Bestop Retractable JK Sunshade's Fit on a JL

[Fudster]

When Bestop's price for the JK's retractable sunshade (52405-11) hit a reasonable low for me on Amazon, ($144, maybe you've seen it cheaper elsewhere)--which BTW is now back to $186 as of this writing--I said that's its time to buy it and see if I can somehow get it to fit on the JL.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078MWK34V?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

We all know that Amazon's got a good return policy, and I don't see Bestop coming out with their JL model soon (famous last words) so I said, 'what the hey.'

................

It turns out that getting it to fit on the JL not only wasn't that bad, but I think my method for doing so is actually in some ways better than the JK fit.

I'll try to get some pictures up tomorrow (it's dark now) but basically, on either side of the shade are metal brackets (with pre-drilled screw holes). The brackets shoot straight out, increasing the product's width.

My target point for attaching the shade were the holes in my Sahara's rear frame, up above, just behind the Sports Bar, one on each side.

These JL holes are a tad too wide for the JK sunshade's bracket holes, so I widened the holes in the shade a bit with "tools that put holes in metal" to get the shade holes to line up with those holes I just mentioned on the vehicle just behind the Sports Bar. I wasn't worried about not being able to return the sunshade anymore, confident that I could reasonably get it to fit with this small change.

Two 3" bolts, some washers and nuts, on either side of the JL later, (no need to remove the rear of the hard top to do so) with the shade installed upside down from how Bestop would have you install it on a JK, I now have a shade that fits under any (or no) roof, including the Freedom Panels not supported in the JK using Bestop's JK installation guide.

......

The edge of the shade that when deployed sits forward has three "catches."

Forget for a second the middle one used as a grab point .

The two outbound ones on either side line up with the outboard bolts on the JL, part of a set of bolts, that keep the hardware secured to the vehicle where the roof (soft or hard) latches. (That's one latching point on either side, each held in place by two bolts.)

Using the tool kit I loosened these outboard bolts on either side, stuck an elastic loop under each bolt and tightened.

Now the sunshade's outboard catches can grab on to this elastic.

The shade is fine to remain pulled out, or not, regardless of what top if any is on, and whether or not that top is opened.

If my hardest Jeep mod is a "10," this was a "2."

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[m3reno]

Wow can't wait to see it! You should do a video.

 

[Fudster]

The picture immediately below is taken from my open rear passenger's door. It shows the factory hole used to mount the **passenger's side of the Bestop JK retractable sunshade (BJKRS). The mounting hole on the BJKRS needed to be widened a bit on both sides or the 1/4" 3" bolt shown in the hole would not have fit the BJKRS. It was not necessary to remove the rear of the hardtop to get the bolt in. A washer (not shown) sits between the top of the bolt and the JL to insure the bolt doesn't fall through the attachment point hole.

The silver strap in the picture plays no role here. It was used to mount a ordinary retractable window shade roller before I installed the BJKRS.

** Notice that the BJKRS is installed upside down here, so the hardware the bolt goes through is actually what Bestop would describe as the driver's side mounting hole of the BJKRS.

Immediately below is a view from the passenger's rear seat looking up. You can see how the mounting hole in the BJKRS needed to be opened up a bit on its distal side. Again, this is the side of the BJKRS that Bestop would classify as the driver's side because the shade is installed upside down. I'm curious to know if 2 door JL owners have the same mounting point I used for the bolts.

This picture below is taken from the middle of the rear seats of my Sahara, looking up. It shows how the BJKRS sits below, but doesn't block access to the 4 central cabin light switches on the outskirts of the switch (the 2 forward ones not shown/blocked from view.) There's about 1/4" space between the BJKRS and the center bulb on the light fixture.

The non-retractable sunshade over the rear seats has nothing to do with the BJKRS of this thread.

This picture below is one taken looking up, from the driver's seat, at the hardware that a JL's roof latch (be it Sunrider, Soft/Trex top, or Freedom Panel, etc., the latter shown here) attaches to.

Near the top of the picture an elastic band is attached to one of two of the BJKRS' attachment clips (what I described in my first post as "catches",) the other on the passenger's side.

Designed for the JK, that BJKRS attachment clip doesn't line up center with the hardware that a JL's roof latch attaches to, but does line up with the outboard bolt (1 of 2) that secures the hardware that a JL's roof latch attaches to. I simply loosened this bolt with the factory supplied toolkit and ran some bungee cord elastic under the bolt and retightened it, not moving the position of the hardware that a JL's roof latch attaches to in the process. Until I "build a better mousetrap" this will be my driver's side attachment mechanism from the JL to the extended BJKRS shade.

Notice that the hardtop Freedom Panels happen to be closed here and that the BJKRS doesn't get in the way of that happening. This shade is sold by Bestop as contradicted for installation with attached (JK) Freedom Panels.

The electrical wire in the picture is not relevant.

The "same deal" applies to the passenger's side attachment point shown in the below picture. The bungee ball closer to the camera lens plays no role here: it once attached a fixed sunshade.

The final picture below is taken with a back to the windshield, in the driver's seat, facing rear.

Point 1 is hardware no longer needed that attached an ordinary factory window shade roller before the BJKRS was installed. Point 2 is a tucked away non-retractable front seat sunshade also no longer needed, and point 3 shows how the cabin light can still shine thru. With the BJKRS installed aft of the front seats, its occupants won't bump their heads on the BJKRS despite its upside down in cabin installation.

 

[four low]

No more begging " To Big to Care" manufacturer to make one for the JL.
Thanks to you, we can repurpose the JK version, now that's the essence of "Jeep"

 

[XJfanatic]

While cool, my head would be hitting that thing all the time. Overall great work, if I had more head room to spare I would look into it

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

No more begging " To Big to Care" manufacturer to make one for the JL.
Thanks to you, we can repurpose the JK version, now that's the essence of "Jeep"

I’d rather not give them any money and find another manufacturer.

 

[Alex_K]

I bought one in "good" condition for $75 from Amazon warehouse and it came with a large L shaped bracket instead of the straight brackets I have seen in previous posts and the bestop instructions - no idea why. The bracket was a blessing though because I easily modified it to attach above the frame. I have a soft top and it works great with no interference - I think it may get in the way of freedom panels on the hard top.

One of the hooks was broken so I still need to figure out how I am going to hook it to the windshield but that seems like the easy part.

 

[Fudster]

I bought one in "good" condition for $75 from Amazon warehouse and it came with a large L shaped bracket instead of the straight brackets I have seen in previous posts and the bestop instructions - no idea why. The bracket was a blessing though because I easily modified it to attach above the frame. I have a soft top and it works great with no interference - I think it may get in the way of freedom panels on the hard top.

One of the hooks was broken so I still need to figure out how I am going to hook it to the windshield but that seems like the easy part.

Hey Alex:

Maybe, as taken from one of my photos above:

You could use one of those screws in the picture as a mounting point for one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Jecar-Wrangl...angler+cargo+tub+tie+down,aps,116&sr=8-2&th=1

Hopefully you don't have to drill the hole of the hardware larger to match one of the two bolts I show in the picture.

That and a small "S" hook and you'd likely be in business despite the break in the Bestop hook your shade came with.

 

[Alex_K]

Thanks, Fudster. I read your post before buying and you were what pushed me over the edge to just modify the jk shade. I like the idea of those brackets but am afraid of the drivers side s hooks dangling on my head while the shade is retracted.
I have a similar plan in my head to what your pictures show and will post when my parts come from Amazon and I am happy with it.

 

[elliott9]

Is the elastic holding the shade hooks to the windshield holding up to highway winds? Maybe paracord would be better?

 

[Fudster]

Is the elastic holding the shade hooks to the windshield holding up to highway winds? Maybe paracord would be better?

Without question.

 

[Alex_K]

I bought 4" bungee loops on Amazon and used the same hardware mounting locations as Fudster yet the ball allowed me to loop it through the brackets that my soft top clips into. It keeps the retractable screen snug against the windshield frame and the ball is easy to grab when opening the screen. The only drawback is that the bungees and balls are cumbersome when getting the soft top back on.

The bungees are close to their max extension when the screen is attached so they don't flap very much for me at higher speeds. The screen extends out a bit and arches in the middle on the highway but it seems to hold up otherwise (although I usually don't keep the screen open when I go on the highway because I don't want the sides fraying).

 

[damageinc321]

I just bought one on Amazon hoping to do the same thing, I was thinking there might be a way to 3d print a pin to go in the hole where the freedom panels attached. Do you guys think that bar where the hooks are can be notched out to add a hoop with a pin?

 

[Alex_K]

I just bought one on Amazon hoping to do the same thing, I was thinking there might be a way to 3d print a pin to go in the hole where the freedom panels attached. Do you guys think that bar where the hooks are can be notched out to add a hoop with a pin?

You could totally do that - the bar is just slid through a loop of the sunshade material

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