Is Softtop that fully retracts technically feasible?

[Papalecki]

I figured there are a lot of smart people here who could provide input. Given what we know about the Glad roof and the current softtop -
could a manufacturer make a softtop that fully retracts onto the bed?
or is this just wishful thinking????

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[jurfie]

I would think so, but I think it would involve another hinge-point in the frame. Take a look at how the JK (2-door) top lies flat; it's frame is connected to the roll bar at the front seat. The JT has no roll bar there; itis further back, so either the top would lay waaaay back, or there would need to be another joint in the frame that can hinge again to reduce the distance.

I do think it would be difficult to not have it interfere with the back seat access, however...but the people at Bestop et. al. are smarter than I am.

 

[jurfie]

You know...the more I think about it, a Bestop TrekTop NX with the sunrider over just the front seats would probably be the best option. Too bad for the rear passengers, but oh well; remove it all the way when you have people back there.

 

[Gatorized]

The JT cab is not much more than a 2 door cab with a bed behind it... so you would think it would be similar.
Just need to find a place to mount the supports since the JT has doors where the 2 door has structure.

 

[RIPLER]

I talked with the Bestop people at a Jeepfest and they didnt think they would have any other options but the factory style, but that was a few months ago so who knows

 

[Beardown Jeep]

I figured there are a lot of smart people here who could provide input. Given what we know about the Glad roof and the current softtop -
could a manufacturer make a softtop that fully retracts onto the bed?
or is this just wishful thinking????

To me the answer is to hinge on each side so the top is ove the speaker bar. The back could lock in place with the back window and the from could use the existing latch points. If you hinged in the right place I think you could overlap the top. In the middle.

It might also look really dumb.

 

[Dash68]

Can the rear window on a gladiator soft top be removed? If not, it could be a reason why Jeep didn't design it to fully retract/collapse. The soft top rails for the wrangler rest along the tub sides when collapsed which would interfere with the rear door's on a gladiator, there is more space between the rear gate and back seat of the 2 door wrangler where the soft top collapses down onto which tells me that the gladiator soft top frame would have to extend past the rear of the gladiator cab into the bed space to clear the back seats. I can imagine a gladiator soft top with telescoping or sliding frame rails to allow the soft top to fully collapse behind the cab but the side frame rails would still interfere with the rear doors.

 

[Beardown Jeep]

Can the rear window on a gladiator soft top be removed? If not, it could be a reason why Jeep didn't design it to fully retract/collapse. The soft top rails for the wrangler rest along the tub sides when collapsed which would interfere with the rear door's on a gladiator, there is more space between the rear gate and back seat of the 2 door wrangler where the soft top collapses down onto which tells me that the gladiator soft top frame would have to extend past the rear of the gladiator cab into the bed space to clear the back seats. I can imagine a gladiator soft top with telescoping or sliding frame rails to allow the soft top to fully collapse behind the cab but the side frame rails would still interfere with the rear doors.[/QU
The window in the soft top is removable.

 

[Beardown Jeep]

I have been thinking more about the softtop folding to the middle of the sound bar. If you hinged up on both sides and then added another hinge to each side you could fold to a pretty small size and you avoid the fold down into the bed. A clamp to the back would let you keep as a safari top.

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