flap was vibrating so bad, I couldn't even hear the radio. It was ridiculously loud. I tried tightening it up and it helped little but was still no way I could drive on the highway for long with it flapping in the wind like it did.
Got to thinking about how to fix the problem. I was testing bungees with little help and noticed the aluminum bar was just too flexible and no matter how tight I got the ends the middle would still wobble.
So it dawned on me. Galvanize water pipe. I went to Lowes and bought a 4 foot piece of 1/2" Galvanized pipe with two end caps for a total of $15 and change with tax. I changed it out in the parking lot. Pulled out the aluminum bar and screwed one end cap on the galvanized pipe and slid it through the top and put on the other end cap. Tightened it back down and hit the highway.
Got up to 75 mph and not even a flicker. Pulled over and opened the Sunrider and re-tightened the rear straps and hit the highway again. Again not even a flicker. It ran perfect open or closed. You need the end caps to make the bar long enough to fit perfect. The original bar is 50". The 48" pipe plus two end caps are 49" but is enough to work.
Love this mod
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 335
Likes: 0
From: Spring, TX
Originally Posted by JK703
Jeep is looking sexy as hell. I have the older model of the Trektop. Do you have any recommendations? I know some of the parts can be swapped from the new NX model to the old version. Any specific parts I should swap out?
I've read there were many improvements made between the two, and other than replacing the rear trackbar with an OEM setup, I think the new one is just about perfect... Especially with the sunrider top. Love it!
JK Newbie
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Bristol, Tn
Yes, I am 100% positive. The old one didn't have Sunrider. mine does. It is the 2 door JK. Not sure if the Unlimited is different or not. The picture is with the windows out and just the safari top.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Herts. UK
I just switched the 1-piece Bestop tailgate bar for the 3-piece OEM tailgate bar today. If you have a Trektop NX, I cannot recommend this enough.
The back window is so much easier top open and close with the OEM bar. It just pops in and out of the groove without any prying, but stays firmly in place. I really don't understand why Bestop uses a 1-piece bar. It is way too hard to pull off and on.
The back window is so much easier top open and close with the OEM bar. It just pops in and out of the groove without any prying, but stays firmly in place. I really don't understand why Bestop uses a 1-piece bar. It is way too hard to pull off and on.