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Some more info on Gladiator soft top and tonneau cover

Bestop

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Hey guys!

Here is some info i have on the top for you -

The @jeep #Gladiator has been revealed! Ready for the Bestop low-down? There is a soft top option that opens into the Sunrider position. This preserves the usable area of the pick up box. The tonneau is a roll up. The benefit with this is that there is no Velcro or aluminum side rails. Once rolled up the bed rails are clean This is an industry first!! Another INDUSTRY FIRST is that the tonneau offers the “weekend warrior panel”. The last 8 inches or so operates independently from the rest of the tonneau. The benefit of this is long items such as 2x4s can be loaded into the bed with the tailgate closed and the rest of the tonneau closed.

Let me know if you have more questions, i will do my best to answer them!

CassieAtBestop

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homerun

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Thanks for coming over to our conversation Cassie! I believe you just confirmed that the only option for the soft top will be to sit in the sun rider position (above the rear passenger's heads). Still wondering if how difficult it would be to develop a mod to bring the top all the way down. I copy and pasted my my question from the JL forum over here for the benefit of others but I really don't think I am alone in this. Thank you for listening.

@BestopTeam @Cassie

I know its very early but now that the gladiator has been revealed I have a question. Consensus over on the JT forum is that the soft top will not go all the way down without full removal and that it will only sit in the sun rider position above rear passengers heads. I understand the trade off and that this was done to maximize bed space however in this instant I feel the wrong decision was made. If I need the extra 8-10 inches of bed space I would simply put the top up. I know I am not alone in feeling this way. Many of us just do not like the look of the sun rider position on the JT.

Any chance this can be addressed with a change in the way the brackets are hinged to fold? I would even be willing to buy a complete new top if necessary. If this is not already in the works could you run it by the decision makers at Besttop and at least put it on their radar. It will still be several months before JTs are for sale so I know I'm early but I would love to see a solution by next summer when I get my new truck!

Feel free to reply/join to the discussion over here:https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/pics-with-the-soft-top-down-not-off.8503/

Thank you
 

Wraith

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Homerun, well said. That is what I had observed as well and I can certainly see an aftermarket replacement being a reality that affords us the ability to fully retract the top. The sunrider open position looks identical to that of the JLU so at least there is open air for the rear passengers (if not slightly more than the JLU). I would assume by allowing it to fully retract like a conventional soft top they would make the bracketry shorter for the opening sunrider portion thus not allowing for a full open air feel for the rear passengers (similar to the JL). I am sure the engineers at Bestop can come up with something to afford us that full open air goodness. Regardless, I dig the soft top setup how it is and would be fine with that if no aftermarket options were available.
 

homerun

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Homerun, well said. That is what I had observed as well and I can certainly see an aftermarket replacement being a reality that affords us the ability to fully retract the top. The sunrider open position looks identical to that of the JLU so at least there is open air for the rear passengers (if not slightly more than the JLU). I would assume by allowing it to fully retract like a conventional soft top they would make the bracketry shorter for the opening sunrider portion thus not allowing for a full open air feel for the rear passengers (similar to the JL). I am sure the engineers at Bestop can come up with something to afford us that full open air goodness. Regardless, I dig the soft top setup how it is and would be fine with that if no aftermarket options were available.
I would be ok with no sunrider or only half sunrider if it meant the top went all the way down and laid across the top of the truck box. Would be awesome if we could purchase an aftermarket bracket set and keep the OEM fabric.
 

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Wraith

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I would be ok with no sunrider or only half sunrider if it meant the top went all the way down and laid across the top of the truck box. Would be awesome if we could purchase an aftermarket bracket set and keep the OEM fabric.
Retrofit kit would be something special that's for sure. I grabbed a screen shot from the video and one for the JLU. Basically the same layout and design (if not identical). Its surreal even posting an image of a soft topped Jeep pickup.
soft top sunrider position.png
JDA_82215146_Twill_Soft_Top_JL4D_5.jpg
 
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Bestop

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Hey guys!

There will be aftermarket options coming.... :)

As far as changing the current top, thats a no-go. It is already in the production phase.

Some of you coming over from the JL forum might know, but i will fill in those that don't. If you have any suggestions or feedback please let me know, i can pass it along to the aftermarket team. No promises on anything, but we meet weekly to give them an update and I pass the items along that i see here. Also, please keep the suggestions within reason ;) We can't do one-offs, it would be WAYYY too expensive for the customer and for us. Look forward to hearing from you all!

CassieAtBestop
 

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Hey BestopTeam, you guys need to make a soft bed topper that matches the Gladiator soft top. Not a tonneau but a full soft bed topper. Something like a Softopper bed top, but that would accommodate a bed rack fitting around the soft bed top, so I can still carry kayaks, bikes, RTT, etc. over the top, and Maxtrax, Hi-Lift, etc. mounted to the sides.
 

steffen707

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Hey guys!

There will be aftermarket options coming.... :)

As far as changing the current top, thats a no-go. It is already in the production phase.

Some of you coming over from the JL forum might know, but i will fill in those that don't. If you have any suggestions or feedback please let me know, i can pass it along to the aftermarket team. No promises on anything, but we meet weekly to give them an update and I pass the items along that i see here. Also, please keep the suggestions within reason ;) We can't do one-offs, it would be WAYYY too expensive for the customer and for us. Look forward to hearing from you all!

CassieAtBestop
This would lead me to get a hard top from Jeep, then get a better soft top from Bestop!
 

Renegade

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Hey BestopTeam, you guys need to make a soft bed topper that matches the Gladiator soft top. Not a tonneau but a full soft bed topper. Something like a Softopper bed top, but that would accommodate a bed rack fitting around the soft bed top, so I can still carry kayaks, bikes, RTT, etc. over the top, and Maxtrax, Hi-Lift, etc. mounted to the sides.
Like this:

31360756-9724-4B5E-B2ED-C20A52B096E2.png
 

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TennesseePA

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Looks like y’all were both typing at the same time.
 

chrcal14

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Since we're providing direct feedback since Cassie has been nice enough to drop in and brave the sharks and comment...

Add me to the list of those that would like the top to fold down onto the bed. As is, that's a lot of "stuff" blowing in the wind... or snagging in the brush.

I'd be more likely to completely remove and store in the bed under what looks like a REALLY cool roll up tonneau.
 

Gecko-JKU

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Judging by the picture below plans may already be in the works for an aftermarket top that folds all the way down. Simply make the end of the rails attach to a pivot that connects to the bolt hole pictured. This would allow the entire top to rotate down against the back of the seats over the end of the box. Two brackets that slide into the bed rails could come up to hold the first bend in a U shaped bracket or even utilize the quick release pin thats used when it is up.

2020-Jeep-Gladiator-JT-Pickup-Truck-Mopar-Accessories-LA-Auto-Show-42.jpg
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