Premium Soft Top - Potential Design Flaw?

[Lithograph]

Question for you Premium Soft Top owners. This is on a 2-door model, and I’m not sure the 4-door model has the same issue, but…

When the soft top is folded all the way back, the little roller pin/wheel wants to try and pop out of the rail if I pull back on the top, such as if I’m trying to tuck it back better. I’ve included photos to help what I’m describing.

Figure 1 is the top folded back, and the wheel is in the resting position, with locks engaged. FYI: The locks keep the top from rolling back forward, but it still allows the top to roll backward.

Figure 2 is where I’m pulling back on the top a bit more. The pressure from the bow is trying cause the wheel to pop out of the rail, even when I’m not triggering the manual release (which takes the top off entirely).

Figure 3 is simply another angle of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is me showing how that latch works. Figure 4 is also Ric Flair’s classic finishing move. WOOOO!

Figure 5 is the pinwheel popped out. In this photo, I did it on purpose, but it actually DID pop out once while just lowering the top.

Anyway, it feels like the pressure pushing outward is too strong, and I’m worried about one side or the other (or BOTH sides) popping out as I’m flying down the road, which could cause the top to essentially fly backwards cause an accident.

The question is: Is this a design flaw/issue on ALL the premium soft tops, or do I have a top that’s just not quite working properly? Can anyone else add info to this issue?

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[GordonZoo]

I have the unlimited 4dr and mine tracks perfectly all the way down. Must be how your rails are spaced. Is there anyway to tow them inwards so they run parallel on the way down? I did have my corner window pop out on the highway but Jeep cares called me and plans to take care of it because of how long I'm waiting for it. I plan to put a strip of Velcro along the top so if it happens again it wont hit the road.

 

[alphalife9]

Question for you Premium Soft Top owners. This is on a 2-door model, and I’m not sure the 4-door model has the same issue, but…

When the soft top is folded all the way back, the little roller pin/wheel wants to try and pop out of the rail if I pull back on the top, such as if I’m trying to tuck it back better. I’ve included photos to help what I’m describing.

Figure 1 is the top folded back, and the wheel is in the resting position, with locks engaged. FYI: The locks keep the top from rolling back forward, but it still allows the top to roll backward.

Figure 2 is where I’m pulling back on the top a bit more. The pressure from the bow is trying cause the wheel to pop out of the rail, even when I’m not triggering the manual release (which takes the top off entirely).

Figure 3 is simply another angle of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is me showing how that latch works. Figure 4 is also Ric Flair’s classic finishing move. WOOOO!

Figure 5 is the pinwheel popped out. In this photo, I did it on purpose, but it actually DID pop out once while just lowering the top.

Anyway, it feels like the pressure pushing outward is too strong, and I’m worried about one side or the other (or BOTH sides) popping out as I’m flying down the road, which could cause the top to essentially fly backwards cause an accident.

The question is: Is this a design flaw/issue on ALL the premium soft tops, or do I have a top that’s just not quite working properly? Can anyone else add info to this issue?

maybe @JeepCares can look into this... It's possible a revision of the mechanism may be needed.

 

[Lithograph]

Well, it appears to be a moot point now:

I was out cruising, and I was afraid to lower the top all the way down, so I had it in the Sunrider position. I got home, backed into my garage, not realizing how tall the Rubicon is with the Sunrider open, and the front/side bar caught the top of my garage door. Hilarity ensued, and I'll spare you the rest of the story.

I have now actually bent one of the bars that I'm asking a question about, and I'm looking at having to replace the entire soft top. I called my dealership (which is a great place by the way), and the tops are too new to replace just that one bar, and I have to get the entire thing replaced. I legit want to throw up.

Keep in mind, I only had the Sunrider open because I was afraid to run it with the top down. That's what you call "ironic".

Anyway, as a precaution, if you own a 2-door, check your rails for that problem. If yours line up and don't want to pop out, then you should be in good shape.

On the bright side, I'm fully insured! Maybe they'll let me keep the windows if I get it replaced under insurance? It would be nice to have an extra set.

 

[GordonZoo]

Wow that is a kick in the A$$. I feel your pain. Lost my corner window on the highway and it got run over. The parts guy said I could order just the window as soon as the ordering opens for it. My other option was to get a full replacement but I really didn't want to make my garage a parts dept. I have no ETA on the replacement yet. Do you have a hard top to fall back on?

 

[Lithograph]

Do you have a hard top to fall back on?

No hard top, but I do have some good news at least. My dealership echoed what everyone else here has said, which is that you can't get replacement parts yet. It's the entire top or nothing. But he told me to go to a body shop I trust, and they might can straighten the bar I bent.

So I took it to a place here locally that I've dealt with before, and sure enough, it took two guys and some crossed fingers on my end, but they got that thing straightened out. It's not perfect, but it's fully functional, and you'd have to really LOOK for the damage to find it. Cost me $30, which was much better than $2k. They said when parts are available, they'll order just that one bar if they can, and replace it so it's perfect.

As an added bonus, they bent it back to where it should have been in the first place, and now my little pinwheels do NOT try and pop out. They actually line up perfectly with the rail, and I have total confidence that they'll stay in unless I pull them out on purpose.

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