How to add / install hardtop and rear wiper to a soft top JL

[RELBUS]

Good write up. I made the mistake 1x of buying a wrangler without the hard top or dual top option. Never again! Been they this install myself on an older wrangler, looks even more involved on the JL

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[the_weekender]

This is way more in depth than I thought. I wasn’t even thinking about taking the steering wheel/column apart. Sounds like a weekend project. Do you have a rough estimate of the cost for everything needed for completion?

This is way more in depth than I thought. I wasn’t even thinking about taking the steering wheel/column apart. Sounds like a weekend project. Do you have a rough estimate of the cost for everything needed for completion?

Hi Hydroboy35,

Sorry for the late reply.

So the Overall MSRP Would be around: $3,400.00
Hard Top: $3,129.99
Hard Top Wiring Kit: $ 100.00- $300.00
Bracket Kits: Not sure
Bolts: $8.00

When I order my jeep, I negotiate the price of the hard top to be purchased later. I also took Months of Emails and phone calls with my dealership to get all the parts to do this. Mainly the brackets for the front panels held everything up. Since no one had done it yet. I also did the wiring myself since I did not want my car to be the Ginny pig at the dealership.

 

[the_weekender]

I installed my wiring harness 6 months ago and at the time there was no option to make the rear defog work as my jeep did not come with heated mirrors. Do you know if theres an update to this? Or was your vehicle equipped with heated mirrors?

Hi CBurrr23

I actually was talking about this with the dealership. They said they should be able to program it through the screen so you have a button there. But they have yet to have anyone to try it on yet to see it work

-Dan

 

[the_weekender]

So I recently ordered a new hard top from my dealer. They told me all applicable hardware and everything minus the wiper/defroster wiring kit is included. They said all bolts and pieces to hold freedom panels on are included as well.

How true is this? When you got yours what part # for the top did you order? Did you order from dealer or from an individual? Looking forward to seeing your replies!

So I recently ordered a new hard top from my dealer. They told me all applicable hardware and everything minus the wiper/defroster wiring kit is included. They said all bolts and pieces to hold freedom panels on are included as well.

How true is this? When you got yours what part # for the top did you order? Did you order from dealer or from an individual? Looking forward to seeing your replies!

Hi SubZero_JL,

When I purchased mine, the dealership did not have a “Kit” Part Number Yet so we had to order everything Individually when I wrote this post. Since then I guess they made a part number for Everything. Also my hard top was taken off a dual group vehicle at the dealership since the purchaser did not want the hard top which is another reason why everything was ordered Individually.

When you install the brackets above the windshield and above the driver and passengers head. These are adjustable. It may take a few tries to get the wind noise down and possibly whistling. Now that is warmer here in the NE I will be trying and figure out the perfect adjustment and post measurement for all.

-Dan

 

[Roz]

This is great information especially on panel removal.

I also just purchased a hardtop for my JL and am foregoing (for now) the wiring kit as I lack the expertise to do the installation. But did need to purchase the latches and bolts to secure the hardtop panels. MOPAR parts has them all listed separately and they came to over $200. DV8offroad.com has an aftermarket kit for $90 and it took us about 45 minutes to to the install the latches.

 

[Doctorit]

This is great information especially on panel removal.

I also just purchased a hardtop for my JL and am foregoing (for now) the wiring kit as I lack the expertise to do the installation. But did need to purchase the latches and bolts to secure the hardtop panels. MOPAR parts has them all listed separately and they came to over $200. DV8offroad.com has an aftermarket kit for $90 and it took us about 45 minutes to to the install the latches.

Can you (or anyone) drop a link to the DV8 kit?
Edit, found it:
https://dv8offroad.com/products/htjl-br?_pos=2&_sid=f30566a58&_ss=r

Another sucker here who thought adding a hardtop later would be "easy" and not require a laundry list of extra parts!

 

[Birchrun]

I just installed a hardtop from mopar (ordered from my local dealer) and it came with the panel mounting brackets.

I was surprised that it called for the gap to be checked with a mopar gap tool but not included.

I’ll look into the wiring kit down the road.

The instructions left a lot to be improved and removing the soft top was a new experience but overall fairly well laid out with design

 

[MyLilPonyJeep]

This was something I definitely wish I had known before I bought my soft top JLUS lol, and I work on my cars quite a bit. Here's a video I made installing the brackets for the latches of the freedom panels in case it helps anyone looking to do the same. I'm still debating if I'm going to run the wiper wiring harness. The AUX switch I definitely plan on doing.

JLUS Hardtop bracket install video -
My cost to add a used hardtop
Punk'n Orange hardtop (Used) - $1,600 (Drove to Memphis from Atlanta and spent the night $236, plus $100 in fuel)
Mopar Bracket Kit - $136 (I wish I saw the DV8 option, cheaper and does the same thing)
Hardtop screw kit - $8 (Your soft top will have 6 of the 8 needed bolts)
No rear wiper wiring kit yet

 

[Doctorit]

Hard to search for just this topic: anyone know of / find a shortcut or hack to just get the rear defroster powered (especially if I already have the cold weather package and have a defrost mirrors button)?