Tips to open soft top while driving?

[Fudster]

@Bzinsky

Let's say you were on a private road, alone. I'd say that your pursuit of efficiency in moving your soft top and vehicle at the same time was a bit extreme for me, but respect it as your "cup of tea,."

The issue for me though is that the accident you may have on public roads doing this may effect others.

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[Bzinsky]

@Bzinsky

Let's say you were on a private road, alone. I'd say that your pursuit of efficiency in moving your soft top and vehicle at the same time was a bit extreme for me, but respect it as your "cup of tea,."

The issue for me though is that the accident you may have on public roads doing this may effect others.

I don’t think you’re imagining it correctly if driving safety is your first thought

 

[TheNewGuy]

While we are on this subject, are there supposed to be two lumps in the soft top at the first bow? One from the bow and then a second from the folding mechanism about two inches away. I know the one from the bow is definitely normal but its the other one Im not sure about. Seems like it could eventually pop thru the fabric. This would be just above the front doors.

 

[Lightguy]

I say, it’s your Jeep do what you feel good about. But please don’t do it in front of me, I don’t want to get taken out if it goes badly for you.

 

[Fudster]

I don’t think you’re imagining it correctly if driving safety is your first thought

It's not imagination that the street legal park you effect before doing this is the accident you can't cause.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

Sounds like no one uses the Velcro straps to keep the top down, as per the instructions? That could save me 30 seconds!

This. I stop and open it. I don't want the wind to bend the little struts on the sides of the mechanism, or to pinch the top fabric itself and cause a hole or something. I was on the highway on a windy day last year and it looked like it might lift up from a tailwind, so I usually use the velcro straps when flipping the top open, and when dropping the top all the way down.

 

[Bzinsky]

It's not imagination that the street legal park you effect before doing this is the accident you can't cause.

Street legal park you effect?

Like at a traffic light or stop sign?

I think some of you must live in the sticks and can’t imagine what it is like in a different part of the county. For about 80% of my driving, I come to a stop like every 30 seconds and the fastest speed I’m going 30mph.

The safety issue of this is flat out incorrect. You’re blatantly just making stuff up trying to justify why it’s bad because you just don’t like the idea of it.

 

[Fudster]

Street legal park you effect?

Like at a traffic light or stop sign?

That's not street legal parking. That's stopping in a roadway, albeit for lawful reasons. I think/hope you know that.

I think some of you must live in the sticks and can’t imagine what it is like in a different part of the county. For about 80% of my driving, I come to a stop like every 30 seconds and the fastest speed I’m going 30mph.

I think a lot more than 80% of the time that 100% of us can decide, regardless of locale to open the top (or not) before we even crank the engine. For the few times that that's not the case, we can pull over to focus on opening the top rather than doing so while driving.

The safety issue of this is flat out incorrect. You’re blatantly just making stuff up trying to justify why it’s bad because you just don’t like the idea of it.

@Bzinsky, I hope nothing bad happens, and hopefully it won't. I hope if it does that it's only to your vehicle, worse other vehicles, worse you, and worst of all other people. To my way of thinking, for the few times you can't commit to taking the top down at the beginning of your trip, the increase in safety doing it while parked, small though you claim it to be, is worth it. You're free to disagree, and I believe you came here for the moral support you didn't find because, to use your words, you "do like the idea of it."

Be safe. On the road your safety is everyone else's and vice versa.

 

[Bzinsky]

@Bzinsky, I hope nothing bad happens, and hopefully it won't. I hope if it does that it's only to your vehicle, worse other vehicles, worse you, and worst of all other people. To my way of thinking, for the few times you can't commit to taking the top down at the beginning of your trip, the increase in safety doing it while parked, small though you claim it to be, is worth it. You're free to disagree, and I believe you came here for the moral support you didn't find because, to use your words, you "do like the idea of it."

Be safe. On the road your safety is everyone else's and vice versa.

Do you realize how dramatic that post is.

My jeep exists for my kids to jump on the leather seats with muddy shoes. Climb on the fenders or hood. To get scratched up when I take it off road. To take the doors off and get the interior muddy and hose it down.

My 4xe still has the temp tags on and I have a hole in the soft top from a branch, and I bent my front bumper.

Going to enjoy the hell out of this thing, that includes letting the wind open the top for me on the fly because I understand physics enough to know how not dangerous it is.

The jeep is the only convertible I’ve owned where it is not required to secure the top after you open it. Hell yes I’m letting the wind do the work.

 

[skeptic]

This is my first jeep. I have the base soft top in a 4 door.

So this has to be a thing. Any tricks to opening the soft top while driving?

Right now I wait until I come to a stop, throw it up vertical, and then when I take off I give it a little juice.

My jeep only has 500 miles on it so not sure if it’s a little stiff and it’s possible to throw it up all the way.

Curious if anybody does it while moving. I’m sure there a sweet spot like 5mph or something where the wind forces it back but not enough to slam it.

Thanks!

You're not going to make an friends with a traffic cop who sees that.... not to mention grandma behind you may panic and plow into someone... you really don't have 60 seconds to flip the top down? that seems a bit excessive...

 

[mferrara91]

It literally takes all of 10 seconds to unlatch and push back manually. I guess that’s not efficient.

 

[Fudster]

Do you realize how dramatic that post is.

My jeep exists for my kids to jump on the leather seats with muddy shoes. Climb on the fenders or hood. To get scratched up when I take it off road. To take the doors off and get the interior muddy and hose it down.

My 4xe still has the temp tags on and I have a hole in the soft top from a branch, and I bent my front bumper.

Going to enjoy the hell out of this thing, that includes letting the wind open the top for me on the fly because I understand physics enough to know how not dangerous it is.

The jeep is the only convertible I’ve owned where it is not required to secure the top after you open it. Hell yes I’m letting the wind do the work.

I feel like you've pigeon holed me into "safety" or "fun" as competing ends that can't occur at the same time. They can.

By all means live in your Wrangler as you see fit and describe, without compromising anyone's safety. I agree that a ding here or there is often a small price for the safe fun that went into producing it. And even if I or others felt otherwise: hey, it's your purchase, and it's not like your telling me what to do.

Do "screeching donuts" with it on a closed course away from homes if that's fun for you. Strap the kids in and let them have a grand old time getting spun around.

But on public roads when it's so easy to choose between a safe approach and a less safe one, the former is your best practice.

 

[JohnSarge]

Do you realize how dramatic that post is.

My jeep exists for my kids to jump on the leather seats with muddy shoes. Climb on the fenders or hood. To get scratched up when I take it off road. To take the doors off and get the interior muddy and hose it down.

My 4xe still has the temp tags on and I have a hole in the soft top from a branch, and I bent my front bumper.

Going to enjoy the hell out of this thing, that includes letting the wind open the top for me on the fly because I understand physics enough to know how not dangerous it is.

The jeep is the only convertible I’ve owned where it is not required to secure the top after you open it. Hell yes I’m letting the wind do the work.

IMO, you are the one that comes off as dramatic after reading this whole thread. People are giving you valid reasons why it is not a good idea to do it while driving but saying you do you, and you have already made your mind up that you want to look cool popping the top at a stoplight/sign and letting nature do the rest. If I saw you do that shit I would shake my head and slow down in case it came off. The distraction alone to other drivers with the top sticking in the sky is reason enough for me not to do it, let alone all the other reasons already stated. You do you tho cool guy.

 

[Bzinsky]

It literally takes all of 10 seconds to unlatch and push back manually. I guess that’s not efficient.

Eh its more like 15 seconds.

I open and close the top about 5-10x a day because the kids cars seats get too hot and I can’t remote start cool them down with the open top. On top of all the other processes required for kids, saving 15 seconds everytime I get in the car is awesome. I drive top open every second the weather permits.

This is dismissing the fact that my way probably better for the top longevity than the manual way

 

[Swagger]

Some people like to stir the pot. Others like to take the bait.

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