Review: Rampage Soft Top

By Auto Parts Warehouse on April 10, 2014

Product: Rampage Soft Top
Vehicle model: 1993 Ford Bronco

I bought my 1993 Bronco in 1998. It has been my baby ever since. Ever since I got it, I have planned to get a soft/convertible top, but it never worked out because I never had a place to keep the hard top. Finally I have a place to keep the hard top and after some research I bought the Rampage Products Soft Top. It seemed like the best option based on what I read online. I am not particularly talented in automotive work, so I wanted the most user-friendly choice.

Here is the “Before” picture:

The kit arrived about 4 days after I ordered it. It came in a single box and was easy to move into the garage from the front porch. The packaging is photographed here.

I opened the box and read through the instructions. All of the parts were clearly identified in the instructions and were easy to pick out while I unpacked. I laid out the contents and photographed them as I unpacked the box.

Probably the most difficult part of the installation process was the removal and storage of the old top. I wound up building a rig that lifted the hard top to the ceiling of my garage. The construction of that and the removal of the hard top took longer than the installation of the Rampage top. When you remove the hard top, you will need a flat head screwdriver, a Phillips head screwdriver, socket wrenches and a T-40S Torx wrench. I didn’t have the Safety Torx wrench and had to buy it at AutoZone (Set cost about $9.50.)

Tools

3/8” wrench
Hammer
1/2″ wrench
Pliers
2 x 7/16″ wrenches
Ratchet handle
Electric drill
1/2″ socket
5/32″ drill bit
3/8″ socket
1/8″ drill bit
7/16″ socket
#2 phillips screwdriver
Rubbing alcohol
Flat blade screwdriver
6′ tape measure
Center punch – (I did not use)

(Have a couple of larger drill bits available because the listed ones were a little tight for a couple of the screws)

Installation

The kit came with a new set of clips, but I used the ones that were already on the truck. Installing the body aluminum (the bracketing that bolts to the body of the truck) was pretty straightforward. The hole for the bolt lined up perfectly. However, there are a couple of holes that need to be drilled into the body. The instructions tell you where to drill, so it’s not that tough.

There is additional body aluminum that the instructions call the “Front Body Aluminum.” This is the bracketing that goes along the back portion of the cab. It is a little harder to install because it has a little spring to it as you mount it to the truck. Get someone to help you place it and mark where you need to place the screws. The screws don’t correspond to existing holes, so you have to drill about 20 holes in the body to accommodate the new screws. The holes are not in a place that will be visible with either the hard or soft top installed so don’t sweat that too much.

The rear bow mount (anchors the bows to create the frame for the soft top) requires additional drilling. Again, the instructions do a good job of telling you where, so it’s not an issue. You then install the bows and the cross bar across the tailgate.

The part that I was dreading the most was installing the fabric top itself. I had images in my head about it not fitting and being off by about an inch (just enough to not work). Actually, it was the easiest part of the process. As the instructions warn, it is a little tight when it first comes out of the box, but once I put it on, I was able to snap almost all of its button-snaps to the bows. The others I was able to snap a day or two later when it had stretched.

All in all, it was a pretty painless process with a lot less profanity than I had anticipated. It took about 3.5hrs to install once I was just working on the installation. I usually drive around with the windows removed and the safari top on, since my son rides in the back and I don’t want to explain a sunburn to his mother. So far it has been as much fun as I had hoped. It is louder than the old top, but that is to be expected given it is now a convertible.

I have been pleased with the Rampage Bronco soft top and would recommend it to anyone interested in modifying their Bronco.

Visit the Rampage Brandstore-
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/shop_brands/rampage.html

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