Dual Top Owners - When do you switch to Soft Top?

[GreyFox]

What is the downside of running a soft top year round? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm about to order my first Wrangler.

None. I live in Ohio and have a soft top only. Just personal preference.

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[Seanst34]

I was just explaining to my wife why I need to order a garage hoist. Gotta be ready for the swap...

No need for a hoist. Four ratchet straps a couple 2 x 4s and lag bolts and your set. Been using that set up for years on my JKUR and now my JLUR. Less than $40 in material and bullit proof. I’ve even been able to store my hard top with an 80 lb roof rack mounted no problem.

 

[Seanst34]

What is the downside of running a soft top year round? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm about to order my first Wrangler.

Sound bar rattles a lot less with the hard top mounted and honestly the hard top looks cooler to me but that’s a matter of preference and once you flip the top down in warm weather the conversation is over

 

[Seanst34]

What is the downside of running a soft top year round? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm about to order my first Wrangler.

To add to my last...having run both for years I always switch to my hard top in cold winter months. Generally the Jeep is more liveable with the hard top. Warmer or cooler inside depending on the season, can actually use your Bluetooth phone connection at highway speeds, and Lastly the sound system is better. Of course in warm weather months it’s easier to flip the top back or go fully topless. Many in the hardtop camp would argue the freedom tops work just fine or roll the Bestop sunrider aftermarket soft top filler panel. However there is nothing quite like rolling around with the full top retracted. I ran my JKUR with only a hard top for a year and a half but would pull the top off completely for long periods of dry weather. However your kind of anchored near your house for fear of getting caught in a storm (e.g. you couldnt roll 200 miles to the beach with no top at all). Anyway...there is no bad decision. Just preference. I like my cake and eat it to.

 

[robaw]

What is the downside of running a soft top year round? Sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm about to order my first Wrangler.

I went dual tops really just to have defroster and wiper on the back window in the winter. I really like the hard top with Mopar headliners, not much of a difference in sound and ability to control temperature than most other vehicles I've owned.

I have yet to use the soft top (just bought my JLU in November) but looking forward to using it for convertibility in warmer weather

 

[digitalbliss]

Sound bar rattles a lot less with the hard top mounted and honestly the hard top looks cooler to me but that’s a matter of preference and once you flip the top down in warm weather the conversation is over

I agree, hard top looks better but the soft top is so much more fun.

 

[robaw]

I agree, hard top looks better but the soft top is so much more fun.

War Eagle! Sorry, couldn't resist Not a "fan" of either personally, but would probably lean Crimson Tide I guess. Go Hawkeyes!

BTW - like the flags on your side vents

 

[digitalbliss]

War Eagle! Sorry, couldn't resist Not a "fan" of either personally, but would probably lean Crimson Tide I guess. Go Hawkeyes!

BTW - like the flags on your side vents

LOL no worries, I learned to ignore that dumb a$$ battle cry years ago! I'm still sad about that Natty title game though

 

[Roy_Hobbs]

Sound bar rattles a lot less with the hard top mounted and honestly the hard top looks cooler to me but that’s a matter of preference and once you flip the top down in warm weather the conversation is over

In my test drives of both hard and soft top the sound bar didn't rattle at all. Maybe something is wrong with your sound bar?

 

[LLRubylady]

I agree, hard top looks better but the soft top is so much more fun.

Nice Jeep. You got stocks or 35s on there? Red is so sharp.

 

[BrntWS6]

I got dual tops because i love the look of the matching hard top for the cold months. Not sure if its any quieter or not but i have a DB meter so I will test it both.

 

[karynm8621]

Beautiful, albeit still chilly, day in New England. Made me start thinking about the soft top. What time of year do you all switch from Hard to Soft Top?

Hey neighbor, S NH here.

On my JK I would wait anywhere between April and May because the warmer sun would help with stretching the top.

This past weekend on our JL we just put a bestop freedom top on. I've seen no issue with the cold air trying to keep the jeep warm.

 

[Onyx Dragon]

Beautiful, albeit still chilly, day in New England. Made me start thinking about the soft top. What time of year do you all switch from Hard to Soft Top?

I had both tops for my '13 JK. I went from soft to hard in mid-October. Back to soft in mid April.

 

[LLRubylady]

I got dual tops because i love the look of the matching hard top for the cold months. Not sure if its any quieter or not but i have a DB meter so I will test it both.

Curious to what you find when you test. Please post. I have dual tops because I couldn’t imagine a soft top in winter. That’s before I knew what an oven the Jeep is. (First Jeep)
I haven’t switched the tops yet so don’t know about noise. Hard top is pretty quiet especially with the hotheads in it.

 

[Seanst34]

In my test drives of both hard and soft top the sound bar didn't rattle at all. Maybe something is wrong with your sound bar?

Well full disclosure I have the Alpine system with the base turned all the way up blasting Lil Wayne so in that scenario the sound bar rattles pretty badly with the soft top on For some reason not when the hard top is on. There are multiple threads here with others complaining about the sound bar rattling so I don’t think it’s just me. I’m in the process of trouble shooting the situation and may pull the sound bar apart to fill it with acoustical material.

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