Rain with Soft Top?

Zero issues with rain. I was nervous taking it through car wash for the first time but no leaks. It felt like driving through hurricane style wash.

I've had lots and lots of soft top vehicles and in any situation you will be fine! They are fine for car washes and monsoon type rain.

Big Ragu

Zero issues with rain. I was nervous taking it through car wash for the first time but no leaks. It felt like driving through hurricane style wash.

Eek. Taking any nice vehicle through a machine wash is a borderline criminal activity (lol) but a rag top 4x4? I'd consider that to be ill-advised... just saying.

The soft top is fine - no leaks.

I would anticipate more issues with the hard top leaking than the soft top (just like my Wrangler).

The seams of the different removable hard top panels are a haven for water intrusion. But thankfully Webasto screwed most of us out of receiving hard tops thus saving us the trauma of a leaky roof! :cool:

Bschurr

The soft top is fine - no leaks.

I would anticipate more issues with the hard top leaking than the soft top (just like my Wrangler).

The seams of the different removable hard top panels are a haven for water intrusion. But thankfully Webasto screwed most of us out of receiving hard tops and this saving us the trauma of a leaky roof! :cool:

Agreed. Hard tops tend to leak more than soft tops.

Honestly, all removable tops leak a little... somewhere... and some more than others. Given we have a huge glut of brand new off-roaders in the form of new Bronco owners who might not already be a bit seasoned from their time in Jeeps, I think we'll start seeing a bunch of "my soft/hard top is leaking, what do I do?" posts.

I can address that concern very quickly.

IT WILL leak. Sometimes it'll leak more. Sometimes it'll leak less.

When your hard top leaks, take it off and put it back on again. See if that stops or moves the leak. If it does, stop worrying about it. You have a normal hard top.

When your soft top leaks, remove rear windows, retract it, then put it back up again and re-insert the windows. See if that stops or moves the leak. If it does, stop worrying about it. You have a normal soft top.

Sometimes there's an area of excessive leaking in a compromised location (i.e. A-pillar) that does need to be addressed. But first make sure it's a consistent leak that doesn't move. Leaks that move are normal.

Thanks for all the feedback!

Big Ragu

Zero issues with rain. I was nervous taking it through car wash for the first time but no leaks. It felt like driving through hurricane style wash.

I'm shocked, appalled, perplexed and intrigued. Does the owners manual specifically state not auto car washes?

The age old question of ...... is any water intrusion acceptable?

For a new vehicle.... soft or hard top … any water intrusion is unacceptable. I don't care if you take a pressure washer to the top … car wash … whatever. All your gaskets are fresh and your top has not been exposed to the elements for years. Any water intrusion is unacceptable in my book. If it leaks on year one …. it is only going to get worse.

As the new Bronco tops are exposed to high heat and extreme cold.... they will wear and eventually..... everything leaks. I have two Broncos (1993 and 1996). most every full-size Bronco has issues with the rear window and tailgate. This is because the rear window gasket is exposed to the elements …. and the rear window gets a ton more use than top removal. After a few hundred times of raising and lowering the rear window the gasket will show wear. This allows water to get into the tailgate area. Ford made some weep holes at the bottom to allow water to exit … but they are the first thing to get clogged with leaves/dirt/ really anything. Once water gets trapped you are screwed .. eventually rust will follow.

My 1996 is my all weather 4x4. I have POR15'd the entire cab and undercarriage. I don't even roll up the back window anymore in the spring/summer. She has the rubber floor covering and neoprene seat covers. I enjoy the water intrusion and the open air feeling of a true 4X4. I have no problem taking a garden hose and washing out the entire interior … not the dash area (I'm not that crazy). A soft top is on my list of upgrades.


My 1993 is another story. I have never taken the top off … and I do not believe the top has ever been removed. She has zero leaks .. and I just finished doing the POR15 thing to the cab.... zero rust anywhere. I plan on putting down boom mat and installing new carpet … and replacing all the window weather-stripping. I do not want any water getting into her …. EVER.

If you want to keep the Bronco in pristine condition … and never want water intrusion …… limit the times you take off the top to a bear minimum. Ensure all window/top gaskets do not dry out or become damaged. You probably will not be hard core wheeling the Bronco … but if you do play … watch out for extreme body flexing of rocks. The extreme flex will loosen things up … kind of like our A pillar issues we have with the older Broncos.

If wet seats and a soggy bottom does not offend you …. then let it rain. Just ensure that any water that gets in can get back out … and you should be fine. Wet carpet and the under padding just soak up the water and does not let it exit … not the best combination to prevent rust or that musty smell.

Use this on yo

paul rondelli

The age old question of ...... is any water intrusion acceptable?

For a new vehicle.... soft or hard top … any water intrusion is unacceptable. I don't care if you take a pressure washer to the top … car wash … whatever. All your gaskets are fresh and your top has not been exposed to the elements for years. Any water intrusion is unacceptable in my book. If it leaks on year one …. it is only going to get worse.

As the new Bronco tops are exposed to high heat and extreme cold.... they will wear and eventually..... everything leaks. I have two Broncos (1993 and 1996). most every full-size Bronco has issues with the rear window and tailgate. This is because the rear window gasket is exposed to the elements …. and the rear window gets a ton more use than top removal. After a few hundred times of raising and lowering the rear window the gasket will show wear. This allows water to get into the tailgate area. Ford made some weep holes at the bottom to allow water to exit … but they are the first thing to get clogged with leaves/dirt/ really anything. Once water gets trapped you are screwed .. eventually rust will follow.

My 1996 is my all weather 4x4. I have POR15'd the entire cab and undercarriage. I don't even roll up the back window anymore in the spring/summer. She has the rubber floor covering and neoprene seat covers. I enjoy the water intrusion and the open air feeling of a true 4X4. I have no problem taking a garden hose and washing out the entire interior … not the dash area (I'm not that crazy). A soft top is on my list of upgrades.


My 1993 is another story. I have never taken the top off … and I do not believe the top has ever been removed. She has zero leaks .. and I just finished doing the POR15 thing to the cab.... zero rust anywhere. I plan on putting down boom mat and installing new carpet … and replacing all the window weather-stripping. I do not want any water getting into her …. EVER.

If you want to keep the Bronco in pristine condition … and never want water intrusion …… limit the times you take off the top to a bear minimum. Ensure all window/top gaskets do not dry out or become damaged. You probably will not be hard core wheeling the Bronco … but if you do play … watch out for extreme body flexing of rocks. The extreme flex will loosen things up … kind of like our A pillar issues we have with the older Broncos.

If wet seats and a soggy bottom does not offend you …. then let it rain. Just ensure that any water that gets in can get back out … and you should be fine. Wet carpet and the under padding just soak up the water and does not let it exit … not the best combination to prevent rust or that musty smell.

Use this on your rubber seals —>

1+ for Sil-Glyde... Used it on more than one of my Wrangler hard tops worked every time.

No leaks with the soft top, but if you go through a drive through (even a covered one) and open your window to pay and get your food, the soft top seems to have a stream of water that falls off it in alignment with the interior door handle. Not sure what can be done about it, but it seems to be where the water wants to run off the top. It's bad enough to make you want to just park and run in rather than drive through. Has anyone else experienced this? Design flaw?

Have dealt with heavy rain (2 in per hour rainfall) and light hail in my 3k miles so far.
Bone dry. I am getting a little squeaky noises from the top but overall the soft top is good.

I was driving at highway speeds (70mph) in the remnants of hurricane Sam with no water ingress, so unless my experience is the outlier, I wouldn't worry too much about the top leaking.

Rolling the windows down when it's raining, that's a completely different story... Don't do it if you don't want to get soaked, at least your left leg (or right I suppose if you're the passenger, lol)

grochasjc

Anyone experience hard rain yet w the soft top? Any leaking issues?

Had some pretty bad storms and haven't had any issues other than the water runs towards the front so that when you open the front doors the water drips right on your leg

I've driven a Boxster S (Dads weekend car), 225 TT and Ecoboost Mustang in all 4 seasons for years, no issues with a rag top.

Hell, more interested in getting a Rag top for Xmas, and putting it on, so I can enjoy it on that once or twice a winter 60-70 degree day

TexasBroncoDude

No leaks with the soft top, but if you go through a drive through (even a covered one) and open your window to pay and get your food, the soft top seems to have a stream of water that falls off it in alignment with the interior door handle. Not sure what can be done about it, but it seems to be where the water wants to run off the top. It's bad enough to make you want to just park and run in rather than drive through. Has anyone else experienced this? Design flaw?

yes we are experiencing same issue, wife not happy with this. would love to find something to cure this

Just had heavy rain and wind which switched to hail no leaks so far.

Big Ragu

Zero issues with rain. I was nervous taking it through car wash for the first time but no leaks. It felt like driving through hurricane style wash.

What kind of car wash was it? Was it the touchless kind with the high pressure washers?

Brsox

What kind of car wash was it? Was it the touchless kind with the high pressure washers?

Ive done touchless with the high pressure and also the moo moo with the brushes. I feel i get a better wash on the moo moo with the brushes