Hard top wind noise

[J.R.]

Let me start off by saying this is my 7th Wrangler and 5th with a hard top, and no other Wranglers over the years have had the wind noise this one does. After reporting my wind noise issues to the dealer (sounds like the window is slightly open, starts at 40 mph and increases to seriously annoying levels as speed increases, the stereo has to be turned up to 22 to drown out the wind noise), they applied the 'Star Update' that replaces the lower foam pieces.

The noise was not coming from the lower part of the windshield and after inspecting the foam myself before bringing it in I saw no issues, so naturally it didn't help.

The dealer told me there was nothing more they would do because FCA doesn't have any further direction. I opened a case with FCA, they informed me that the star case for the lower foam was only applicable to one customer who reported wind noise and they would get in touch with the dealer to see if they could have them troubleshoot further. When the dealer refused, FCA contacted me and told me that FCA engineers said that the wind noise is acceptable in Jeep Wranglers and it is part of the design and FCA refuses to address the matter any further.

In software terms we say "It isn't a bug, it's a feature". So basically FCA has designed the wind noise into the JL Wranglers. They should list that on the window sticker as part of the standard package.

My advice is if you are going to purchase a hardtop Wrangler in the future, make sure you take it out on the highway and listen for excessive wind noise. If the unit has the noise, keep driving different ones until you find one that doesn't have the noise, because it will not go away, it cannot be fixed (no one has found a solution), and FCA refuses to acknowledge it is a problem and will do nothing to assist you.

So now I drive a vehicle that I love and hate at the same time.

Sponsored

 

[WranglerMan]

Mine has wind Boise on the passenger side mostly and sometimes on the driver side but not bad, I have had my freedom panels out and in dozens of times and checked and lubed all seals with 303 and it still is there, no worst and no better so my next step is to lower the windshield and see what the seals look like behind it and see if there is any foam missing or I can maybe possibly add.

 

[stuckinohio]

Here is a link:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...up-weather-stripping.14497/page-2#post-366288
Everyone, please try the solution I have found. Go to the link above. Mine is not totally quiet but it is much quieter now. Basically if you just put the freedom panel on and clamp it down, the panel will not seat all the way. The front white post must seat further into the black ring by the clamp/lever thingy. I have included pics of the white post while simply installed and after I put pressure from the top and have someone else clamp it from underneath. And actually the seated picture is not totally seated. I got more leverage on the front of the panel from the top recently and buried the white post in the black ring. It helps a lot. You should not be able to see any white post above the black ring.

Just take a look at your white posts to see how far they are into the black ring please.

 

[unixfool]

My JLU is a lot quieter than my TJ. Gotta keep it in perspective.

 

[WranglerMan]

Here is a link:
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...up-weather-stripping.14497/page-2#post-366288
Everyone, please try the solution I have found. Go to the link above. Mine is not totally quiet but it is much quieter now. Basically if you just put the freedom panel on and clamp it down, the panel will not seat all the way. The front white post must seat further into the black ring by the clamp/lever thingy. I have included pics of the white post while simply installed and after I put pressure from the top and have someone else clamp it from underneath. And actually the seated picture is not totally seated. I got more leverage on the front of the panel from the top recently and buried the white post in the black ring. It helps a lot. You should not be able to see any white post above the black ring.

Just take a look at your white posts to see how far they are into the black ring please.

My locator pins stick down pretty far but the one on the passenger side not as much as the driver side and the noise is on the passenger side, I don’t see how this is adjustable to make kit clamp down harder

 

[stuckinohio]

My locator pins stick down pretty far but the one on the passenger side not as much as the driver side and the noise is on the passenger side, I don’t see how this is adjustable to make kit clamp down harder

Stand on a ladder and push down on the front while someone else clamps it. They need to be buried.

 

[Kenc]

I have the same exact hardtop wind noise and have tried all of the same adjustments and none have worked. This is my next step. I just ordered this: https://www.morris4x4center.com/bestop-sunrider-for-hardtop-black-twill.html
I love my Jeep except the wind noise. I am hoping that this combination of soft top in the front and hardtop in the back will be the key. Plus, I won’t have to store my freedom tops in the Jeep anymore when I take them off and if it starts to rain I can just flip the top down.
I really should not have to spend another $800 to try to fix this but it makes me crazy. I hope this does the trick because other than this, I really love it.

 

[Wfd1244]

I have the same exact hardtop wind noise and have tried all of the same adjustments and none have worked. This is my next step. I just ordered this: https://www.morris4x4center.com/bestop-sunrider-for-hardtop-black-twill.html
I love my Jeep except the wind noise. I am hoping that this combination of soft top in the front and hardtop in the back will be the key. Plus, I won’t have to store my freedom tops in the Jeep anymore when I take them off and if it starts to rain I can just flip the top down.
I really should not have to spend another $800 to try to fix this but it makes me crazy. I hope this does the trick because other than this, I really love it.

I’ve been thinking about doing the same! The sun rider convenience would be an added plus as well! Let us know how the wind noise from the sunrider is when you get it!

 

[htsai14752]

I have the same exact hardtop wind noise and have tried all of the same adjustments and none have worked. This is my next step. I just ordered this: https://www.morris4x4center.com/bestop-sunrider-for-hardtop-black-twill.html
I love my Jeep except the wind noise. I am hoping that this combination of soft top in the front and hardtop in the back will be the key. Plus, I won’t have to store my freedom tops in the Jeep anymore when I take them off and if it starts to rain I can just flip the top down.
I really should not have to spend another $800 to try to fix this but it makes me crazy. I hope this does the trick because other than this, I really love it.

I hope this works. Other's have complained that it's the rear hardtop that actually causes the noise. Wedge a pool noodle to the roll bar and hardtop and it should quiet down. The other thing is trying to get on top of the front freedom panels and push it all the way down while someone locks it down from inside.

 

[WranglerMan]

I have heard several say they push down hard on the freedom panel from the top and have someone latch the inside while pushing down but the latch only clamps down so far so unless you have a way to adjust the tension of the freedom panel latch I don’t see how pushing down harder while latching will help as once it’s latched and you stop pushing down won’t it spring back up.

 

[stuckinohio]

I have heard several say they push down hard on the freedom panel from the top and have someone latch the inside while pushing down but the latch only clamps down so far so unless you have a way to adjust the tension of the freedom panel latch I don’t see how pushing down harder while latching will help as once it’s latched and you stop pushing down won’t it spring back up.

take a look at my pics then look at your white post to see how far it is inserted. it stays pushed down because there is tension on the white post from the black ring.

 

[WranglerMan]

take a look at my pics then look at your white post to see how far it is inserted. it stays pushed down because there is tension on the white post from the black ring.

The pin on my driver side looks like this one

One on passenger side looks like this one but it may be just a little more down than that but not much

It does not seem to matter how hard I push down on the passenger panel it does not go further down, I know this black ring is basically a locator for the pin to go into and is part of the frame and not the freedom panel, I wish I could adjust the freedom latch to give more latching leverage.

My top is 100% waterproof as I went thru a car wash once after a 1200 mile trip to get those terrible bugs off from rolling thru back roads at night, heck for that matter no water gets into my Jeep at all so am happy with that just wish I could get rid of the noise on the passenger side

 

[stuckinohio]

Yep. your driver side is already buried and won't go any lower. Your passenger side should go lower for sure. Weird that it won't. Mine is watertight as well and I'm happy with the amount of wind noise now. So much better than when they weren't down all the way.

Bummer yours isn't satisfactory!

 

[WranglerMan]

Yep. your driver side is already buried and won't go any lower. Your passenger side should go lower for sure. Weird that it won't. Mine is watertight as well and I'm happy with the amount of wind noise now. So much better than when they weren't down all the way.

Bummer yours isn't satisfactory!

If I remember I will try to snap a pic of the passenger side, I will also try again to get the passenger side down further.

Also maybe if you heard mine you would say it’s quiet but then I am comparing it to vehicles I have had in the past that did not have a removable top or a windshield that folded down so maybe it’s a “Jeep Thing”

 

[stuckinohio]

If I remember I will try to snap a pic of the passenger side, I will also try again to get the passenger side down further.

Also maybe if you heard mine you would say it’s quiet but then I am comparing it to vehicles I have had in the past that did not have a removable top or a windshield that folded down so maybe it’s a “Jeep Thing”

Well, being honest, mine is not "quiet" either. It's just quieter than when the tops aren't seated all the way, like it was when I got if off the dealership lot and before I realized they go down further! It was unbearable at 70 mph and up.

Sponsored