Soft top for the winter / whats wrong with this picture?

[NickDawson]

Hey folks,
My hard top is still basically a metal shell - I haven't yet tackled the refinishing project that I've been envisioning. Despite actually preferring the look of the hard top I'm thinking of running my soft top through the winter. Any thoughts about that? The heater in this thing actually works and I've got one of the high temp thermostats.

We get some snow in Virginia and winter temps range from about 20f-50f.

If I'm going to keep the soft top, I've got to get it sealed up better. The images below are one example of a gaping air hole. I'm hoping it is just simple user error - anyone have a suggestion for closing the gap?

[I Leak Oil]

People run soft tops in colder climates than VA quite a bit. Loosen up the attachment points in the back and use the front straps to pull it forward. That should make it as air tight as it's going to be. A lot of your comfort will depend on the quality of the soft top to begin with.

[solihull109]

X2.

20 degrees huh.... that's almost t shirt weather. Some of the guys I wheel with don't put tops on all year long up here.

Depending on how old your top is though, when pulling on the straps pay close attention,... they do tear off.

If you don't take anybody in the rear of the truck, I have seen some folks put a *curtain* (I forget the actual name right now) behind the front seats and that really does a good job of keeping the heat in the cab.... somewhat.

[KevinNY]

It's on there correctly just pulled too far to the rear. Loosen up the rear and get that gap closed up and then retighten, the rear flaps have plenty of overlay to accomodate it.

[Jim-ME]

I run a softtop year round and I live in Maine. Last winter I used a fume curtain for the first time which did help considerably. It looks to me that your top has shrunk. I'd loosen up the fixings at the rear of the truck and see if you can pull the top into the channel behind the upper piece behind the doortop and then tighten up the rear. You may need to replace your top if shrinkage has taken it's toll. Mine doesn't fit snugly into the channel but it is tighter than yours. I haven't been terribly impressed with the fit of my top since day one as it seemed like the side wasn't cut long enough. I'm not sure which manufacturer's top I will go with when I have to replace mine but I hope that is some time off. Try giving it a good soaking and then put it back on starting at the front and work towards the rear. You might be able to stretch it out some.
Jim

[Momo]

What Kevin said... loosen back/tighten front.

They call those things "fume curtains"- to keep exhaust fumes from circulating back into the cab. Exmoor makes one, or you could fab one pretty easily with some canvas.

Or you could get some press-board and some velcro straps and fashion a cab divider. Cut slots around the perimeter to fasten to your hoop, and maybe some steel plumbing strap or L-stock along the bottom to fasten to the base of the hoop. I know it sounds kind of redneck but it would be cheap and effective. VW panel buses had a press-board cab divider as an optional item and they work great.

[NickDawson]

Thanks all! Learned a lot!
The top is only 2 years old, its an Exmoore without the side windows (a problem I have to remedy soon if I can find someone to cut some in) and I've tried to always keep it tight after a rain, so I don't think it has shrunk.

In looking at 73series88's pictures, I see what ya'll mean about the top fitting into the channel of the door frame. That had never occurred to me. I think my whole top needs to get yanked forward a bit.



Lastly, i'd been wondering what a "fume curtain" was - had seen them on our host's site. I might try and make my own as Momo describes.

Thanks all!

[TedW]

Take it from the Maine-iacs:

The soft top is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter ( and quieter all the time).

I live on the coast where it gets both cold (-20F) and damp. The soft top is far superior to the hard top, IMO (at least as far as comfort is concerned).

I have a teeny gap in the left front corner that spits out snow at certain times. Kind of festive, actually. Would missi it if it wasn't there.

[ducttape]

Yes, I ran soft top 3 years running in my 109. Never a problem. That's why there are overcoats!

That said, I am looking to supplement my 88 hard top with a soft top. Anyone know of a set of sticks available, cheap

[Jeff Aronson]

I'm with Ted; I've run my II-A as a soft top during the cold Maine winters, and I've swapped it out for my safari top. The canvas top is definitely chillier but unless you're driving the car for a while on every trip, the heater won't circulate enough warm air regardless of the top you choose. The cubic capacity of the Rover is large for any heater.

The fume curtain will help keep heat in the front of the vehicle and they work well - but then, I usually need to get into the rear of the vehicle quickly, so they're not worth the bother for me.

The hardtop windows can be scraped and cleaned off much more effectively than the plastic windows on the soft top. Since you don't have windows on your current top, I'd make the switch because winter driving is dicey enough without having those big blind spots on the sides of the car. Winter is dark and gloomy enough without feeling like you live in a cold tent .

As others have noted, your photo shows that you've not pulled the top far enough forward. It should go right into the slotted groove by the door frame.

Jeff

[masonater]

I roll the sides and rear up on my 109 soft top and hold them up with zip ties. I keep it like that year round except when I take it off in the summer, I think it looks pretty cool too. It gets cold and very windy but I dress like i'm skiing and its all good. I have the smiths round type heater cranking on my legs as well.

[Firemanshort]

Nick -

I run a soft top year round in Northern Virginia and x 2 what all the guys from Maine said.

I pull the rear ropes and straps real tight during the summer to keep the top tight and stop it from flopping. However, over time, it shifts the entire top rearwards. In the summer, I have the sides rolled up and never see how the interface fit is between the canvas and the behind the door frames. However, in the winter, I get the same result you photographed.

I loosened everything on the top and started at the side interface and getting that lines up before re-tightening everything back up. It all looked good and sealed up nicely.... until about a 1.5 hours into a 4 hour highway drive to Roanoke on I-81. The highway wind and flapping loosened things up that inch or two to re-open that gap.

I was sitting in a McDonalds waiting for my co-pilot to finish her Chicken McNugget Happy Meal and I got a spark of an idea. The counter help was unloading boxes of ketchup packages. I asked the counter help of I could have the box when they were done and they agreed. I took the two cardboard flaps form the cardboard box and slotted them in over the canvas and under the galvy frame bit on the sides. The particular box tops I found were the exact length (or darn near close enough). I took one strip of duct tape from the roll under the passenger seat (every rover has a roll of duct tape in it - right?) and taped the cardboard to the galvy strip with a single long vertical strip that overlapped the glavy and the cardboard.

It sounds super ghetto - I know. BUT... the natural cardboard color blends in nicely with the canvas top and the duct tape blends in well with the galvy trim. It is not that it turns invisiable but I think you get one I mean.

This patch lasted the rest of the way to Roanoke and back and also lasted all the way to Maine for last year's Winter Romp.

This Spring, I took the cardboard off and retired it - I will find some new cardboard in the coming weeks.

[jac04]

Nick-
It also looks like you have room to move the vertical channels back quite a bit. From the pics you posted, there isn't much of a gap between the vertical channel and the back edge of the door top.

The other thing that will help a lot is this: When you go to hook the rope around the front cleat, pull the top toward the cleat as much as possible, then hook the rope around it. At this point, the top should be almost fully 'seated' in the channel. Now, hold the rope tightly against the cleat (you can take a double-wrap around the cleat to help if you wish) as you tie everything down.

[NickDawson]

Thanks all - I did some adjusting this morning (before the rain comes) and got a better seal. Glad it was user error and not an improper install. I am going to see if I can move the galvy vertical part of the frame back a little and work on the overall fit around the door too.

Nick -

I run a soft top year round in Northern Virginia and x 2 what all the guys from Maine said.

Saw you from a distance at MAR I think - were you there? Wanted to find you later and say hello. Thanks for the cardboard idea too - think there might be some ways to get creative with some press board or something similar.

[Wander]

The only I would add is get a Filson Mackinaw Cruiser, 24oz virgin mackinaw wool that your grandkids will fight over long after you've gone to the great Rover lot in the sky. While your at it-a stylish hat, not a wool watch cap but something with style like a Stetson silver belly or a Filson Packer that is both warm and water proof. You've got the same winter as I do so you should be fine for all but those few weeks when it's cold, moist and the winds out of the NE.