Softopper - I've been waiting for

[SirRobyn0]

Preface this is not a question per-say but there is a question I will ask near the end more over this is just showing off something I've wanted for years. That's a Softopper. If you don't know what it is you will by the time I get though.

These things cost like $1,100 new. No way am I paying that, so I've looked off and on for a used one for years now, almost settled on tonneau a couple of times, but knew I'd be terribly under served by one. Well I saw an ad last week, a guy had one just one town to the south of the farm, claimed he had it on his truck for 2 weeks before the truck was totaled, so I went and looked at it, and just as he said it was in perfect condition. We didn't really dicker over the price, but for about 15 minutes we talked about what I wanted to pay, and what he get and came to an agreement, honestly it was more than I wanted to pay, but at half the cost of a new one, well I not complaining, I feel like I got a good deal.

The big downside of the softopper is that I have to remove my bedrails that I love so much. But I'd take the softopper over those anyway.

Bedrails coming off

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Bedrails off, spare tire off:

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Next post will be pictures of my new toy!

 

[Finkaire]

You will love a covered bed, adds a whole new dimension!
Hard shell on the Elko

 

[SirRobyn0]

I didn't really take pictures of the install, but I did take pictures of it after install.

It's pretty simple, clamp the softopper rails to the bedtop, install the frame on the pivot, tighten the 4 straps, one in each corner and snap the snaps. I think it took all of about 20 minutes to install.

So for anyone that counts jobs by beers I'd think this is a one beer job, or a 1 whiskey and coke, but it was to early in the morning even for me to have a drink.

So here it is:

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So if you undo the end straps, and the snaps it'll fold down to the front of the bed, and it can be run like that if I need to haul something taller than the softopper, or pull two pins and remove the entire thing. If I get the chance during the week I'll fold it into open bed position so y'all can see what that looks like.

I've always had hard shell toppers for my trucks in the past, but they are such a pain to pull and reinstall constantly and this should be much easier for me to deal with and much more flexible for the various loads I haul.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Now for my question to anyone that owns or has owned one of these things.

First off I wonder if I should shift the bedrails forward some.

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Second question, the corners seem so bloody tight. I was able to get the snaps snapped by hand, but it took a bit of tugging. I think that the answer is it was 40F out, the instructions state it is easier to install for the first time in warmer weather. This isn't this softoppers first installation, but it was only on the POs truck for 2 weeks a year ago. It doesn't seem to be up and down tension it seem to be side to side. See the snap picks. I'm really thinking it'll stretch in, but maybe someone else will be able to tell me if this is normal or not.

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[SirRobyn0]

And just tagging a few people that I think might be interested @77 K20 @DoubleDingo @Grit dog @Radiohead I'm sure there are more folks that would be interested and I'm sorry if I missed you. I'm pretty excited about the softopper!

 

[squaredeal91]

My neighbor growing up had a restored 53 GMC 3/4 ton and it had a brown leather version of this. I've always liked the soft canopies from then on for some applications. Cool score!

 

[SirRobyn0]

My neighbor growing up had a restored 53 GMC 3/4 ton and it had a brown leather version of this. I've always liked the soft canopies from then on for some applications. Cool score!

I think that I will apricate and like the versatility of the softopper vs a traditional topper, and I like the look. I think the look of the softopper fits with the look of the work truck, though I must admit it also say lets go camping, which is just fine with me. It's unlikely it'll ever be used that way though. My wife nearly always goes with me for overnight trips and she wants to be either in the RV or a motel room, but I'd camp out of the softopper if I was by myself or myself and the dog. Oh you can bet Misty would just love to sleep in the bed of the truck with me.

 

[Grit dog]

Very nice! And a good deal to boot. I like them for the reasons you mention. And they look cool too.
Regarding being very tight, idk, it may stretch some or it may not.
I got a new soft top for the old Jeep many years ago. It’s been installed for probably 15 years now. I think it may be Softtopper brand as well?
But it has NOT stretched one bit. I have all the adjustments as low/loose as they get and it is still a chore to get the last snaps on and back windows zippered in. I usually remove all but the “roof” part in the summer and it always goes back together like it should be a smidge larger. Doesn’t matter if it’s sitting out in the summer sun or 40 deg out.
But I suppose they have to be relatively tight to keep from flapping around too much.
Anyway, nice score!

 

[squaredeal91]

@77 K20 how do you like yours?

 

[SirRobyn0]

@Grit dog Honestly I don't care if it stays as tight as it is, it's entire life as long as I don't have a snap pull though. And given that I was able to snap the hardest snap, with just a bit of a pull in 45F weather I'm sure it's fine, and even if I did have a snap pull though, it's just canvas I'm sure if my upholstery guy can handle a vinyl top, he could handle a canvas snap.

 

[SirRobyn0]

My thoughts so far:
All the hard shell canopies I've had in my life ALL of them have been drilled and bolted though the frame rail. The softopper came equipped with clamps. The clamp has a C - shaped end that goes over the square aluminum tube which is the part of the frame that sits on the bedrail, and then the other part is a foot which goes underneath the bedrail. It seems like a pretty good clamp setup, but still I'm just a little nervous since there is no direct drilled though bolts. I'm sure I'll anally check the clamps for the next few weeks until I trust them. lol.

My biggest regret so far is that I only had time to install it this weekend and I did not get to play with it at all. I wanna fold it down just to get the hang of the procedure so when I'm sitting somewhere to be loaded with feed or whatever I'm not holding anyone up. Well I've got the week to do that since I do need to haul feed on Friday.

I think that the softopper should be pretty weather tight, at least it looks like it should be with one caveat. The stake pockets are exposed to the outside as are the three little bolt holes that held my old bedrails on. Tomorrow, if there is spare space in the shop I'll pull it in and let it dry out and then put that foil mastic whether proofing tape over the stake pockets and the bolt holes, then I'll order actual stake pocket plugs. My one and only concern about the sealing of the softopper itself is at the corners of the tailgate. I'll have to wait and see on that.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Wow, I have thought of that over the years, would love to have one on my K20 when we go into the snow for a day trip. Pups would love it.

 

[Snoots]

So for anyone that counts jobs by beers I'd think this is a one beer job, or a 1 whiskey and coke, but it was to early in the morning even for me to have a drink.

It is NEVER too early to have a drink!
Can I get a #ELL Yea!

 

[Hunter79764]

I've always liked these as well. I typically have a hard shell for any truck I have, and never can take it off or put it on as easily as I'd like, so I struggle through open bed jobs with a cap, then struggle through things that should be enclosed because I can't find enough neighbors to help me install it for beer. A friend has one on his late model Chevy and likes it, I've seen him pop it forward pretty quickly, and seems to keep things dry enough for him to not complain about it when we are out camping.

As far as your questions, from where I stand on the other side of the internet, I think I's scoot it forward a bit, that sems like a big gap there. Of course, I'd probably fold it down first to make sure that gap isn't needed for it to stack up when stowed away.
And as for the back, I'd default to thinking that the fabric would stretch ever so slightly in warmer weather, but that's just my gut and sounds like other's experience says otherwise. It might also be my viewing angle from online, but the gap between the tailgate and the bed side looks a bit large. Is it possible the bed sides have "splayed out" a bit over the years, so that the top bed rails are a little farther apart than spec? I had to take a come-along and correct my sister-in-law's Furd for that when the tailgate quit closing, and recently saw some ads for braces that are supposed to help that issue on the aluminum bed trucks, but a few too many round bales could do that to anything, I'd imagine.

Oh, and I've had clamps similar to that on my cappers for year without issues, even in a rear-end collision it was fine and held on. My biggest issue was always wear on them after so many removals, the aluminum threads would get a little weak. Eventually one or two got replaced with Harbor Freight C-clamps, which also held fine. One truck I did have some pin holes drilled, but they were more for alignment and shear, I never actually put nuts on there to hold it "down".

 

[idahovette]

@Snoots HE!! YA!!! I'll drink to that!!