DJSJK50

OK, I got a bestop bikini as a gift and I do have the soft top and the surrounds. I have been trying all day to get it into the channels, but it seems to be an inch short. It has been out in the sun for more than 2 hours (might be 4 not) and I still can not stretch it over the channels. I get one side in, but the other side no go. What am I doing incorrectly? I am trying to get this in before it rains again.

Brian08JK

The first time is terrible, but I left in it the sun on a hot day and now it fits great. Some people will put it in the dryer to warm it up.

crcjk

It is definitely a MF until it stretches. Put the back on first, and keep trying. I also found that cutting the straps off helped. Also, I had to cut a notch in one part of the plastic on the top to get it to fit right into the front of the rear surround.

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DJSJK50

It is 87 out and the sun has been hitting it for several hours. Both me and my son try pulling it over. It is like a inch short or something. I put one side in, and then try to get the other side, but it is not going. I have the back on and I tried with the header lose, sung and tight. Just won't go. I was just wondering if I am missing something.

I see what you mean the part to cut. Was thinking the same. But I was going to try and get it on first. I have that part out of the way for now.

ssg381

An inch short is a big differance... double check if it is the right one for your jeep.

DJSJK50

Yeah... it is the right one. I went to the bestop site, 52580-35. Going to go to 4wheel parts, they said they want to see it.

Old_Ken

I had to remove the rain gutters from the door surrounds on my 2010 2 door to get mine to fit, what a PIA.
The gutters are held on better than the fenders. If you plan on using it with the door surrounds take the top to a upolstry shop and have the gusset sewn shut on the front corners, that will slow down the amount of water coming in when it rains. I also got some 2 inch air conditioner sealing foam from Walmart and made it into a horseshoe shape on top of the roll bar to keep the helicopter noise down. I had mine on for a 5200 mile roadtrip out West and it worked OK after putting in the foam. By the time I got to Indy a hunderd miles into the trip without it was driving me crazy from all the racket. Ken

Mark Doiron

I'm saying this only to help those who have yet to buy a safari top: The Mopar top costs a whole heck of a lot more than the Bestop. It is made by Bestop and works fine with the other Bestop accessories (Windjammer, Duster, etc). And it doesn't come with all of the problems that you're reading about the Bestop in this thread. Spend the extra money.

BTW, for all: There are differences between the way 2010s fit softtops than earlier models. Don't let that trip you up.

DJSJK50

So, I went to 4 wheel parts and the install guy took a look at it. Because I did not cut the plastic like CRCJK suggested, only one side could go into the channels. The guy there said that bestop is making these to fit more than just one model and they always have to cut it to get it into the channel for the JK. Still had to have both of us pull it over and use a screw driver to get into the channel.

This was a gift, the person did not know about the mopar one. I had mention I would like a bikini top, and the person just went to 4 wheel and got one for me. So, it is on now and I think I will leave it on for a while to get it to stretch out a bit more. Rain won;t be coming until Thursday so the weather dude says. Thanks for the help everyone. And, if you want one of these... don't tell anyone and just get the mopar one.

TINMAN080

I have the Bestop Bikini and it's not worth installing. Bestop is measuring this material like its gold leaf or something. The bikini top is just too damned small. I WILL NOT PURCHASE another Bestop product because of this. So Bestop I purchased about 8 of your products for my last Jeep but because I was SCREWED on this bikini top on my JK I am not buying another Bestop product. By the way, I repair vehicles for a living, It's not that I can't figure out how to install it. I left it out in the sun for 4 hrs, so hot you could barely touch it. 4 big burly boys stretching it and after 20 minutes finally got it on. I left it on for several days, removed it. Went to reinstall it again, same goat fk. Laid in the garage all of this summer. Don't waste your money on this DAMNED POOR PRODUCT....