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How to add / install hardtop and rear wiper to a soft top JL

RELBUS

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Good write up. I made the mistake 1x of buying a wrangler without the hard top or dual top option. Never again! Been they this install myself on an older wrangler, looks even more involved on the JL
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the_weekender

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This is way more in depth than I thought. I wasn’t even thinking about taking the steering wheel/column apart. Sounds like a weekend project. Do you have a rough estimate of the cost for everything needed for completion?
This is way more in depth than I thought. I wasn’t even thinking about taking the steering wheel/column apart. Sounds like a weekend project. Do you have a rough estimate of the cost for everything needed for completion?
Hi Hydroboy35,

Sorry for the late reply.

So the Overall MSRP Would be around: $3,400.00
Hard Top: $3,129.99
Hard Top Wiring Kit: $ 100.00- $300.00
Bracket Kits: Not sure
Bolts: $8.00

When I order my jeep, I negotiate the price of the hard top to be purchased later. I also took Months of Emails and phone calls with my dealership to get all the parts to do this. Mainly the brackets for the front panels held everything up. Since no one had done it yet. I also did the wiring myself since I did not want my car to be the Ginny pig at the dealership.
 
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the_weekender

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I installed my wiring harness 6 months ago and at the time there was no option to make the rear defog work as my jeep did not come with heated mirrors. Do you know if theres an update to this? Or was your vehicle equipped with heated mirrors?
Hi CBurrr23

I actually was talking about this with the dealership. They said they should be able to program it through the screen so you have a button there. But they have yet to have anyone to try it on yet to see it work

-Dan
 
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the_weekender

the_weekender

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So I recently ordered a new hard top from my dealer. They told me all applicable hardware and everything minus the wiper/defroster wiring kit is included. They said all bolts and pieces to hold freedom panels on are included as well.

How true is this? When you got yours what part # for the top did you order? Did you order from dealer or from an individual? Looking forward to seeing your replies!
So I recently ordered a new hard top from my dealer. They told me all applicable hardware and everything minus the wiper/defroster wiring kit is included. They said all bolts and pieces to hold freedom panels on are included as well.

How true is this? When you got yours what part # for the top did you order? Did you order from dealer or from an individual? Looking forward to seeing your replies!
Hi SubZero_JL,

When I purchased mine, the dealership did not have a “Kit” Part Number Yet so we had to order everything Individually when I wrote this post. Since then I guess they made a part number for Everything. Also my hard top was taken off a dual group vehicle at the dealership since the purchaser did not want the hard top which is another reason why everything was ordered Individually.

When you install the brackets above the windshield and above the driver and passengers head. These are adjustable. It may take a few tries to get the wind noise down and possibly whistling. Now that is warmer here in the NE I will be trying and figure out the perfect adjustment and post measurement for all.

-Dan
 

Roz

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This is great information especially on panel removal.

I also just purchased a hardtop for my JL and am foregoing (for now) the wiring kit as I lack the expertise to do the installation. But did need to purchase the latches and bolts to secure the hardtop panels. MOPAR parts has them all listed separately and they came to over $200. DV8offroad.com has an aftermarket kit for $90 and it took us about 45 minutes to to the install the latches.
 

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Doctorit

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This is great information especially on panel removal.

I also just purchased a hardtop for my JL and am foregoing (for now) the wiring kit as I lack the expertise to do the installation. But did need to purchase the latches and bolts to secure the hardtop panels. MOPAR parts has them all listed separately and they came to over $200. DV8offroad.com has an aftermarket kit for $90 and it took us about 45 minutes to to the install the latches.
Can you (or anyone) drop a link to the DV8 kit?
Edit, found it:
https://dv8offroad.com/products/htjl-br?_pos=2&_sid=f30566a58&_ss=r

Another sucker here who thought adding a hardtop later would be "easy" and not require a laundry list of extra parts!
 

Birchrun

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I just installed a hardtop from mopar (ordered from my local dealer) and it came with the panel mounting brackets.

I was surprised that it called for the gap to be checked with a mopar gap tool but not included.

I’ll look into the wiring kit down the road.

The instructions left a lot to be improved and removing the soft top was a new experience but overall fairly well laid out with design
 

MyLilPonyJeep

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This was something I definitely wish I had known before I bought my soft top JLUS lol, and I work on my cars quite a bit. Here's a video I made installing the brackets for the latches of the freedom panels in case it helps anyone looking to do the same. I'm still debating if I'm going to run the wiper wiring harness. The AUX switch I definitely plan on doing.

JLUS Hardtop bracket install video -

My cost to add a used hardtop
Punk'n Orange hardtop (Used) - $1,600 (Drove to Memphis from Atlanta and spent the night $236, plus $100 in fuel)
Mopar Bracket Kit - $136 (I wish I saw the DV8 option, cheaper and does the same thing)
Hardtop screw kit - $8 (Your soft top will have 6 of the 8 needed bolts)
No rear wiper wiring kit yet
 

Doctorit

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Hard to search for just this topic: anyone know of / find a shortcut or hack to just get the rear defroster powered (especially if I already have the cold weather package and have a defrost mirrors button)?
 

Lonieh

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I ended up picking up the hardtop brackets and installing them myself. Took about 30-40 min just needed a T-20 T-25 and the T-40 torx bits. Also got the rear window wiring kit. Here are some part numbers for you. I Also took photos of everything. Will upload in a few days and the Rear Wiper kit comes with a installation guide (IKEA Instructions) It involves removing the Steering wheel, Dash board, Panels all the way back , Drilling and Cutting. I feel it will take me 5+ hours. I would let the dealer do it but since the car is the new model I definitely do not want to be the test subject for it.

Brackets and Bolts for hard top:
Above Mirror
Front Left: 6830 5371 AB
Front Right: 6829 3600 AB

Above sound bar:
Left: 6829 0527 AA
Right: 6829 0524 AA

Bolt Kit:
0651 2230 AA

Rear Wiper Wiring kit:
8221 5312 AB




Install Instructions:


IMG_20181121_135046.jpg


Installing the Two Front Brackets:
- Pull down the paneling above the dash board
- You my need to take out the front mirror so you have enough room

IMG_20181121_135500.jpg


- Remove the little plastic filler pieces that are screwed in
- Bolt in the front brackets. Left = Drivers Side, Right = Passenger side .
(Once the hard to is installed you might need to adjust the adjustment screws in the front as you can see if you have excess wind noise coming in)

IMG_20181121_142042.jpg



Put it all back up

IMG_20181121_142451.jpg



Here is a video I found to get the mirror off and panels:




Next up: Brackets above front seats

IMG_20181121_140403.jpg


You need to remove panel near sound bar.
- There are 3 screws on the side you need to take off then pull down
- Then install the brackets.
- Then push it back up and install the 3 bolts. Didn't have the right yet since they gave me two lefts... but you get the idea.

IMG_20181121_144138.jpg


Notes: Make sure before you push it back up you look inside there are some set pins (yeah I broke one).

Took about 30 - 40 min.

Photos of the Hard top inside:

IMG_20181202_180647.jpg


IMG_20181202_180719.jpg


IMG_20181202_180640.jpg


Enjoy!





Rear Wiper Installation

For wiring in the rear wiper took me around 9 Hours it looks easy enough in the booklet. But, it looks like an Engineer wrote it and didn't actually have to do it. Best advice take it slow.

Here is the Instruction booklet form jeep:

Notes from doing it:
- Have someone else help you to check your work and in transcribing the instruction manual (Especially the wiring)
- Remove Driver, Passenger, Door Behind Driver (This will make it so you wont have to walk around them)
- Passing through the firewall on the driver side us a coat hanger to find where to cut.
- Passing through the firewall on the passenger side coat hanger thought the wheel well.

Whats involved:
- Removing all the paneling from the drivers side from from the front to the truck
- Removing passenger side paneling.
- Removing the window washer reservoir
- Plugging and re-pinning wires in the fuse box
- Removing the Steering wheel & Air Bag

Videos I used to help:



Photos of the box:

115414-44f24243e89e510e019d99149d2a3815.jpg

115415-3423a9e590b84e6efe545413ddd143f2.jpg


Enjoy!
Need help
I installed my mopar hardtop conversion kit my self. I used the Jscan to get rear wiper and rear defroster activated. BUT I can’t seem to get the rear washer to power on. When I push for it to activate, the rear wiper turns on but nothing from the new dual fluid line pump. The washer pump has no issues powering on when cleaning front windshield. Aside from take it to Dealership any ideas what I can check?
 

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Nitehawk92

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So I recently ordered a new hard top from my dealer. They told me all applicable hardware and everything minus the wiper/defroster wiring kit is included. They said all bolts and pieces to hold freedom panels on are included as well.

How true is this? When you got yours what part # for the top did you order? Did you order from dealer or from an individual? Looking forward to seeing your replies!
I didn't order a hard top from the factory, I wish I had. I ordered what is described as "identical to the production top". Mopar Part # 82215143, it is a primered top since I want it to be Red like the Jeep. I didn't want to have to paint a black top red. MyMoparpart.com. It is currently 2654.40 on their website. My total was $2880 including the shipping. I have seen them priced as high as $3600. By the time I get it painted it will probably be close to $4000. A factory top would have been $2700. I will get the wiper/defrost some time after aI get the top. I can connect it to on of my "aux" switch I get with the Tow package. But I did get a soft top, which wouldn't have been included if I got the factory hard top. Oh well you live, you learn.
 

Johnearlpt

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Hard to search for just this topic: anyone know of / find a shortcut or hack to just get the rear defroster powered (especially if I already have the cold weather package and have a defrost mirrors button)?
A couple of years ago I used this kit on my daughter's 04 TJ:
ThermaSync 2728 Defroster Installation Pack (frostfighter.com)

I had to order the kit that comes with a timer switch as the TJ had none. I just wired the leads into the tub side pin connector (another aftermarket retro fit) at the correct pin location for the hardtop defroster, then ran the wires forward, tapped into the fuse box, and then to the new timer switch. (did the same thing with a basic on-off switch for the wiper.....this just doesn't allow for a park feature for the wiper)
I now have a 2018 JLU that I'm adding a hardtop to and was thinking about trying the same thing except wondering if the defroster leads can just be wired directly to the heated mirror switch (which is already a timer switch)
 

El Jefe

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DUDE! I'm SO glad I found this thread. Ordered a 2-door 2021 Rubicon with a soft top because I sit too tall to fit under a hard top. Well, now that DesertDoesIt came out with the Seat Slammer kit, I can fit under the hard top.

Found a deal on a local-ish 2-door hardtop with tinted windows and the factory headliner. Picked it up Saturday, and boy, was I surprised! Not like the old days when the hardware was part of every standard build.

I had the Jeep at a shop getting lift, tires, gears, skid plates, etc - so I added the hardtop wiring harness while it was in there. That cost me 7 hours at $150/hr. Ouch. He's had 2 or 3 new control panels in hand (for rear defrost button - not part of wiring kit) = and still hasn't found the right one. My search on moparparts turned up 76 choices. (!) So he's working that.
Oh, and the dealer charged $210 to add the sales codes needed to enable it all to work. And kept the Jeep for 2 days. Crazy.

Picked up the Jeep, then went to pick up the hard top.

Drove home without the Freedom panels since these brackets weren't included. I found the part numbers on Quadratec, but ordered from BamWholesale. (Sorry Q-tec, but you were a ton more expensive - even though I love you guys).

Seeing how the panels pop off is helpful, so thanks for this write-up. I'll bookmark it for later.
 

rhill2901

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I followed the included instructions and your notes and have mine installed. One advice I will add is to pull the visors down before you put in the brackets. Both of mine broke at the pivots. It didn’t take much effort for them to break.
The only problem I’m having is after I went into Javan and enabled all the hard top features, one feature doesn’t work the rear window washer sprayer. I have looked everything over a couple of times and find no errors. When I engage the rear sprayer at the stalk, it cycles the rear wiper but the pump does NOT run in reverse. I swapped the hoses at the top of the tank, and was able to engage the rear washer sprayer. At the connector at the top of the tank, I reversed the connector pins to use the front wiper control to activate the pump in reverse in which it does. So it comes down to the BCM not taking the reversing command. Any solution? Or am I missing something? And yes, I have already set the setting in Jscan that a reversing pump is installed then did a power on reset. Still no go….
 

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Need help
I installed my mopar hardtop conversion kit my self. I used the Jscan to get rear wiper and rear defroster activated. BUT I can’t seem to get the rear washer to power on. When I push for it to activate, the rear wiper turns on but nothing from the new dual fluid line pump. The washer pump has no issues powering on when cleaning front windshield. Aside from take it to Dealership any ideas what I can check?
I
Have the exact same problem.
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