Hard Top / Soft Top swap difficult?

[k05]

Currently have a hard top on my JL. Thinking about getting a Besttop Soft top for spring/summer months. How difficult is it to put the hard top back on? I know I need to remove soft top and frame but do I also have to remove anything that attaches to frame of jeep?
Thanks

Sponsored

 

[Gregj]

It’s pretty easy, Quadratec has videos of it. You will have to remove the door surrounds for the softtop which attach to the sports bar. There are brackets that attach to the sports bar in the cargo area but you can leave those on if you want.

Hardest part is lifting the hardtop. It’s not real heavy just bulky.
Gregj

 

[1Evil55]

I just swapped from soft to a HT this weekend. I'm contemplating selling the softtop and am near O'hare.

 

[Tiger1]

Here's a video...hopefully helpful!

 

[Murphydog]

Currently have a hard top on my JL. Thinking about getting a Besttop Soft top for spring/summer months. How difficult is it to put the hard top back on? I know I need to remove soft top and frame but do I also have to remove anything that attaches to frame of jeep?
Thanks

First time took a bit, attaching the soft top hinge point the first time takes a bit of time, however once you do it once it should be much easier.

I also installed a Harken Hoister so I can pull off and store the Hardtop up and out of the way. I am looking forward to April so I can make the change

 

[GATORB8]

The first time you install the soft top is a little more involved since you have to mount the hinge brackets and fasten together the components of the rear frame.

I swapped soft to hard this weekend. About 20 minutes with power tools (I have a ceiling hoist)

 

[cgagnon99]

Depends on the help you have at hand. My neighbor takes his Hardtop off every weekend in the summer and him and I are able to do it with two of us.

However, I installed a RACOR lift w/ Topsy kit and I can take my hard top off, and put my soft top on all by myself in a matter of ~15 minutes!

 

[k05]

Depends on the help you have at hand. My neighbor takes his Hardtop off every weekend in the summer and him and I are able to do it with two of us.

However, I installed a RACOR lift w/ Topsy kit and I can take my hard top off, and put my soft top on all by myself in a matter of ~15 minutes!

For those that have soft top in addition to the hard top do you have full soft top or a different back? Wondering if I just want to take the hard top off depending on weather or purchase soft top for Sprng-Fall. Will most likely get a hoist for hard top. Thanks

 

[GATORB8]

For those that have soft top in addition to the hard top do you have full soft top or a different back? Wondering if I just want to take the hard top off depending on weather or purchase soft top for Sprng-Fall. Will most likely get a hoist for hard top. Thanks

We have the OEM premium soft top. Looks to be the same setup as the Bestop Supertop Ultra Squareback.
https://www.bestop.com/products/supertop-ultra-squareback-soft-top-jeep-2018-2020-wrangler-jl/

 

[thecritter]

Easy and fast, that being said my Hard top has been hanging over two years now. The softop is just so much more fun.

 

[JABCAT]

For those that have soft top in addition to the hard top do you have full soft top or a different back? Wondering if I just want to take the hard top off depending on weather or purchase soft top for Sprng-Fall. Will most likely get a hoist for hard top. Thanks

Living in IL, you'll probably want the soft top. We have both and remove the hard top completely about mid-March and put it on again about November. With the soft top on, it's down 99% of the time, but nice to have if we do have rain, or an unexpected storm pops up while you're out.

 

[cgagnon99]

For those that have soft top in addition to the hard top do you have full soft top or a different back? Wondering if I just want to take the hard top off depending on weather or purchase soft top for Sprng-Fall. Will most likely get a hoist for hard top. Thanks

I have the OEM Dual Top group, so a complete OEM Premium Soft Top as well as a full Hard Top. This is for a 4 door.

 

[k05]

Living in IL, you'll probably want the soft top. We have both and remove the hard top completely about mid-March and put it on again about November. With the soft top on, it's down 99% of the time, but nice to have if we do have rain, or an unexpected storm pops up while you're out.

I agree. Had a 93 YJ and the top was down all the time but I lived in AZ. The soft tops have come such a long way I’m thinking once it’s on the hard top will be hanging forever. But I guess nice to have the option.

 

[jaardappel]

Unless you have a garage and a lift, you'll need 2 people. The hardest thing for me was not scratching the hardtop paint while moving it around the backside of 4 townhouses, into the basement door, and into the utility room rolling rack. Yeah. It's an ordeal. The soft top (Twill premium is best) is a kick in the pants and super easy. The only issue I've had so far is that it's a step or two more to get doggo in the back vs. raising the glass. IF you get a soft-top, you'll need to either have it delivered to your house, unbox it at the dealer (what I did), or have a pickup truck. The OEM box was huge. THEN...welcome to hand-wash time. The one good thing about the hard-top is that I let the local FlagShip Carwash do the work. Good luck! Oh, and select a day when it's not raining to put the Soft-Top on. Great to drive around a bit with nothing on the top (neither hardtop nor softtop) as it changes the look of the Jeep altogether. Quite fun.

 

[zrickety]

I agree. Had a 93 YJ and the top was down all the time but I lived in AZ. The soft tops have come such a long way I’m thinking once it’s on the hard top will be hanging forever. But I guess nice to have the option.

I had an 88 YJ...once the soft top went on, the hard top collected dust. I just recently bought a hard top for the JL, had to remove the soft top. The hardest part is adding the brackets for freedom panels. To switch back to the soft top is really easy, a handful of bolts and about 20 minutes as mentioned above. They say the twill is quieter than a hard top. The new soft tops are worlds better than the old ones.

Sponsored