Cheap (or DIY) Cargo cover?

[Maverickxeo]

I recently purchased a soft top for my JLU - and I am looking at a cheap option to cover the cargo area behind the rear seats - not for security purposes - but to ensure that if I have something back there with the windows out/top down, that it won't blow away on the highway.

My idea is to either build something out of plywood - using metal 'channel' pieces that connect to four of the bolts that the hard top fastens and putting plywood on top of it, or using the same sort of idea, but with a tarp that has grommets in it.

Just looking for ideas on what other people have done.

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[Fudster]

HI @Maverickxeo :

Your post suggests the desire to, in addition to hide items in the cargo area, perhaps--through your suggest of the use of wood, be able to place items on top of the cover.

If not--and I realize that Harbor Freight stores aren't in Canada, but certainly stores that carry similar wares are, I might acquire a tarp and cut it to size plus 4 inches (10+ cm) wider than the cargo tub. https://www.harborfreight.com/colle...xtreme-duty-weather-resistant-tarp-57031.html

Fold it over on each width side about 2" or 5cm and put grommets in the fold to not simply keep the folds intack, but position those grommets to line up with the holes in the tub-much like you said.

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-grommet-installation-kit-104-piece-63237.html

This said, I personally made a wood cover, on top of which I have a GPCA brand cover https://gpca.com/shop/gpca-jeep-wrangler-jl-unlimited-cargo-cover-lite/. But because I run with either the soft or hard top I can tell you that there is no way to angle one piece of wood into the cargo area with at least a hard top(I apprecaite that you have a soft top) so I built mine in pieces supported below by the equivalent of a square upside down "U" structure that takes up the entire cargo area.

The ballistic material of the GPCA cover allows substantial weight on it though without support from below, in addition to supplying tiedown points. It's of excellent quality. My choice to support it with wood was with a future's minds eye to building upon my cargo area design into a sleeping area with the back seats down.

Good luck.