Premium Soft-top to Painted Freedom Top on JL

[martinhayrap]

Hi Guys,

Just picked up a 2018 JL sport unlimited with the premium soft top, I want to change it to a freedom hard top painted the same color as my car. What will be the easiest way to do this? Is there additional hardware needed to install the hardtop once my softop is taken off? Is it possible to do the conversion my self?

I appreciate any help.

Thanks

Martin

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[ThirtyOne]

The easiest way is to find someone selling a hard top on craigslist or on this forum. The colored ones don't come up often and they go quick. You can buy one unpainted and have it painted but it will cost you. The hardware is easy to get but if you want the defrost and rear washer you will need the connection kit which is not an easy install.

Lots of other threads on this here. I'll see if I can find you a link.

edit: Here's a link - Adding a Hardtop to my Saraha... What do I do for the Rear Wiper???

 

[lightsout]

Since you have a soft top model wrangler you do not have the rear wiper or washer so even if you do find a top you will not have those features. That is probably your biggest obsticle. Just give it time you will find a top for sale or trade...

 

[RussJeep1]

I learned from another post that the places where the "L" clips of the Freedom Panels attach is NOT standard on factory soft tops only. You made this hardware that attached to the Sports Bar as well.

Because I made a Dual top purchase (i.e. my purchase included a Hard top,) this hardware came with my rig and didn't initially realize that it could be absent for other owner's (e.g. soft top, perhaps power top) rigs.

 

[Firecracker18]

As @ThirtyOne says you could buy an unpainted one however be careful. I don't think the hardtop like on my Jeep is the same as the painted ones - not sure as I've never seen one in person. But black tops like mine have a "splatter" texture to it. From pics it appears the factory painted ones are perfectly smooth. I could be wrong but just something else to look into.

 

[ThirtyOne]

As @ThirtyOne says you could buy an unpainted one however be careful. I don't think the hardtop like on my Jeep is the same as the painted ones - not sure as I've never seen one in person. But black tops like mine have a "splatter" texture to it. From pics it appears the factory painted ones are perfectly smooth. I could be wrong but just something else to look into.

They sell both. The unpainted one is smooth and the textured one is painted black.

 

[martinhayrap]

The easiest way is to find someone selling a hard top on craigslist or on this forum. The colored ones don't come up often and they go quick. You can buy one unpainted and have it painted but it will cost you. The hardware is easy to get but if you want the defrost and rear washer you will need the connection kit which is not an easy install.

Lots of other threads on this here. I'll see if I can find you a link.

edit: Here's a link - Adding a Hardtop to my Saraha... What do I do for the Rear Wiper???

The rear washer and defrost looks like a pain in the ass after reading that thread lol.

Regardless I want to get this done relatively quickly, I think I'm just going to try to order the parts online from MOPAR because I am not having luck finding it on the forums or craiglist and I think finding one painted from the factory is going to be even harder as I don't want the texturized look. I just hope the install wont be too difficult and I can avoid going to a body shop especially since the I want the rear washer and defrost. Decisions Decisions..

 

[JLRubiCO]

I just purchased a 2018 JLUR Sting Gray with a paint matched hard top and an looking to trade for the black hard top. Also interested in a premium soft top though so pm me to discuss.

 

[RussJeep1]

Hi Guys,

Just picked up a 2018 JL sport unlimited with the premium soft top, I want to change it to a freedom hard top painted the same color as my car. What will be the easiest way to do this? Is there additional hardware needed to install the hardtop once my softop is taken off? Is it possible to do the conversion my self?

I appreciate any help.

Thanks

Martin

Satire:

Keep what you have and paint the rig black?

 

[jbozz]

I just purchased a 2018 JLUR Sting Gray with a paint matched hard top and an looking to trade for the black hard top. Also interested in a premium soft top though so pm me to discuss.

what price are you asking for the soft & is it a premium top twill?
needs to fit my new 2019 jlur …. thanks

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