Question for Bestop Sunrider owners

[LSU1]

-get the Twill version
-get a HF moving blanket (fold and insert under Sunrider)
-get some kind of shade for front or both (helps with wind buffeting)
-use the Velcro straps to hold the sunrider open at 55 to 75 MPH
-after install use a hot glue gun with clear or color glue sticks to fill in the front channels of the sunrider about 1 in to seal off the front edges
-drill a small hole right under the front channels where you applied the fill in glue stick
-drill a small hole under the rear of the channels (no more drips when you open the doors)
-this method has been applied to my HT, Soft Top, and Sunrider
Best Hybrid combo in my opinion and I run 3 Jeeps with this setup year round
Freedom panels be gone.

Can you post some pictures of how you did this? I hate the water drip!!!!

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[pcpopcorn]

Is it easy to remove the hardtop with the Sunrider installed?
Can you?

 

[Gregj]

You would have to at least take the sunrider loose as it covers the two bolts at the front of the hardtop.
Gregj

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Is it easy to remove the hardtop with the Sunrider installed?
Can you?

@pcpopcorn

The Sunrider for JL, has to be removed in order to remove the hard top.

Removing the assembled, SR, is easy easy and takes about 5 or so minutes... Placing the assembled SR back up on the JL and bolting it down also takes about 5 or so minutes... easy to do....

Can tell you without hesitation, having a SR is a real joy lets say. A joy even if occasionally, you want to remove the hard top and have to take an additional 5 minutes or so to remove the SR, etc..

In regard to the SR, whatever you pay for it, you will be able to re-coop about 65% of what you paid for the SR when you eventually sell your JL and then sell your SR, here or on Craigslist, etc..

Bestop SR is easily sold and is one aftermarket add on, that you can enjoy for years and still sell it for quite a bit. Can't say that for many Jeep aftermarket add-ons.

DO buy the TWILL and not the vinyl SR.

 

[D60]

So the SR has to be removed solely to get at the 2 front bolts from what I can see (if hard top removal is desired)

Too bad Bestop didn't just make some holes there for a Torx bit to drop thru their plastic framework....

 

[Gregj]

So the SR has to be removed solely to get at the 2 front bolts from what I can see (if hard top removal is desired)

Too bad Bestop didn't just make some holes there for a Torx bit to drop thru their plastic framework....

Problem is the Sunrider Fabric extends all the way back to the leading edge of the Hardtop, so the hole would have to be through the fabric.

Gregj

edit to add there are seals under there, even if you could get the bolts out I don't think I would want to drag the top out from under the Sunrider and risk tearing up the seals.

 

[D60]

Nah, it just needs a hole approximately here (finger indicates)

I think for removal you'd still have to remove the rear clamp centered in the sound bar and maybe loosen the other bolts on the side rails a couple turns, but that'd take just a second and the entire SR could just stay in place

I probably won't bother as I'll likely never remove my hardtop again, I just like looking at the mechanical aspect of designs

 

[bcashi17]

So lots of great info here. But have an additional few questions as someone who loves driving completely 'naked' (freedom panels, back top and doors off) on the weekend but drives about 50miles a day for work on week days. I would love to have the sunrider for my drives to work in the morning on the freeway at 75mph but closed in the scorching Houston heat in the afternoon.

1)is it easy to take to the assembled sun rider on and off to get the hard top off?
2)are there peices of the brackets that stay on look silly with out the back top and doors on?
3)Once you take off the back top can you put the sunrider back on and cruise with just the sun rider?
4)is there any problems with taking off the doors but keeping the sunrider and back top on?
5) Any problems with having the sunrider open at 80mph freeway speeds? Will it damage or mess up or just be loud?

Thanks in advance

 

[Gregj]

@bcashi17
1) six bolts hold it on, you use the Jeep tool kit.

2)once removed nothing of the Sunrider is left on.

3) yes

4) no. No different than the hardtop or softtop.

5) no problem driving with it open. It is loud at that speed.

Gregj

 

[Dkretden]

Just ordered mine today.....

 

[Dkretden]

Ordered, arrived, installed, driven. Love it.

simple installation (except for the silly z-clips which took some time to try to get seated Properly). without the z-clips this is a 30 minute Mod at most. Simple, simple, simple.

took it for its maiden voyage just now and I really love the fact that I now have much more “freedom” than my “freedom“ panels provided and I still preserve most of the hardtop. Total win for me.

@Bestop : well done!

 

[Bestop]

Ordered, arrived, installed, driven. Love it.

simple installation (except for the silly z-clips which took some time to try to get seated Properly). without the z-clips this is a 30 minute Mod at most. Simple, simple, simple.

took it for its maiden voyage just now and I really love the fact that I now have much more “freedom” than my “freedom“ panels provided and I still preserve most of the hardtop. Total win for me.

@Bestop : well done!

Great to hear!

Lee
- the Bestop team
www.bestop.com

 

[Dkretden]

as mentioned above. I installed mine yesterday. Then, today, I decided to head to my favorite self-carwash. I didn’t need a wash but I wanted to blast the bestop with the hose (I live in a highrise.... no driveway, no hose.... so self wash places work best for me). I blasted the crap out of it right at the joints —- BLASTED THE CRAP OUT OF IT —- with the wife in the car looking for leaks. Cost me $3.00 to blast the crap out of it. Did I say that I “blasted the crap out of it”? Well, I did. what did I find out? Well, I found out what everybody already knew: NO LEAKS. $3 wasted.

if you want to replace your 30 pound, bulky “freedom“ panels, keep 2/3rds of your hardtop and gain real “freedom”, buy this product NOW. Great product.

thank you Bestop. Thank you to all them members on here who said “just buy it, you’ll love it”. Thank you.

@Bestop rocks.

 

[Bestop]

as mentioned above. I installed mine yesterday. Then, today, I decided to head to my favorite self-carwash. I didn’t need a wash but I wanted to blast the bestop with the hose (I live in a highrise.... no driveway, no hose.... so self wash places work best for me). I blasted the crap out of it right at the joints —- BLASTED THE CRAP OUT OF IT —- with the wife in the car looking for leaks. Cost me $3.00 to blast the crap out of it. Did I say that I “blasted the crap out of it”? Well, I did. what did I find out? Well, I found out what everybody already knew: NO LEAKS. $3 wasted.

if you want to replace your 30 pound, bulky “freedom“ panels, keep 2/3rds of your hardtop and gain real “freedom”, buy this product NOW. Great product.

thank you Bestop. Thank you to all them members on here who said “just buy it, you’ll love it”. Thank you.

@Bestop rocks.

This is a glowing review and I actually LOL'd! I wish you came and said hi in Ouray!

Lee
- the Bestop team
www.bestop.com

 

[SSWIM]

Have to agree it is a GREAT addition. We have enjoyed it immensely. So nice and convenient to just throw it back and then close it when needed. In the mountains the rain showers are quite frequent and its a pain with stock panels putting on and off. We have opened and closed many times with the Bestop and would not have done so with the stock system.
Thanks Bestop.

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