Sponsored

DUAL TOP HOW TO: I Swapped the Hard Top for the Soft Top Today

FalKor JLU

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Mar 4, 2018
Threads
63
Messages
487
Reaction score
245
Location
Orlando
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Wrangler JLU
Like the thread title says, I installed the soft top today. Here are a couple of helpful hints I wish I knew. By the way, I have no idea if the JL is anything like the JK. The last soft top I put on was a YJ and Bush Sr. was President so if this is common knowledge, forgive me.

In the big box, there are a few plastic bags of parts and hardware. There are three types of bolts.

The smallest bolts are used to connect the L- and T-sections of the rear door surrounds (2 per 2 sides), attach the plate to the rear bar (2 per 2 sides), and attach the Lift Assist Mechanism to the same plate (2 per 2 sides).

The mid-sized bolts go on the back to secure the rear corners (1 each per side) of the soft top.

The longest bolts are used to clamp the door surrounds to the sports bar- 2 per door x 4 doors.

2018-03-03 10.10.34.jpg


In the first step, there are 6 (3 per side) plastic door surround pieces. I wish I took pictures when I started, but I didn't, so you'll have to see them in place/assembled. The manual says to start with the front. The surrounds go on the outside of the bar with the hinges on the bottom/outside. Use the longest bolts to go up from the bottom of the surround, through the bar, and into the receiver hole on top.

2018-03-03 10.13.11.jpg


When mounting the front, it should set into the gasket at the front windshield.

2018-03-03 10.14.21.jpg


Now we install the rear seat door surrounds. The T shaped piece joins the L shaped piece using two of the short bolts per side. There's also a small weird-shaped rubber gasket that goes between them. Once this assembly is together, connect it to the bar just like the front with long bolts.

Slide2.JPG


Here's the gasket installed already-

Slide3.JPG


When you install the rear door surrounds, they mate up with the front ones. Make sure the gaskets are all smooth:

2018-03-03 10.14.25.jpg


Now we'll move to the back of the Jeep. The quarter window "anchors" go on the rear corners with medium (not longest) bolts.

2018-03-03 10.08.31.jpg


Next come the only metal plates in the soft top box. The owner's manual doesn't even mention them that I could see. You have to remove a trim piece from your rear bar first.

panel.jpg


To pop the trim off, stick a flat head screwdriver down behind it to pinch the trim tabs. You can see I bent one during my struggle-

2018-03-02 16.04.00.jpg


It will reveal this. Using the shortest bolts in the box, you connect the metal plate here. It's obvious how to align it. The plate has an indexing pin that goes into the hole here.

2018-03-02 16.03.45.jpg


Use 2 short bolts to attach the plates to the inside of the rear bar. It'll look like this.

2018-03-03 10.00.16-1.png


Then you'll lift the soft top into place and align the box (the Lift Assist Mechanism) to the plate. This is the only step you really could use a buddy to help out. It's really awkward to hold the top and reach the bolts from the outside of the Jeep. Two more short bolts on each side and you're almost there.

Bolts.jpg


After that just follow the last couple of steps in the manual- pull back the slide, mount the pins, and release. Pretty much done!

2018-03-03 10.25.42.jpg


Happy Jeeping!
:jk::jk::jk:
This was great! Thanks for taking the time to put this together!
 
OP
OP
kurt13

kurt13

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
337
Reaction score
892
Location
Montgomery, TX
Vehicle(s)
Red JLU Rubi/4Runner
I really wish I would have found this thread before I spend hours going nuts over where to mount the plates.

It's crazy those plates aren't even mentioned in the User's Manual. I hope others can find this thread before swapping tops.
 

SuperDave

Member
First Name
David
Joined
Dec 20, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
24
Reaction score
96
Location
San Antonio, TX
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
AB52DB01-F0AE-4D77-A470-49323308B3AF.jpeg T
It's crazy those plates aren't even mentioned in the User's Manual. I hope others can find this thread before swapping tops.
Thanks for posting the detailed instructions and pics! I used this along with the user manual and installed my softop today. It took about 1hr for the first time but can probably get it down to 30 min in the future. Would have been a lot tougher with only the manual since it jumps to several sections for full install instructions.
 

wesbowhunts

Well-Known Member
First Name
Wes
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Threads
9
Messages
180
Reaction score
162
Location
Anna, Tx
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR
Bolts.jpg
i just finished mine. wish i had seen this before as i was struggling with the manual and finding info online. i actually couldnt locate the gasket and the small bolts though looking at it i knew i was missing something. found it taped inside a box wrapped in bubble.

one thing i noticed on yours though. on the metal bracket there is a little cut out where that little allen head bolt needs to sit in it. once in it holds it up and the bolt holes line up. yours appears to not be seated in there.
 

Sponsored

jeepfreak

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joshua
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Threads
12
Messages
409
Reaction score
482
Location
Atlanta, GA
Vehicle(s)
18 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1
I bought a Racor lift off Amazon for about $120-$150 and hung the hard top from it. The lift is a 4'x4' shelf which is perfect to place the freedom panels on top.

Tomorrow or Tuesday I'm going to mount a couple of 2x6s on the wall you see to hang the doors.

P.S. I looked closely at this picture and freaked out because I thought the glass was cracked. It's a reflection of the crack in the garage floor I think. Phew!


2018-03-01 16.25.23.jpg
Which Racor Lift did you get? They're a bunch on Amazon.
 

Jrbrannan

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joe
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Threads
39
Messages
583
Reaction score
703
Location
Bloomington, Il
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLUR Ocean Blue 2008 Highlander Hybrid (previously several CJ-7, YJ, TJ, JK)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Can anyone speak to the volume level difference between hard and soft top at highway speeds? I ordered dual tops but I am considering selling the hard top if the soft top is quite enough on the highway.
 

FUBAR

Well-Known Member
First Name
Adrian
Joined
Feb 23, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
151
Reaction score
95
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Rubicon
Does the new soft top take up more space to store when compared to the previous model? My current soft top folds up pretty small and the other parts don't take up that much room.
 
OP
OP
kurt13

kurt13

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
337
Reaction score
892
Location
Montgomery, TX
Vehicle(s)
Red JLU Rubi/4Runner
OP
OP
kurt13

kurt13

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Threads
13
Messages
337
Reaction score
892
Location
Montgomery, TX
Vehicle(s)
Red JLU Rubi/4Runner
Bolts.jpg
i just finished mine. wish i had seen this before as i was struggling with the manual and finding info online. i actually couldnt locate the gasket and the small bolts though looking at it i knew i was missing something. found it taped inside a box wrapped in bubble.

one thing i noticed on yours though. on the metal bracket there is a little cut out where that little allen head bolt needs to sit in it. once in it holds it up and the bolt holes line up. yours appears to not be seated in there.
Wes,

I'm away from home this week, but I'll check when I get a chance. Now you have me wondering...
 

Sponsored

jeepfreak

Well-Known Member
First Name
Joshua
Joined
Feb 2, 2018
Threads
12
Messages
409
Reaction score
482
Location
Atlanta, GA
Vehicle(s)
18 JLUR
Vehicle Showcase
1

Truluc77

Member
First Name
Rob
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
14
Reaction score
23
Location
Houston
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Grand Cherokee and JL on order
Like the thread title says, I installed the soft top today. Here are a couple of helpful hints I wish I knew. By the way, I have no idea if the JL is anything like the JK. The last soft top I put on was a YJ and Bush Sr. was President so if this is common knowledge, forgive me.

In the big box, there are a few plastic bags of parts and hardware. There are three types of bolts.

The smallest bolts are used to connect the L- and T-sections of the rear door surrounds (2 per 2 sides), attach the plate to the rear bar (2 per 2 sides), and attach the Lift Assist Mechanism to the same plate (2 per 2 sides).

The mid-sized bolts go on the back to secure the rear corners (1 each per side) of the soft top.

The longest bolts are used to clamp the door surrounds to the sports bar- 2 per door x 4 doors.

2018-03-03 10.10.34.jpg


In the first step, there are 6 (3 per side) plastic door surround pieces. I wish I took pictures when I started, but I didn't, so you'll have to see them in place/assembled. The manual says to start with the front. The surrounds go on the outside of the bar with the hinges on the bottom/outside. Use the longest bolts to go up from the bottom of the surround, through the bar, and into the receiver hole on top.

2018-03-03 10.13.11.jpg


When mounting the front, it should set into the gasket at the front windshield.

2018-03-03 10.14.21.jpg


Now we install the rear seat door surrounds. The T shaped piece joins the L shaped piece using two of the short bolts per side. There's also a small weird-shaped rubber gasket that goes between them. Once this assembly is together, connect it to the bar just like the front with long bolts.

Slide2.JPG


Here's the gasket installed already-

Slide3.JPG


When you install the rear door surrounds, they mate up with the front ones. Make sure the gaskets are all smooth:

2018-03-03 10.14.25.jpg


Now we'll move to the back of the Jeep. The quarter window "anchors" go on the rear corners with medium (not longest) bolts.

2018-03-03 10.08.31.jpg


Next come the only metal plates in the soft top box. The owner's manual doesn't even mention them that I could see. You have to remove a trim piece from your rear bar first.

panel.jpg


To pop the trim off, stick a flat head screwdriver down behind it to pinch the trim tabs. You can see I bent one during my struggle-

2018-03-02 16.04.00.jpg


It will reveal this. Using the shortest bolts in the box, you connect the metal plate here. It's obvious how to align it. The plate has an indexing pin that goes into the hole here.

2018-03-02 16.03.45.jpg


Use 2 short bolts to attach the plates to the inside of the rear bar. It'll look like this.

2018-03-03 10.00.16-1.png


Then you'll lift the soft top into place and align the box (the Lift Assist Mechanism) to the plate. This is the only step you really could use a buddy to help out. It's really awkward to hold the top and reach the bolts from the outside of the Jeep. Two more short bolts on each side and you're almost there.

Bolts.jpg


After that just follow the last couple of steps in the manual- pull back the slide, mount the pins, and release. Pretty much done!

2018-03-03 10.25.42.jpg


Happy Jeeping!
:jk::jk::jk:
I’m perplexed. Followed these instructions every step of the way (thank you), but now that I am done I can’t close the top. The front is about a 1/4 short from reaching the latches. I mean, if I gave it everything I had I could probably get them to latch, but would never be able to get them undone. I’ve opened and closed it a bunch of times thinking it needed to stretch out a little, gone over every inch again and I can’t find anything wrong. Thoughts???
 

vonbek

Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Threads
6
Messages
935
Reaction score
4,251
Location
Georgia
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JLUR
I’m perplexed. Followed these instructions every step of the way (thank you), but now that I am done I can’t close the top. The front is about a 1/4 short from reaching the latches. I mean, if I gave it everything I had I could probably get them to latch, but would never be able to get them undone. I’ve opened and closed it a bunch of times thinking it needed to stretch out a little, gone over every inch again and I can’t find anything wrong. Thoughts???
Perhaps try closing what you can and running the heater? I've seen posts that say temperature makes a difference to new tops.
 

$uicide$hift

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
1,577
Reaction score
2,624
Location
Masshole
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
Perhaps try closing what you can and running the heater? I've seen posts that say temperature makes a difference to new tops.
Yes not sure of your temps but people usually leave new tops out in the sun for 2 to 4 hours allowing them to heat up and stretch easier.
 

Truluc77

Member
First Name
Rob
Joined
Dec 2, 2017
Threads
1
Messages
14
Reaction score
23
Location
Houston
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Grand Cherokee and JL on order
Yes not sure of your temps but people usually leave new tops out in the sun for 2 to 4 hours allowing them to heat up and stretch easier.
Appreciate the tip and @vonbek too. I am in Houston and left it in the sun all day. Still have a huge gap. Will be at the dealer tomorrow AM and see what they say. I’m sure it is user error....
Sponsored

 
 



Top