doors off in rain - damage mitigation (2018 JL 2-Door)

[PSI]

Get a Rain Gear cover. Pull over. Toss the Rain Gear on. Wait for the rain to stop.

If Rain Gear made them with clear windows you would be set.
I alway carry my RG when the doors, top are off. Good for security if you are parked.

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[roaniecowpony]

If someone made wire framed doors like the old soft tops had, you could carry them around pretty easy. Otherwise, Gaffer's tape and some plastic sheet.

Here you go. https://www.bestop.com/jeep/2018/wrangler-jl/2-piece-fabric-doors/position/front/

I dont know if it's practical to carry them around in the back, or roof rack, but worth a look.

 

[DanW]

I got soaked a few weeks ago with no doors in a sideways torrential severe storm. It soaked everything as my kids and I took shelter in a Subway. I got home and did the best I could with a shop vac and propped up the carpet in the foot wells and under the seats to let air get in there. The next day was sunny so I let it sit outside all day with the doors still off. That evening I hit the damp spots hard with the shop vac and finished it off. No must smells are present. I've been through this rodeo many times with my JK and YJ.

The YJ got the worst of it and did get musty because I didn't know how to properly and aggressively handle it then. I wound up pulling the carpet hand having it Line-X'd. It was nice in many ways, but the floor got hot and always made my feet hot.

Btw, when propping up the carpet to air out, I put dry rags, shop paper towels, and an Absorber synthetic car drying towel under it. The Absorber went to the worst spot, which was the driver foot well. They then not only let air in, they also leech the moisture out of the carpet.

My dash got a deluge for a good 20 minutes, too. The Uconnect screen went wonky but it all dried out and works fine. They did a helluva job making these things to handle rain, just like the Wranglers before them.

Worst thing ever, though, was a pelican dropping a full load across the dash of my YJ, getting it into every crevice. I had to go to a Dirt Stripper car wash and spray it off and out. Disgusting. Worse than liquid cat shit. It was such a good shot, the Air Force gave the bird a Distinguished Flying Cross!

 

[LawrenceR]

I've had over an inch of water in my jlu a few times now. This has come about through a combination of (un)luck and sometimes laziness lol. I will share my wisdom:

- Pull the plugs as soon as you can, obviously. Don't forget the plug in the cargo tub, too. Even if you think the water is mostly up front, it will go anywhere/everywhere, so don't neglect the back.
- Definitely pull the carpets, even if you think you've gotten the water out. A couple times I pulled the plugs, let it sit in the sun for a day or two, and thought it was fine only to pull the carpets a week later and find a good amount of water just kind of sloshing around in the jeep. Yum.
- If it starts to rain while you're driving doorless, yes, put the soft top up, but even in straight-down rain you're still gonna take in some water. And make sure to put the back windows in, too. Safari mode does next to nothing for the cargo area in a 4-door, so if the 2-door is the same story, you'll be flooded in the back in no time.

Happy swimming!

There was a study done some time ago, if you go over 70 MPH, the wind will keep the water from getting in - try that on the Rubicon !!!

 

[LawrenceR]

I got soaked a few weeks ago with no doors in a sideways torrential severe storm. It soaked everything as my kids and I took shelter in a Subway. I got home and did the best I could with a shop vac and propped up the carpet in the foot wells and under the seats to let air get in there. The next day was sunny so I let it sit outside all day with the doors still off. That evening I hit the damp spots hard with the shop vac and finished it off. No must smells are present. I've been through this rodeo many times with my JK and YJ.

The YJ got the worst of it and did get musty because I didn't know how to properly and aggressively handle it then. I wound up pulling the carpet hand having it Line-X'd. It was nice in many ways, but the floor got hot and always made my feet hot.

Btw, when propping up the carpet to air out, I put dry rags, shop paper towels, and an Absorber synthetic car drying towel under it. The Absorber went to the worst spot, which was the driver foot well. They then not only let air in, they also leech the moisture out of the carpet.

My dash got a deluge for a good 20 minutes, too. The Uconnect screen went wonky but it all dried out and works fine. They did a helluva job making these things to handle rain, just like the Wranglers before them.

Worst thing ever, though, was a pelican dropping a full load across the dash of my YJ, getting it into every crevice. I had to go to a Dirt Stripper car wash and spray it off and out. Disgusting. Worse than liquid cat shit. It was such a good shot, the Air Force gave the bird a Distinguished Flying Cross!

Sorry to hear about your Pelican experience, but I did get a good laugh out of your story.
One question I do have for you, did you experience any problems with water causing problems with things like the stereo, speakers, instruments, etc ??

Jeep promotes that one could take a garden hose to it and it would not effect the stereo, speakers, etc. I'm just wondering how this works in the real world.

 

[1quick1]

Sorry to hear about your Pelican experience, but I did get a good laugh out of your story.
One question I do have for you, did you experience any problems with water causing problems with things like the stereo, speakers, instruments, etc ??

Jeep promotes that one could take a garden hose to it and it would not effect the stereo, speakers, etc. I'm just wondering how this works in the real world.

It does work in the real world but I don't think they say to take the garden hose to the stereo/speakers. Most of these items are water resistant to a degree where they are usually fine getting splashed in rain. The water hose is for if you want to wash out the tub/footwells and pull the drain plugs.

 

[LawrenceR]

It does work in the real world but I don't think they don't say to take the garden hose to the stereo/speakers. Most of these items are water resistant to a degree where they are usually fine getting splashed in rain. The water hose is for if you want to wash out the tub/footwells and pull the drain plugs.

Thanks for the info. In the video I watched, the person doing the video specifically mentioned the upper storage tray and taking a garden hose to the upper tray - and with gravity, water would naturally go "down hill" into the dash/instruments, ect.

My dad built and blueprinted engines, he said "...never put water around the engine, don't ever try to wash the engine because it can force dirt into electrical etc/etc.."

The wisdom of this makes common sense, I would never take the garden hose to the interior of any vehicle or the engine area.

I was surprised to hear this on the video, but making things as water tight as possible, especially with a product that one is expected to remove the top and doors is a good idea.

 

[DanW]

Sorry to hear about your Pelican experience, but I did get a good laugh out of your story.
One question I do have for you, did you experience any problems with water causing problems with things like the stereo, speakers, instruments, etc ??

Jeep promotes that one could take a garden hose to it and it would not effect the stereo, speakers, etc. I'm just wondering how this works in the real world.

The only issues were temporary. Of course, the YJ has as many electronics as a Roman chariot, so no issue there. The JL's 8.4" display went wonky while wet and the passenger seat heat wouldn't stay on for more than a minute for the next day. The screen returned to normal as soon as it was dry and the seat heat was fine in a day. No other issues have cropped up, and I can tell you it got a GOOD soaking, sideways and it lasted a good while.

 

[DanW]

Thanks for the info. In the video I watched, the person doing the video specifically mentioned the upper storage tray and taking a garden hose to the upper tray - and with gravity, water would naturally go "down hill" into the dash/instruments, ect.

My dad built and blueprinted engines, he said "...never put water around the engine, don't ever try to wash the engine because it can force dirt into electrical etc/etc.."

The wisdom of this makes common sense, I would never take the garden hose to the interior of any vehicle or the engine area.

I was surprised to hear this on the video, but making things as water tight as possible, especially with a product that one is expected to remove the top and doors is a good idea.

My JK is 13 years old with 140k on it and the engine gets a mild wash with gentle soap, some degreaser in spots, and a gentle rinse probably twice a year. No issues, ever. Still, it wouldn't hurt to leave it alone, either. I just don't like road salt splatter sitting permanently in there. Plus, it makes leaks easier to spot, should they show up. It also brings higher resale, which doesn't matter to me because I'm not ever planning to sell it. If I ever do, it'll be in such rough shape by then that it won't matter. I do it with all of my vehicles. No high pressure or harsh soap, though.

 

[Chemy350]

got rained on HARD several times in my 18 JLUR. No issues so far. I simply pulled the drain plugs, dried what I could with towels and lastly pulled the carpet out. I let the carpet air dry in my driveway in the sun... along with the Jeep. Still smells new, no issues with electronics either. Carpets come out in 10 minutes.

 

[Drytellsr]

I sure hope it rains when i have my doors off. I need to wash the mud off my floor mats and out the drain holes

 

[multicam]

My TJ got stuck at the bottom of a retention pond once. It started pouring before I got it unstuck. Naturally, water flooded to the jeep, it being at the lowest point in a retention pond. By the time it finished pouring the water level was halfway up the steering wheel.

I eventually got it unstuck and she started right up. The only thing that failed was the clutch position sensor which prevented the Jeep from starting without pushing her and popping the clutch. That was an easy fix.

Now with the JL, I already have enough electrical gremlins with this thing with no water on the interior so I don’t really trust it. I'll avoid water if I can. But like everyone’s saying it’s not too big of a deal, just dry it out and you’ll be alright. And yes don’t baby the jeep.

 

[californiajeeping]

Say I'm cruising around with my Freedom tops off and my doors off and it looks like rain. I'll have my freedom tops with me to put back on, but the doors will be at home.

Why not have a waterproof rain cover or tarp and bungees stored in the Jeep when the doors are off then simply pull over, cover the Jeep and wait out the rainstorm?

https://www.raingearcovers.com/

 

[sdiver68]

I left the sunroof open of my Infiniti FX35 parked at a hotel overnight. A tornado touched down 3 miles away that night, it rained long and hard.

Used towels and wet vac to get the puddles and standing water out. Lexol on the leather seats. Then, left outside with windows open for a couple of days.

When I traded it in a year or so later, the dealer complimented me on having kept the interior like new. And it was, there was no evidence at all it had been dumped on.

Point being, If a leather interior Infiniti was fine with basically being flooded, I'm betting a Jeep would come out just fine.

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