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Soft top (bikini)? (Need a quick answer)

TrailJoy

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I just received a last minute invitation to go kayaking at a friends cabin. Is the soft top safe to drive (closed) at highway speeds (100 kms/hr) without the rear windows? I’ll be loading my kayak like this (secured down of course) and driving for about an hour on the highway .

(Picture taken before the soft top was installed.)

C4BF5805-F0C5-4249-8310-6A735DAF470C.jpeg
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Medsker

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Mine's not the OEM top, I have the Bestop Trektop but I ride like that all the time.
 
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TrailJoy

TrailJoy

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Mine's not the OEM top, I have the Bestop Trektop but I ride like that all the time.
the trek top stops at the backsports bar, does it not? TheOEM soft top stocks out to the rear gate (same as the hardtop).My concern would be with... wind tunneling? I don’t know what it’s called. When the wind comes up from behind and swirls back in.
 

Medsker

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Yeah, mine does stop at the sports bar. I still think you'd be okay. I can't imagine them making it so you couldn't take out the rear window to carry something.
 
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TrailJoy

TrailJoy

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Thanks. I did load it once with just the back window removed but I was only on the highway for about 6-7 minutes, and it was a strip where I could drive slower. The rest of the road was FSR, so slow and bumpy. It didn't seem to cause any problems, but a few minutes at 80kms/hr is a lot less than an hour @100. The dust inside was SO MUCH WORSE than the highway driving... LOL

I'd like to know if anyone's done this though. I really don't want to swap out the roof for just one trip...
 

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WIndows out but soft top up? That's Safari Mode, it's an actual Jeep-named way to configure the top. You'll be fine.

Edit: assuming this is all three rear windows out, right? Not sure if you can drive with side rear windows in with back window, but with all three out you're fine.
 
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TrailJoy

TrailJoy

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WIndows out but soft top up? That's Safari Mode, it's an actual Jeep-named way to configure the top. You'll be fine.

Edit: assuming this is all three rear windows out, right? Not sure if you can drive with side rear windows in with back window, but with all three out you're fine.
AWESOME! Yes, I originally thought keeping the side windows on might help with that wind funnel effect, but I think it would be safer taking them right off.

And Safari mode is safe for highway speeds? Have you done this? The "tail" of the soft top doesn't flap around?
 

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AWESOME! Yes, I originally thought keeping the side windows on might help with that wind funnel effect, but I think it would be safer taking them right off.

And Safari mode is safe for highway speeds? Have you done this? The "tail" of the soft top doesn't flap around?
Done it a bunch. You'll be fine.
 

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daveprice7

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And Safari mode is safe for highway speeds? Have you done this? The "tail" of the soft top doesn't flap around?
Nothing flaps around, it's got a rigid structure under the top.

That being said, you might want to check out this roof rack.. it attaches to the body under the top, so you have to drop the top to use it, but if it's nice enough to kayak, it's probably nice enough to drop the top, eh?

https://www.smsparts.com/2018-new-jeep-jlu-softtop-racks
 

Neanderthalman

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Safari mode. Do it all the time at up to 120km/h. Doors on. Doors off. Windows Open. Windows closed. It's my preferred mode for the soft top. You're fine.

Have a great trip!
 
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TrailJoy

TrailJoy

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Thanks everyone! I actually felt safer with the kayak inside my Jeep than in the roof! What a great way to haul a kayak.

Not only is it totally fine, it's extremely enjoyable :)

Lee
- the Bestop team
www.bestop.com
It WAS enjoyable!! Lee, I was going to email bestop but since you replied... I’m actually on the hunt for an exoskeleton that is compatible with my Bestop Sunrider (which I use with the hard top for 9 months of the year). Do you know of one?
 
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TrailJoy

TrailJoy

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Nothing flaps around, it's got a rigid structure under the top.

That being said, you might want to check out this roof rack.. it attaches to the body under the top, so you have to drop the top to use it, but if it's nice enough to kayak, it's probably nice enough to drop the top, eh?

https://www.smsparts.com/2018-new-jeep-jlu-softtop-racks
Thanks but I often kayak on overcast cloudy days and sometimes get caught in the rain (which I actually don’t mind). For transport I want the top on (so I need an exoskeleton, but with quick disconnects for removal when not in use. That top opens and closes ALL the time. Sometimes several times a day.)
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