Hi Guys,

Looking at purchasing a hardtop soon with the mounting kit to install with the softop still in place.

I'm just wondering if it's safe for the soft top to be kept down for extended periods of time?

How often do you think the soft top should have full exposure to the sun? Every few days? Weeks? Months?

Thanks for your input

 

The soft top will last longer down and covered by the hardtop. The canvas is a wearing item. The more you use it, the sooner you will have to replace it.

Pm us for the best fitting tops and most secure hardware systems on the market .

 

Mine stays folded under the hardtop for over 6 months a year. The longer it's in one position (either up or down), the more care you should take when you next operate it. Make sure it's not too cool out and do it in 2 to 3 steps (ie, 1/3 way, 2/3 way, then full, be it going up or down. Once it's consistently warm out and you've operated it a couple of times, don't give it another thought.
Some guys leave the HT on all year round. They are the ones that need to be most careful when next they operate it. Too cold and it'll crack. It doesn't need any exposure to the sun, ever. In fact, sun will deteriorate the vinyl. Use protectant on it (303 or the like) before you fold it for the season. Treat it more often if it's exposed to sun. Then it won't look like crap like so many people claim theirs looks like. That's because they've never even heard of using protectant on it.

 

As long as you have cleaned the softop with a good cleaning/sealing product (eg. Ragtop or equivalent) before storing it under the HT it should be quite acceptable to be stored for extended periods of time. I store mine for the winter (7 months) under the HT without issue in the spring. Just make sure when you are storing it that the rear window is not being bent - do a slow retract and check the folds to make sure that they are full folds as the top retracts. That way you will get a nice smooth top without unintended creases when you put it back up later.

 

I take my hardtop off once every 6-8 weeks and let the softtop breathe. Otherwise I wouldn't sweat it. My 2002 has the original top from the factory, not a single rip or tear and is as black as the day it was assembled.

 

^ All good advice. Just make sure it's clean and folds properly and it'll be ok for extended periods. I installed my hardtop last Sept and it hasn't been off since so my hardtop has been folded for 10 months now.

 

aiite, thanks all for the advice!