EZ-Freedom Top Hinge Feedback

[DieselJeep]

I was wondering if anyone has had a positive experience using these brackets? It seems like a good solution for me, because I want to remove my freedom tops but I don’t have the space to store them. Additionally, I like the idea of having a hard top for security reasons. I’m considering buying it, but there aren’t a ton of reviews online.

https://ez4x4.com/product/ez4x4-2018-2023-jlu-4-door-ezflip-top/

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[Rhinebeck01]

I was wondering if anyone has had a positive experience using these brackets? It seems like a good solution for me, because I want to remove my freedom tops but I don’t have the space to store them. Additionally, I like the idea of having a hard top for security reasons. I’m considering buying it, but there aren’t a ton of reviews online.

https://ez4x4.com/product/ez4x4-2018-2023-jlu-4-door-ezflip-top/

Not if you gave me an EZ Flip-Top, for free...... would I drill into my JL's hardtop to install that .....nor would I want to be driving around at any speed with my 2 Freedom Panels flipped upside down on the roof...

Looks like crap, undoubtedly lots of wind noise, with it's rattling... and how safe a set-up, who knows..

A year warranty on the EZ Flip-Top offering itself and you totally killed your factory hardtop warranty when you install the thing.

@DieselJeep do look into forum sponsor @Bestop 's , Sunrider for Hardtop Jeep® Wrangler JL/JT. Many here have this terrific offering on their JL.... and they love it.

.

 

[Steemax]

You're much, much better off with a Sunrider for hardtop as @Rhinebeck01 mentioned. I would never want to make such a permanent modification to my hardtop.

As a company though, EZ4x4 makes good products. I've had their EZ trunk for a couple years now and it's solid though admittedly some of their products are pricey.

 

[C.Sco]

Not if you gave me an EZ Flip-Top, for free...... would I drill into my JL's hardtop to install that .....nor would I want to be driving around at any speed with my 2 Freedom Panels flipped upside down on the roof...

Looks like crap, undoubtedly lots of wind noise, with it's rattling... and how safe a set-up, who knows..

A year warranty on the EZ Flip-Top offering itself and you totally killed your factory hardtop warranty when you install the thing.

@DieselJeep do look into forum sponsor @Bestop 's , Sunrider for Hardtop Jeep® Wrangler JL/JT. Many here have this terrific offering on their JL.... and they love it.

.

It appears in their photos that the hinges aren't drilled through the roof, they look like they're probably 3m VHB taped to the surface. Not that it makes it any better than drilling holes (actually it's probably much worse and more terrifying than if they were bolted), but just wanted to point out my observation

 

[Steemax]

It appears in their photos that the hinges aren't drilled through the roof, they look like they're probably 3m VHB taped to the surface. Not that it makes it any better than drilling holes (actually it's probably worse), but just wanted to point out my observation

Yikes... all I can think of is if one of those coming loose on the highway and smashing through the windshield of whoever's behind you.

 

[C.Sco]

Yikes... all I can think of is if one of those coming loose on the highway and smashing through the windshield of whoever's behind you.

For sure. If you wouldn't use double-sided tape to fasten a canoe to your roof, you probably shouldn't use it to fasten your freedom panels to it either

 

[ForgottenTaco]

Yikes... all I can think of is if one of those coming loose on the highway and smashing through the windshield of whoever's behind you.

That would be worse than one of those ice missiles.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@Steemax

It appears in their photos that the hinges aren't drilled through the roof, they look like they're probably 3m VHB taped to the surface. Not that it makes it any better than drilling holes (actually it's probably much worse and more terrifying than if they were bolted), but just wanted to point out my observation

Watch the install video. You position / place with 3M tape... then you check things and then drill and install bolts.

 

[C.Sco]

@Steemax


Watch the install video. You position / place with 3M tape... then you check things and then drill and install bolts.

Oh yikes. You're right.

Their product images are misleading, they don't show bolts going into the ceiling. But the install video definitely does.

Edit: Their instruction manual says those bolts are "optional security bolts". So I guess you can "optionally" wreck your roof for this terrible product, or roll the dice with possibly sending it through someone's windshield.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

No way.
You can’t tell me that you don’t have a place to slide your roof panels into or under. They are like the size of 2 extra large pizzas.

 

[KrzybonesJLU]

The panels fit in the back of the jeep unless you’ve got a bunch of junk back there. If you don’t have a bunch of junk back there and you are not a fan of the jeep freedom panel bag that comes with it there’s this solution. For me the bag that came with the jeep works since the bag can be tied to the seat to sit vertically and still have floor space in the back.. I’m sure there’s plenty of other solutions out there. I like everyone else would not want to drill into the top unless it was the rhino rack setup.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/sto-r-t...rack-jeep-wrangler-jk-hdp-2016-1?gad_source=1

 

[AndySpill]

I was wondering if anyone has had a positive experience using these brackets? It seems like a good solution for me, because I want to remove my freedom tops but I don’t have the space to store them. Additionally, I like the idea of having a hard top for security reasons. I’m considering buying it, but there aren’t a ton of reviews online.

https://ez4x4.com/product/ez4x4-2018-2023-jlu-4-door-ezflip-top/

First off: conflict of interest: I have no financial connection to Bestop or EZ4x4, the parent of the EZ Flip top product.

I own both.

I like both.

I have had a very positive experience with this product as you've requested to hear.

This said, some facts:

The EZ Flip top product, at least the version I have from them from 2022 requires positively no drilling.

I am very interested, as perhaps the design has changed---I don't know why, no drilling is needed, the product is crazy sturdy without drilling, of someone showing me a video involving drilling.

I'm not going to ask for more than I'm willing to give. Here is the vendor's video:



You carefully clean the hard top first of grime and then install these hinges with their high strength 3M VHB tape, and unless you do this install in freezing temperatures, the hinges are EXTREMELY sturdy. Perhaps they have changed their design since then to have bolts through the hard top.

The install and lining things up is trivial. The kit comes with product to help you align the hinges.

Now: if you decide you want to separate the Freedom Panels from the rest of the hard top you can loosen the bolts in the hinges, but these bolts do not interface with any part of the vehicle.

When the Freedom Panels are open they are latched upon with additional hardware in the kit and extremely sturdy.

Should you decide you don't want the hinges anymore I image with product to help you release the 3M tape bond you could detach the hinges but why would you? Even if you switch tops seasonally and need to store the Freedom Panels apart from the rest of the top, again, you can do this by loosening the bolts on the hinges.

I am all for supporting the vendors here who help keep the lights on, especially when they make amazing products like Bestop does the Sunrider, but NOT at the expense of
disparaging other vendors, particularly with false or unfairly damaging information.

EZ Flip top is a very well constructed product. If it weren't I'd be the first to say, not the type to justify my own purchase decisions.

Again, I have no horse in this race. Get neither, get both, get one, but make your decision based on facts.

Edit: installed 2022, not 2020.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

First off: conflict of interest: I have no financial connection to Bestop or EZ4x4, the parent of the EZ Flip top product.

I own both.

I like both.

I have had a very positive experience with this product as you've requested to hear.

This said, some facts:

The EZ Flip top product, at least the version I have from them from 2020 requires positively no drilling. You carefully clean the hard top first of grime and then install these hinges with their high strength 3M VHB tape, and unless you do this install in freezing temperatures, the hinges are EXTREMELY sturdy. Perhaps they have changed their design since then to have bolts through the hard top.

The install and lining things up is trivial. The kit comes with product to help you align the hinges.

Now: if you decide you want to separate the Freedom Panels from the rest of the hard top you can loosen the bolts in the hinges, but these bolts do not interface with any part of the vehicle.

When the Freedom Panels are open they are latched upon with additional hardware in the kit and extremely sturdy.

Should you decide you don't want the hinges anymore I image with product to help you release the 3M tape bond you could detach the hinges but why would you? Even if you switch tops seasonally and need to store the Freedom Panels apart from the rest of the top, again, you can do this by loosening the bolts on the hinges.

I am all for supporting the vendors here who help keep the lights on, especially when they make amazing products like Bestop does the Sunrider, but NOT at the expense of
disparaging other vendors, particularly with false or unfairly damaging information.

EZ Flip top is a very well constructed product. If it weren't I'd be the first to say, not the type to justify my own purchase decisions.

Again, I have no horse in this race. Get neither, get both, get one, but make your decision based on facts.

There is considerable crap flying around this thread that I am going to try to put a stop to right now.

First off: conflict of interest: I have no financial connection to Bestop or EZ4x4, the parent of the EZ Flip top product.

I own both.

I like both.

This said, some facts:

Tthe EZ Flip top product requires positively no drilling. You carefully clean the hard top first of grime and then install these hinges with their high strength 3M VHB tape, and unless you do this install in freezing temperatures, the hinges are EXTREMELY sturdy.

The install and lining things up is trivial. The kit comes with product to help you align the hinges.

Now: if you decide you want to separate the Freedom Panels from the rest of the hard top you can loosen the bolts in the hinges, but these bolts do not interface with any part of the vehicle.

When the Freedom Panels are open they are latched upon with additional hardware in the kit and extremely sturdy.

Should you decide you don't want the hinges anymore I image with product to help you release the 3M tape bond you could detach the hinges but why would you? Even if you switch tops seasonally and need to store the Freedom Panels apart from the rest of the top, again, you can do this by loosening the bolts on the hinges.

I am all for supporting the vendors here who help keep the lights on, especially when they make amazing products like Bestop does the Sunrider, but NOT at the expense of
disparaging other vendors, particularly with false or unfairly damaging information.

EZ Flip top is a very well constructed product. If it weren't I'd be the first to say, not the type to justify my own purchase decisions.

Again, I have no horse in this race. Get neither, get both, get one, but make your decision based on facts.

I never commented negatively on the manufacturer.... just made a comment about the particular offering which no way in hell would I install..

@AndySpill I sit here laughing at you.... especially, since you have the offering on your JL and you installed it incorrectly per the manufacturer...

Watch the video.... And at the end he says now we drill it and you go to the video that shows the how to's on the drilling into the hardtop!

 

[AndySpill]

I never commented negatively on the manufacturer.... just made a comment about the particular offering which no way in hell would I install..

@AndySpill I sit here laughing at you.... especially, since you have the offering on your JL and you installed it incorrectly per the manufacturer...

Watch the video.... And at the end he says now we drill it and you go to the video that shows the how to's on the drilling into the hardtop!

@Rhinebeck01, when I purchased this (you think you know it all, you don't) there was no bolt kit, that I now see the vendor offers.

I, accordingly, do not have this bolt kit and I can tell you if you install it correct that you positively don't need it.

Sorry, I didn't install it incorrectly.

Please, independently confirm with the vendor the truth of my statements.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

@Rhinebeck01, when I purchased this (you think you know it all, you don't) there was no bolt kit, that I now see the vendor offers.

I, accordingly, do not have this bolt kit and I can tell you if you install it correct that you positively don't need it.

Sorry, I didn't install it incorrectly.

Daaah ..... Does not take a rocket scientist to figure out why they tell you to bolt it down...

Not if you gave me an EZ Flip-Top, for free...... would I drill into my JL's hardtop to install that .....nor would I want to be driving around at any speed with my 2 Freedom Panels flipped upside down on the roof... held down with 3M tape with bolts or both..

Looks like crap, undoubtedly lots of wind noise, with it's rattling... and how safe a set-up, who knows..

A year warranty on the EZ Flip-Top offering itself and you totally killed your factory hardtop warranty when you install the thing.

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