Soft Tops/Mesh Tops

[Kissell]

Question for all..
I am patiently waiting for my JL Rubicon to be shipped. I ordered the hard top, but wish now I had ordered both tops. Has anyone bought an aftermarket soft top, and are they even available yet? I looked at the quadratech site but it appears there are none available.
Secondly, does anyone have an opinion on the mesh tops. I know there are a few (Alien, etc.) out there, and it looks like they may be easier to get than the full top. Any thoughts are appreciated.....

Sponsored

 

[RussJeep1]

Has anyone bought an aftermarket soft top, and are they even available yet?

I don't believe anyone has actually brought a JL one to market yet other than FCA. If I'm wrong, I hope other posters chime in with specifics.

You may find this video interesting.





The people at Quadratec, as you probably know, sellers of a lot of Wrangler accessories, recently visited the Besttop Company, who makes the soft top for FCA, and showed some pretty neat aftermarket soft top prototypes that will eventually be offered to the market once tweaked.

I love how the fastback one (where the back follows a slope down after the sports bar's turn down into the back of the rig) features the same opening mechanism as the Bestop's Sunrider, such that the top can be open and closed to Sunrider position without exiting the rig.

As far as those that are easier to get....easily as in available no...not to my knowledge....easier as in cheaper...? There are diehard fans of the JK's Sunrider top, which replaces the hard top's Freedom Panels only and is cheaper (but by no means inexpensive) than an entire soft top. If you rarely drive with back seat passengers who want the open air experience, this might be the choice for you.

Unfortunately the people at Bestop are "neck deep in water" making FCA's production top right now, and can't see themselves getting to bring the JL's Sunrider top to market on the order of, I believe, months, or so they've comment on the board. More specifics on this timing, which is not cast in stone, is searchable here.

I am trying to devise a mechanism on cabinet maker draw slides to allow a lifted in the air from inside the rig set of Freedom Panels to Slide back or forward without having to leave the rig and put them in the cargo area. My ideas (like so many others I've had) may crash and burn but if I get a decent prototype going I'll post it, and the materials and labor involved, in the DIY section of the bboard.

Good luck. Given the sales of the JL it stands to reason that the only thing between us and a plethora of aftermarket accessories is time for developers to bring gear to market, likely out surpassing even that available for the JK.

Good posts exist here on mesh tops. I'm no expert on the market. I did make my own and note that it sits under my soft top, rather than being a replacement for it, although in your So Cal, rain might not be an issue in some months.

I used this https://www.harborfreight.com/8-ft-x-10-ft-mesh-all-purposeweather-resistant-tarp-60577.html , and scissors to cut the mesh tarp 4" too big on all sides, these grommets https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-grommet-installation-kit-104-pc-63237.html which work with a regular hammer, and these lots of these ties https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-ball-stretch-cord-set-47302.html to tie it to the roof frame.

Roll over the sides of the mesh at 2" twice and then insert grommets to keep it in that position every few inches. Do the opposite side. On the adjacent sides that follow you'll need to cut 4" on either side of both adjacent sides to permit the folds.

You'll need two ball ties together to make it around an open windshield. There are good Youtube videos on how to open the windshield if you're unfamiliar. You just need to remove the four bolts that keep the windshield on with the supplied rachet and T40 bolt that came (hopefully!) with your rig and open the windshield a tad (an inch of two) to get the ball stretch ties around it. You need not remove the windshield wipers for such a small windshield opening. Or put neo neodymium magnets in the double 2" fold in front and attach it to the top of the "A" pillar.

Or buy one.

 

[wolverine113]

Question for all..
I am patiently waiting for my JL Rubicon to be shipped. I ordered the hard top, but wish now I had ordered both tops. Has anyone bought an aftermarket soft top, and are they even available yet? I looked at the quadratech site but it appears there are none available.
Secondly, does anyone have an opinion on the mesh tops. I know there are a few (Alien, etc.) out there, and it looks like they may be easier to get than the full top. Any thoughts are appreciated.....

I bought mine with the hard top only in January and was told by my dealer that he could get a soft top in 2 weeks for me. Now here we are in late June and they are nowhere in sight. It sounds like they may not be available to Fall or maybe even later. I am extremely frustrated with this situation since I want to have the option of going topless without getting soaked. The hard top is not that easy to take on and off so you have to commit one way or the other. There are no aftermarket soft tops whatsoever and none available from Mopar. I have the Alien shade which is really nice and easy to install but does not stop rain much at all.

Sponsored