Soft top full removal, or cover when open?

[Matt The Hammer]

You had 10? After the first couple of years, I was missing about 3 of them...

The noise they make slapping against the door surround makes me crazy. I replaced them. Found using a flat head was the norm to preserve them.

Why I wish a JK or JL style top would be great for the YJ.

Stll better than a CJ with body tub snaps or the 87s with half door snaps.

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[CantThinkOfAHandle]

I apologize if this has already been posted, but does anyone know how difficult it is to fully remove the softop. This will be my first softop other than a trektop on a Jeep. From the looks of it folded down it seems to be a giant eyesore and hinder rearward visibility.
With the new hinge system I don't think it will be possible to have a cover like this that nicely hides the top.

I'm posting to raise this issue again for discussion. There seem to be a lot promotional photos of the JL with the soft top either in place or removed completely, but few, if any, with it lowered. So, then, two questions: (1) Are there any videos that show how difficult it is to remove and replace? (2) Do any of you who own Wranglers now and live in a predominately dry climate ever remove the top for long periods, and just throw a tarp over it when it's parked? This is for a 2-door.

 

[TTEChris]

I ordered mine today with a premium softop. I'm really hoping that it can be pushed down and mostly out of view by unsnapping the upper bars(like he did on the one side in that video.) I would be first in line to purchase a softop cover if they make one like the JK pictured.

 

[Bradley]

I'm posting to raise this issue again for discussion. There seem to be a lot promotional photos of the JL with the soft top either in place or removed completely, but few, if any, with it lowered. So, then, two questions: (1) Are there any videos that show how difficult it is to remove and replace? (2) Do any of you who own Wranglers now and live in a predominately dry climate ever remove the top for long periods, and just throw a tarp over it when it's parked? This is for a 2-door.

I had my top off for months at a time in PHX but I parked in a big parking garage at night. If you’re planning on parking your Jeep outside I’d at least make sure it has some sort of overhead coverage. It’s a wrangler so it can be washed out but I wouldn’t recommend going months on end leaving it wide open to the elements.

 

[CantThinkOfAHandle]

Wait a sec, I'm lousy at visualizing: When the soft top is lowered, it creates a barrier across the cargo area above the swing gate, correct? And when the top is in place, the rear window creates a barrier because it doesn't swing up, as with a hard top, also correct? So then, with a soft top, how do you access the cargo area, higher than the swing gate? I'm missing something, surely.

 

[RussJeep1]

Wait a sec, I'm lousy at visualizing: When the soft top is lowered, it creates a barrier across the cargo area above the swing gate, correct? And when the top is in place, the rear window creates a barrier because it doesn't swing up, as with a hard top, also correct? So then, with a soft top, how do you access the cargo area, higher than the swing gate? I'm missing something, surely.

Q1) Correct
Q2) True
Q3) Stuff taller than the height from the bottom of the soft top back window to the rear floor you either angle in or you remove the back window first, store your stuff, and reinstall the window, which is so much easier by design to take off and put back on on the JL than the JK and involves no zippers for any of the JLs soft windows:

A picture's worth 1000 words:

 

[J.R. Quimby]

No vehicle is truly secure, but I'm guessing this is the sort of vehicle you don't leave anything in that you wouldn't mind replacing.

 

[CantThinkOfAHandle]

No vehicle is truly secure, but I'm guessing this is the sort of vehicle you don't leave anything in that you wouldn't mind replacing.

When I park at a trailhead or other out-of-the-way place, I never lock any kind of vehicle. I've replaced too many broken windows. I've even left windows part way open, in case a thief might assume the vehicle was locked.

 

[CantThinkOfAHandle]

Q1) Correct
Q2) True
Q3) Stuff taller than the height from the bottom of the soft top back window to the rear floor you either angle in or you remove the back window first, store your stuff, and reinstall the window, which is so much easier by design to take off and put back on on the JL than the JK and involves no zippers for any of the JLs soft windows:

A picture's worth 1000 words:

That's a big change from an SUV or wagon, I have to say. I'm used to taking long road trips with an arrangement of top-loading storage bins, and being able to easily grab a jacket or something to eat. This would take more thought, especially in a 2-door.

Perhaps I'll design a robotic inventory-picking system for Wrangler cargo areas, and sell it to FCA as the RoboRubicon Special Edition.

 

[smuddy]

On my jk, I'd just unzip both sides of that back window up to the top and then throw it up above the top to load things. The JL looks like you can do exactly the same thing though without the zippers. I don't think you need to take it all the way off.

 

[CantThinkOfAHandle]

Is a two-door, soft top Wrangler best suited for day trips? The dozens of photos I see of two-door Rubicons bombing through the desert with no top look great, but there'd be no way to get it there like that, unless perhaps you towed it. And, with the top installed and down, you're fighting it to access your gear. So I'm wondering if those of you who travel to the back country in your Jeeps typically have four-door models and/or hard tops.

 

[Matt The Hammer]

No vehicle is truly secure, but I'm guessing this is the sort of vehicle you don't leave anything in that you wouldn't mind replacing.

You shouldn't leave much in your vehicles regardless. Ever had a car stolen? You'll think of stuff that may have been in your car for months after it's gone. It sucks. (I had a 1999 Cherokee stolen and recovered 3 weeks later)

With the Jeep - obviously the hardtop (not the fabric center one), is pretty secure. But windows can be broken (I'm in Philly) for a handful of pocket change in your cup holder.

With the soft top - more than just people stealing - when you drive roof/doors off, wind blows everything not secured out. So if you don't keep the cabin clean, God will. Add in any rain or morning dew with the roof off that damages items left in the Jeep.

You get used to it. Up side is that your Jeep is usually pretty clean inside all the time.

 

[J.R. Quimby]

You shouldn't leave much in your vehicles regardless. Ever had a car stolen? You'll think of stuff that may have been in your car for months after it's gone. It sucks. (I had a 1999 Cherokee stolen and recovered 3 weeks later)

With the Jeep - obviously the hardtop (not the fabric center one), is pretty secure. But windows can be broken (I'm in Philly) for a handful of pocket change in your cup holder.

With the soft top - more than just people stealing - when you drive roof/doors off, wind blows everything not secured out. So if you don't keep the cabin clean, God will. Add in any rain or morning dew with the roof off that damages items left in the Jeep.

You get used to it. Up side is that your Jeep is usually pretty clean inside all the time.

I over the years have learned to not leave anything visible. I had a GPS mount I used to leave on the windshield, got broken into because they correctly deduced that the unit was in the glove box..

 

[JLUSoCal]

You shouldn't leave much in your vehicles regardless. Ever had a car stolen? You'll think of stuff that may have been in your car for months after it's gone. It sucks. (I had a 1999 Cherokee stolen and recovered 3 weeks later)

With the Jeep - obviously the hardtop (not the fabric center one), is pretty secure. But windows can be broken (I'm in Philly) for a handful of pocket change in your cup holder.

With the soft top - more than just people stealing - when you drive roof/doors off, wind blows everything not secured out. So if you don't keep the cabin clean, God will. Add in any rain or morning dew with the roof off that damages items left in the Jeep.

You get used to it. Up side is that your Jeep is usually pretty clean inside all the time.

Agree with stolen vehicles.

Had a 91 Cherokee stolen from my driveway. Had it as an extra car at the time and didn't think about what was in it. The police said it was likely in Mexico by now and consider it gone. I did... About 2 weeks later I received a call from an apartment manager about 3 miles away saying they found some items in their parking lot with my name on it. I said huh and went down there. They took everything I had behind the rear seats and dumped it in their parking lot. I recovered my camping gear I had in there and some other items and they even threw out the spare tire. I tossed quite a bit away and said oh well, I got some back. About 2 weeks later and 2 days AFTER I sent my keys and pink slip to the insurance company the police called and said to come pick up the car (it was parked on the street about 2 miles away). I told them I didn't have the keys so I couldn't take it. They had it towed to an impound yard and by then I didn't want it back. That particular Jeep had one of the first Anti Lock brake systems that constantly broke and was getting harder and harder to get the pump from Chrysler even though it had a lifetime warranty on it it sat in the shop for weeks when it broke awaiting rebuilt parts (no thanks).

Insurance looked it over and totaled it anyhow. When I went to the impound lot to make sure it was then for sure empty, I found my checkbook, a roll of Susan B. Anthony dollars and everything still in the glove and center console. Must have just been for joy riding and not stripped for parts. Oh well, that was my lesson in that I got lucky and NOT to keep valuables or other items in the car. They broke the small window on the rear passenger door, pulled the light on the inside, used a paper clip to break the steering lock and a screwdriver to start the car. After reading up on how easy it was to steal that model it all made sense. I thought for a while I might have left the keys in it since I couldn't find my spare set, but that wasn't it!

 

[randyp]

after all these years, the softtop is still a mess.

Yes, it is better than it used to be. But it is still a mess.

They could have done a lot better.

This is my only real complaint with the JL. (well and the 3/4 windows should be removable on the hard top)

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