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Lets see em' - Sunrider for JL on your Jeep

MikeLewisMusic

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Any pics/reviews of Sunrider on/hard top off? Several Bestop posts say it works, confirmed by Bestop customer service, as well. Considering it for use as a half top with wrap-around windjammer (assuming the windjammers are eventually released) in the future. Would really appreciate any practical feedback how well this works. Thanks in advance!
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Bubba33

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Haven't used it by its self. But you can use the freedom panels without the hard top on.
 

am1978

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Thanks Cassie @BestopTeam! This is the number one accessory on the wifeā€™s JL. She was surprised at how easy it was to operate. Perfect addition. Easy to install.
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SeanD

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Installed on a 68 and sunny St. Patrickā€™s Day! Love it. Sure wish there was a JL retractable sunshade to go with it, though. Wonder how hard it would be to mod a JK version to work with the JL?

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Rhinebeck01

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@SeanD

I encourage you to think about buying an Alien Sunshade (Front) to use in conjunction with your Bestop Sunrider for JL.

The Alien Sunshade will easily install under the Bestop Sunrider, and even with the Alien installed, you can reach out and flip open the Sunrider or close the Sunrider.

The Alien looks good up there ..under the Sunrider... and, does a great job shading..... it sure is a terrific addition to the Bestop SR.

I had thought about the Bestop retractable, if it ever became available but after experiencing the Alien Sunshade..... well, no way am I going to stop using the Alien Sunshade.

Anyway, you can get the front AlienSunshade for about $67.00. A lot of bang for the buck there....
Just reach out to Andrew, @AlienSunshade via a pm, and he will give you a discount code so you can get the price I mentioned..

.
 

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SeanD

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@SeanD

I encourage you to think about buying an Alien Sunshade (Front) to use in conjunction with your Bestop Sunrider for JL.

The Alien Sunshade will easily install under the Bestop Sunrider, and even with the Alien installed, you can reach out and flip open the Sunrider or close the Sunrider.

The Alien looks good up there ..under the Sunrider... and, does a great job shading..... it sure is a terrific addition to the Bestop SR.

I had thought about the Bestop retractable, if it ever became available but after experiencing the Alien Sunshade..... well, no way am I going to stop using the Alien Sunshade.

Anyway, you can get the front AlienSunshade for about $67.00. A lot of bang for the buck there....
Just reach out to Andrew, @AlienSunshade via a pm, and he will give you a discount code so you can get the price I mentioned..

.
Thanks for the note and link / discount. Iā€™ve been grudgingly considering either the Alien Sunshade or the Spiderwebshade, however am stubbornly holding out for the option to have the sunshade open or closed, as well as the ease of opening or closing the Sunrider from the inside. Iā€™ve seen your posts describing how you reach out to close yours. Iā€™ve tried it with mine and itā€™s awkward for my shoulder but do-able.

Iā€™m going to reach out to Cassie/Bestop and see if it is at all possible - DIY-wise - to use the JK retractable on the JL. It mounts very simply at two points on either side of the JK Sunrider, so seems like it might be feasible to find two points to attach it to on the JL with little modification (eg, the two rear bolts that protrude up through the rollbar / Sunrider frame). Of course the front hooks/latches on the shade/Jeep would also need to be at the same measurements between the JK and JL, which I donā€™t know if thatā€™s the case or not.

If Bestop says it absolutely canā€™t be done, then Iā€™ll have to go the Alien or Spiderweb route or just hold out longer for Bestop to finally get around to releasing a JL version. Itā€™s such a simple product, I canā€™t figure out why this is so time-consuming to re-engineer for the JL.
 

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Thanks for the note and link / discount. Iā€™ve been grudgingly considering either the Alien Sunshade or the Spiderwebshade, however am stubbornly holding out for the option to have the sunshade open or closed, as well as the ease of opening or closing the Sunrider from the inside. Iā€™ve seen your posts describing how you reach out to close yours. Iā€™ve tried it with mine and itā€™s awkward for my shoulder but do-able.

Iā€™m going to reach out to Cassie/Bestop and see if it is at all possible - DIY-wise - to use the JK retractable on the JL. It mounts very simply at two points on either side of the JK Sunrider, so seems like it might be feasible to find two points to attach it to on the JL with little modification (eg, the two rear bolts that protrude up through the rollbar / Sunrider frame). Of course the front hooks/latches on the shade/Jeep would also need to be at the same measurements between the JK and JL, which I donā€™t know if thatā€™s the case or not.

If Bestop says it absolutely canā€™t be done, then Iā€™ll have to go the Alien or Spiderweb route or just hold out longer for Bestop to finally get around to releasing a JL version. Itā€™s such a simple product, I canā€™t figure out why this is so time-consuming to re-engineer for the JL.
Theyā€™re probably waiting for sunrider sales numbers to reach a level that justifies the accessory launch. Just my guess. Last I heard, it was gonna be late spring.

My sunrider is still in box in my garage. Canā€™t wait to put it on. Just havenā€™t had the time yet!

Yours looks great. Iā€™m noticing that the sunrider eats up a bit more real estate when open than the freedom panels do when removed. Do you still get the open air feeling with the sunrider or does it now just seem like a sunroof?
 

SeanD

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Theyā€™re probably waiting for sunrider sales numbers to reach a level that justifies the accessory launch. Just my guess. Last I heard, it was gonna be late spring.

My sunrider is still in box in my garage. Canā€™t wait to put it on. Just havenā€™t had the time yet!

Yours looks great. Iā€™m noticing that the sunrider eats up a bit more real estate when open than the freedom panels do when removed. Do you still get the open air feeling with the sunrider or does it now just seem like a sunroof?
Itā€™s a wide open feeling, just like having the freedom panels off. My selfie photo is just at an angle, and itā€™s worth noting Iā€™m 6ā€™5ā€ and have my seat all the way back (top of my head almost hits the sound bar). Frankly, Iā€™m still getting used to the feeling of having so much open sky above me. Youā€™ll love it!
 

alltimesaresoon

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just installed mine last night. love the quality of the workmanship. installation easy. 20 minutes for the zclips and 10 minutes for everything else as others commented. just hard to hold the zclips and get enough purchase and relaxed tension to shove em in. should maybe come with an install tool or something
 

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alltimesaresoon

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i'm experiencing higher windnoise on the passenger side than driver side. anyone else see this and make adjustment? i haven't deep dived it yet other than window up window down door open door shut, no improvement from those actions.... quick visual scan of outside all looks good
 

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i'm experiencing higher windnoise on the passenger side than driver side. anyone else see this and make adjustment? i haven't deep dived it yet other than window up window down door open door shut, no improvement from those actions.... quick visual scan of outside all looks good
@alltimesaresoon

Passenger side is the side that I see the most noise on.... at speeds above say 65 mph.

IF you talk to Bestop, they tell you there is room for a tad of adjustment on the JL itself to help quell noise.. There is, I did the best adjustment possible but still passenger side noisy. Been dealing with it for a few thousand miles.... I take it as a trade off so to speak for having the SR that I truly enjoy..

I actually worked on the clamp downs again today.... I am trying something different to tighten things up there... Will report back in a day or so if it works to decrease noise. I'm somewhat hopeful.

By the way, IF you lower the Jl's sunvisor, you will see two Torx head bolt heads covered with a circular patch of Velcro. Remove the Velcro and save as it is reusable. Now, loosen the two torx bolts, push the bracket they secure fully forward and then re-tighten the Torx bolts and stick the Velcro circles back on. That is the adjustment Best Top says to do.

.

.
 

sost1sg

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@alltimesaresoon

By the way, IF you lower the Jl's sunvisor, you will see two Torx head bolt heads covered with a circular patch of Velcro. Remove the Velcro and save as it is reusable. Now, loosen the two torx bolts, push the bracket they secure fully forward and then re-tighten the Torx bolts and stick the Velcro circles back on. That is the adjustment Best Top says to do.

.

.
What exactly is the benefit of making that adjustment? Tighter seal? Forward movement? Something else?
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