GPCA JL Cargo Cover Concerns

[RussJeep1]

OK.

I might be wrong.

It certainly wouldn't be the first time, and for what it's worth I left messages, phone and email with GPCA on this moments ago.

My GPCA JL Cargo Cover arrived in the mail today: earlier than its Wednesday promised deliver date.

It would appear that the cover, based on the angles of the straps that secure it, is predicated on access to the hard top holes and bolts that include the ones roughly 30" from the rear of the Unlimited rig, heading forward.

Unfortunately, the rear most soft top hardware blocks these holes.

I think the problem can be solved by drilling through the plastic of the hard top hardware and GPCA providing threaded rod and a nut for this hole. Their thumb screw nor the FCA screws that come with hard top purchase just won't fit inside even once the hole is drilled.

Rob of Quadratec's about to cover said hole here:


Again, I may be wrong, and certainly: hard top only owners need not worry.

It's why I asked this question yesterday and was talking to GPCA today before the cover arrived.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/tub-question.12291/

I had tried to make my own cover and couldn't figure out how to support the portion of it just behind the back seats.

It's the nature of this concern I had yesterday.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/gpca-cargo-covers-shipping.12238/

Please tell me I'm wrong!

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[RussJeep1]

Ok, so I'm not wrong, as per GPCA, who is thinking of changing their marketing materials to limit the cargo cover's use for hard top owners only.

I think this is silly and told them so. IMHO, what soft top owners who want to use this cargo cover properly in fact need are two flat head M8 1.25 bolts:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/The-Hillman-Group-M8-1-25-x-20-mm-Internal-Hex-Flat-Head-Cap-Screws-8-Pack-44538/204794617?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|D25H|Multi|NA|PLA|71700000032394431|58700003837562549|92700030712663209&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4oPAw8-23AIVh4SzCh0vqQnUEAQYBCABEgKBF_D_BwE&dclid=CLO7-rTUttwCFcRENwodNmkObA

and some relatively thin cord that resists expansion (e.g. property line marking cord, while too thin here is known for this non elastic property).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...ted-Polypropylene-Mason-Twine-73246/206094355

Without even removing a closed soft top from the rig, take off one of the soft top's "dog legs"...see the Quadratec video above at the start time.

Screw in the flat head screw almost all the way, wrap cord around it once and then screw down. Then put the dog leg back..it should fit. No drilling should be required.

Knot the cord around the supplied "D" rings that come with the top, and viola, the 30" from rear attachment point hole is now accessible for the cover to attach to.

 

[RussJeep1]

This problem is solved with two of these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-B...llips-Flat-Head-Machine-Screw-15878/203540264

You undo the two T40 bolts in the rear door ceiling keeping on a side's soft top dog leg.

You lift up the dog leg off the lip of the tub and screw the above into the GPCA provided "D" ring and M8 hole exposed by lifting up the dog leg.

You sit the dog leg back down and tightening the two T40 bolts.

Done.

 

[Sting_NC_USA]

Nice job!

 

[RussJeep1]

Parting thoughts:

1) The GPCA JL Unlimited Cargo Cover is excellent product. I very much recommend it.

2) Any Cargo cover producing vendor for the JLU, at least in the rig's current configuration, will need access to these 30" from the rear tub liner bolt holes, OR not use them and make their cargo cover rigid, forward of the Sports Bars, to the back of the elevated back seats. I suggest the former, as GPCA did.

3) Solving this issue of soft top hardware sitting on top of these 30" bolt holes is highly trivial, as per the above post's solution, and I do believe GPCA should (and will) provide the very two flat head bolts I cite, with their Cargo cover going forward, as should, I think, all future vendors in this market space. Their purchase of them in large quantities should bring their per unit cost for GPCA down to points that little affect their profit margin, anymore than if they don't, they should note that in their marketing materials to consumers, and the cost for these bolts to you and I is pocket change.

4) Please do not hold this against GPCA. (I do NOT work with or for them.) We forum members want our JL product, GPCA delivered, at pretty reasonable initial offer price, and this issue should be seen as easily resolvable harmless oversight on GPCA's part. All vendors, FCA included, have initial offering glitches, whose risk reasonable people knew of, and assumed buying a 2018 JL. It's how companies handle issues--not whether they have them or not--that better defines their worth to us as consumers.

5) When informed consumers purchase solid JL product, the market (i.e. everyone) benefits.

 

[uudog]

Damn, I just sent mine back today because of this very reason. Could not figure out how to make it work with the soft top hardware!

 

[RussJeep1]

Damn, I just sent mine back today because of this very reason. Could not figure out how to make it work with the soft top hardware!

Ask GPCA to send it back and recharge your credit card, with them picking up the cost of the reshipping.

See what they say.

 

[uudog]

This problem is solved with two of these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Crown-B...llips-Flat-Head-Machine-Screw-15878/203540264

You undo the two T40 bolts in the rear door ceiling keeping on a side's soft top dog leg.

You lift up the dog leg off the lip of the tub and screw the above into the GPCA provided "D" ring and M8 hole exposed by lifting up the dog leg.

You sit the dog leg back down and tightening the two T40 bolts.

Done.

So the "D" ring bracket clears the bottom of the dog leg?

 

[RussJeep1]

So the "D" ring bracket clears the bottom of the dog leg?

Precisely. Been there done it, I'm no master mechanic. If I can do it, you definitely can. 30 seconds tops. With the top closed, and using the FCA supplied rachet and T40 bit, undo the two rear door roof bolts that keep the dog leg on. Lift it up a bit from the tub lining. Put a flat head M8 X 1.25 20mm bolt around the "D" ring and tighten. Reinstall the dog leg.

uudog: Please notice I said flat head screw.

Good luck uudog.

 

[uudog]

Precisely. Been there done it, I'm no master mechanic. If I can do it, you definitely can. 30 seconds tops. With the top closed, and using the FCA supplied rachet and T40 bit, undo the two rear door roof bolts that keep the dog leg on. Lift it up a bit from the tub lining. Put a flat head M8 X 1.25 20mm bolt around the "D" ring and tighten. Reinstall the dog leg.

uudog: Please notice I said flat head screw.

Good luck uudog.

Understood....

I just wanted to ensure that the "D" ring bracket actually clears the plastic mold of the dog leg (using the flat bolt of course) before I reorder this product.

Thanks for the ingenuity!

 

[uudog]

I emailed GPCA as well with your suggestions. I also advised them to either specify the challenge (and fix) with the soft tops or provide a solution/hardware to accommodate the install with soft tops.

What adds to the confusion is the following statement when you are on the checkout page or the receipt it emails you:

"Reminder: If you have a soft top, you also need to order the GPCA Quick-Release Thumb Screw Set from www.GPCA.us?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email"

This statement is misleading in two ways:

#1) It shows that it is compatible with soft tops with no additional modifications needed.
#2) It is insinuates that these specific thumb screws are needed if you have a soft top regardless of having a dual top or bolts for the hard top.

 

[RussJeep1]

I emailed GPCA as well with your suggestions. I also advised them to either specify the challenge (and fix) with the soft tops or provide a solution/hardware to accommodate the install with soft tops.

What adds to the confusion is the following statement when you are on the checkout page or the receipt it emails you:

"Reminder: If you have a soft top, you also need to order the GPCA Quick-Release Thumb Screw Set from www.GPCA.us?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email"

This statement is misleading in two ways:

#1) It shows that it is compatible with soft tops with no additional modifications needed.
#2) It is insinuates that these specific thumb screws are needed if you have a soft top regardless of having a dual top or bolts for the hard top.

Funny, I asked them too why I might need their "T" bolts, being a dual top user who has them from the hard top. They explained that their reminder to acquire the bolts was for those who only have soft tops, and accordingly, never got the bolts.

I did though order and like the "T" bolts: not for ease of tightening or tool-less operation per se, but simply because after installed, they become a place to tie off rope, like a boat at a dock does.

 

[uudog]

Thanks to @RussJeep1, I re-ordered the GPCA cover came in on Sunday. Here is what it looks like...

 

[StevieBuns]

I’m so confused by this because I don’t have the product with me and haven’t tried installation.

Is there anyway someone could take some better pictures or even a video of their workaround to get this cover to work with the soft top? I would greatly appreciate that.

Thanks all,
Steve

 

[uudog]

I’m so confused by this because I don’t have the product with me and haven’t tried installation.

Is there anyway someone could take some better pictures or even a video of their workaround to get this cover to work with the soft top? I would greatly appreciate that.

Thanks all,
Steve

I'll message you to see what you are looking for.

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