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Renegade MySky Technology to JL(U/T) Hardtop

RussJeep1

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I wonder if some third party vendor or Mopar will ever eventually incorporate the Renegade's MySky technology into some version of the JL(U/T)'s hardtop.

For those unfamiliar:



One the one hand, I completely "get it" if FCA doesn't want to "own" yet another Wrangler covering option having already improved the soft top functionality, and made it available in different ways, created the power soft top, and lightened the hard top--especially when the after market comes to the rescue on most things that Wrangler owners want, that FCA chooses not to make.

(I guess this would be like asking FCA to take on yet another power train with "2 down," and "2 to come.")

On the other hand, 20% lighter or not, the removal/installation of the rear of the hardtop, short of rigging gear, is a 2 person job, even often on the 2 door JL, if for no other reason than its bulkiness.

Soft tops are noisier (new anti-noise technology duly noted) and often more subject to break ins. For some of us that can be an issue.

MySky is an already built technology and it works sweet. It could open up the 2 door or truck into 2 sections, or the 4 door into 3, incorporating electric opening in the front, while driving, and removal of all panels back into the vehicle, while the vehicle is parked.

Sadly, you can't fit the back of the hardtop into the Jeep, only on top.

Thoughts?
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Schmeegz

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Agreed.

I like the idea of the Power top, but that rear glass needs to be removable also.

I could totally get behind a 6 panel top on a 4 dr (3 top panels, 2 rear quarters, and the rear windshield)
 

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I would like a body-color hardtop with removable rear side windows made of real glass, not plastic. A possible factory variation or from a third party vendor?
 
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RussJeep1

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I would like a body-color hardtop with removable rear side windows made of real glass, not plastic. A possible factory variation or from a third party vendor?

The Sahara’s yet to be released power top meets your requirements barring the fact that the center of this top is fabric.
 

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Thanks, but a hardtop is probably necessary since my vehicle would have to live its life out in the elements all the time.
 

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RussJeep1

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I don't blame you oldowl. While this top is expected to last the vehicle's life, at least by FCA standards, realty may deal a different fate. Still more, while yet to be officially released, it's only available on the Sahara, bound to cost a king's ransom, apt to be noisier and less insulative (both for hot and cold) and possibly break and/or leak during its useful life.

Still more, switching this top for another is something FCA is suggesting its users to avoid, or at least have done by the dealer ($).

There's a video of the people at TFLcar taking just such a configured Sahara to a manual car wash and water dripping into the car after the top proved water tight during the wash, but once the wash was over and the driver's door was open, water dripped in. Perhaps that's not a real life test and not an issue limited to the power top.

Perhaps the aftermarket (read: yet more money) will develop MySky Panel like accessories for the top, like that offered in the Renegade, but that would be an awful lot of money to spend when your real goal is removable back side windows.

Its hard to make a hard top for the Wrangler with such removable windows unless the rest of the top bolts into the Sports bars, perhaps needless to say, as these windows, unremovable in the standard hard top, serve as key attachment points of the top to the chassis.
 

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Am I the only one who was seeing the new JL auto retractable roof with the removable side panels and wondering why that wasn't incorporated in the traditional hardtop?

It's nice you can remove the front panels for driver/passenger. I do like the idea of removable or mysky like panels for the back seats. But those removable side panels really open things up. That would get my vote at least!
 

word302

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I don't blame you oldowl. While this top is expected to last the vehicle's life, at least by FCA standards, realty may deal a different fate. Still more, while yet to be officially released, it's only available on the Sahara, bound to cost a king's ransom, apt to be noisier and less insulative (both for hot and cold) and possibly break and/or leak during its useful life.

Still more, switching this top for another is something FCA is suggesting its users to avoid, or at least have done by the dealer ($).

There's a video of the people at TFLcar taking just such a configured Sahara to a manual car wash and water dripping into the car after the top proved water tight during the wash, but once the wash was over and the driver's door was open, water dripped in. Perhaps that's not a real life test and not an issue limited to the power top.

Perhaps the aftermarket (read: yet more money) will develop MySky Panel like accessories for the top, like that offered in the Renegade, but that would be an awful lot of money to spend when your real goal is removable back side windows.

Its hard to make a hard top for the Wrangler with such removable windows unless the rest of the top bolts into the Sports bars, perhaps needless to say, as these windows, unremovable in the standard hard top, serve as key attachment points of the top to the chassis.
Power top will be available on the Sahara and Rubicon.
 

DaveNH

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Am I the only one who was seeing the new JL auto retractable roof with the removable side panels and wondering why that wasn't incorporated in the traditional hardtop?
Nope. In fact, given that hard top for the JL was continually referred to as a "true" 3 piece hardtop, the speculation was that it might literally mean a modular top with 3 "top" pieces, and separate side/back sections.
 

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Agreed on the definition of the 3 piece. My vote then is for a 6 or 7 piece hard top! :rock:
 

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RussJeep1

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If the Freedom top had removable back windows like the Power soft top I think several things might have happened:

1) This aforementioned increased functionality Freedom top would complete with the new power soft top and deny FCA the larger profit margin I suspect they will make per unit on the new power soft top.

2) The Freedom top would have to attach, like the new power soft top, on to the Sports bar, making the removal and replacement of the larger section of top, in back, difficult, like it will be with the power soft top. After all, this top back panel needs someplace to attach to without side rear windows that are currently integral to its non-reconfigurable design.

3) The aftermarket can provide solutions here.

4) The price of the Freedom top would become astronomical so FCA would need to offer 2 versions of the hardtop.
 

oldowl

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Thanks, RussJeep1 and others. I'm in no hurry, so I'll wait around to see what aftermarket solutions may offer, or maybe FCA is there is enough demand
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RussJeep1

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I'm sure this has been posted here before, but oh well...

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/160775-Converting-a-factory-JK-JKU-hardtop-to-modular

I doubt there any inherent engineering issue with a modular top that would require a fixed solution like the power top. Or an exorbitant price for that matter, other than that people would be willing to pay.

You're quite possibly right Dave at least as FCA creating it is concerned: the liability quants fearing people won't put it together right and that it will come apart on the highway, the marketing quants wanting this increased functionality to go for 14.5X what it cost to engineer the design and make the marginal unit, and the cynics still saying, "but the rear window still doesn't come off!"

Enter the LLC (limited liability corp), funded in part by FCA to make this, limiting FCA's legal and branding exposure...

Sure, improper installation could happen with the existing hard top, but since its difficult to remove, the same people who remove it are apt to be mechanically inclined enough to put it back right....
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