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Bestop Sunrider Adjustment

Gee-pah

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@BestopTeam

I've decided to try to leave the Bestop Sunrider on through winter months rather than replace it with the Freedom Panels.

The other day, traveling at high speeds (I'm usually a local driver) this product was making a lot of noise and some draft. The slightly increased noise over Freedom Panels I accept; the draft: not so much.

Noticing the latches weren't as tight on this product as the Premium Soft Top I loosed the bolts that keep attached to the rig the latch receptacles and moved those receptacles on each side of the rig (driver's and passenger's) as forward as possible (maybe 1/8" forward,) thereafter retightening the bolts.

This helped make the latches on the Sunrider a bit tighter, but is there any other adjustment that can be made to the Sunrider for a tighter closed fit?
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sost1sg

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Sorry I can’t help with the draft as mine seals tight. However with the colder weather, my Sunrider’s center bracket now creaks horribly. I’ve tried tightening, loosening, adding felt where hard plastics meet. Anyone have any suggestions for this? Love the product otherwise. If you don’t have it, get it!!
 
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Sorry I can’t help with the draft as mine seals tight. However with the colder weather, my Sunrider’s center bracket now creaks horribly. I’ve tried tightening, loosening, adding felt where hard plastics meet. Anyone have any suggestions for this? Love the product otherwise. If you don’t have it, get it!!
Thanks for your thoughts Steve.

I happen to have a homegrown roof rack. Thinking about it, I've come to realize that perhaps adding a fairing to it in front, (i.e. a wind dam) may go a long way in getting the rushing air of high speed travel to ride over the Bestop Sunrider. : - )
 

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Thanks for your thoughts Steve.

I happen to have a homegrown roof rack. Thinking about it, I've come to realize that perhaps adding a fairing to it in front, (i.e. a wind dam) may go a long way in getting the rushing air of high speed travel to ride over the Bestop Sunrider. : - )
That sounds like a GREAT idea Steve. Does anyone make an air dam kind of thing for jeep? On that note, I don't have a sunrider top yet. Is it a good thing to have. I love the thought of quick open roof rather than the storage of the panels. Is it noisy? Does it seal well? Etc.? Should I get one...I have been looking for a while now and they are on sale, probably for the winter months, Twill, 699 after rebate.
 
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That sounds like a GREAT idea Steve. Does anyone make an air dam kind of thing for jeep? On that note, I don't have a sunrider top yet. Is it a good thing to have. I love the thought of quick open roof rather than the storage of the panels. Is it noisy? Does it seal well? Etc.? Should I get one...I have been looking for a while now and they are on sale, probably for the winter months, Twill, 699 after rebate.
Leo, I don't know if you meant asking me rather than Steve.

Most air dams come with roof racks from what I can see. Gobi racks will see you theirs separately, but of course the issue because to what you'd attach it to.

https://www.gobiracks.com/product/jeep-wrangler-jk-2-4-doorwind-deflector-copy/

Is it good to have? I don't know. Some claim it helps with wind noise, others with gas mileage. Yet others argue it creates more wind resistance which equate to less gas mileage, particularly at faster speeds.

As it regards the Sunrider from Bestop, I think polls on the forum of the single favorite Wrangler mod put this product high on the list. The general consensus is that it is somewhat noisier than the Freedom Panels but not much. For the winter I decided to leave it on this season and put a moving blanket from Harbor Freight between it and my sun netting to reduce road noise.

My Sunrider and the vast majority properly installed are water tight.

Should you get one... https://www.bestop.com/jeep/2018/wrangler-jl/all-new-sunrider-for-hard-top-jl/
  • The price for Bestop ranges from $750 - $850. Can you spare that and do without other mods you've been saving that money for? Then again it's cheaper than buying a soft top.
  • Do you already own a soft top as well? If so $ may be spent better elsewhere although I used the product last year in the early Spring, before switching to the soft top, and Late Fall before switching to the Freedom Panels.
  • Do you like to use sun netting? If so this product could be a pain because such netting could get in the way of opening and closing it from inside the vehicle (then again that's the situation with the soft top.) Bestop made a retractable shade for the JK version of the product and hopes to make on for the JL as well. Until they come out with one I DIYed a window shade roller with Harbor Freight netting instead of a window shade and made my own retractable one.
  • People swear by this top in Florida with frequent and rapid onset Summer Thunderstorms. If your on the highway riding into a storm traveling in the opposite direction, about 30 seconds pass between seeing vehicle on the other side of the road with their headlights on and wet, and the deluge of water. As mentioned, you don't have to pull over to shut the hatch here like a soft top.
 

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Does anyone know if there is a wind fairing that attaches to the front of the jeep for when the freedom tops are off that doesn't require a roof rack?
 

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Does anyone know if there is a wind fairing that attaches to the front of the jeep for when the freedom tops are off that doesn't require a roof rack?
What would it attach to? With the freedom panels off, it would have to attach to the windshield or windshield header.
 

MarkyMark

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Yea, I have been thinking about that. I happen to have the one touch sky roof, so there’s sides that could attach to. For the freedom top, I guess we just have to attach in the front. Maybe with some 3M tape?
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