Hard top vs soft top
- Thread starter Erik V
- Start date
Nah, I doubt it. The windows don't weigh that much and they're supported really well by the material underneath. I've had my top 3-4 years and have never noticed the slightest bit of sag. The worst thing you get is a slight bulge at the back end of the top when the windows are stored inside, but it's very minimal.
No issue at all. You're definitely not going to roll it up as tight as that photo shows, the plastic channel in the windows is not quite that flexible. It rolls up with about a 5" void in the middle. In fact, I got one of those hard foam rollers people use to roll their muscles on at the gym, it's the same width as that window roll. I roll that in the middle of the windows to keep them shaped correctly. Doesn't add any weight to it. When the roll is empty, I leave the foam roller in the rolled up case.
I am only about 8 months in to my first TJ. It came factory with a hardtop, I bought a complete Bestop soft top for summer time. That being said, when I went to put the hard top back on the first time after installing the soft top, I notice the back glass wouldn't close all the way because of the brackets that hold the soft top's rear window retainer bar.
How are you handling this? I don't want to have to remove those brackets everytime I change tops.
I don't recall needing to remove anything other than the door surrounds when switching tops. Can you post up a photo of how the rear brackets are mounted?
(I sold my hardtop last year since I enjoy the soft top more for ease of removal, I don't DD my jeep, and the hardtop took up way to much room.)
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The rear window brackets need to be removed for the hard top to be installed. The brackets he is referencing are what the bottom of the back window's crossbar slot into. Without removing the 4 screws for those brackets, the hardtop won't close fully.
EDIT:
These:
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...HMQFTydbOVM46B2ZJ9tOn3vImtRVrhtMaArzjEALw_wcB
EDIT:
These:
https://www.quadratec.com/products/...HMQFTydbOVM46B2ZJ9tOn3vImtRVrhtMaArzjEALw_wcB
That's a pita, that's what I was afraid of. I'm going to try to find a way to put a female threaded insert there to screw into so I'm not in and out of the body everytime.
Thanks for the feedback.
Rubicon John
TJ Enthusiast
I think people underestimate the Florida heat. It’s actually an awful convertible environment. It’s way too hot. I lived there for 25 years. If it was me I’d have a hard top and the A/C on. I’d also feel better about driving in the constant summer rain with a hard top. There is a month or so in the winter where no top would be nice though.
I don't believe that is the case. My 98 TJ came from the factory as a dual top. I bought it with the hardtop and it still had those brackets fastened to the tub. Rear window closed just fine and the top was secure. The brackets were not an issue.
The thing I hate most about the soft top is the rear window. PIA to open or remove. I've considered switching to a hard top just because I hate the rear window so much. This time of year, I remove the rear window and just run without it. Of course, this leads to lots of dirt in the rear storage and the rest of the cab.
The other cons to the soft top is that they wear out vs. the hard top that doesn't.
Cons of the hard top are weight and that you can damage it if you let it touch the rocks.
The other cons to the soft top is that they wear out vs. the hard top that doesn't.
Cons of the hard top are weight and that you can damage it if you let it touch the rocks.
I have had 2 of the Rampage tops, neither lasted more than a year before the stitching started to disintegrate down here in Florida.
I’ve heard multiple people say this so it might be true for OEM brackets. My suspicion is that besttop brackets are a little different. I know on my bestop
brackets, I have to remove them for the hardtop to close.
Looking at the molded plastic on the inside bottom of my back glass and then looking at images of the OEM bracket, it appears that the OEM bracket is significantly taller to accept the molded plastic piece on the glass. The Bestop bracket appears to be shorter and is offset.
I'm wondering now, if I could simply but the OEM brackets and use an OEM tailgate bar on my Bestop rear window?
Otherwise I'm going to try to either put a threaded insert into the body to screw into, or try to key hole the brackets so the screws can stay in and the brackets can slide on and off (being retained in their locked position by the tailgate bar to keep them from inadvertantly coming off).
Thoughts?
PS I don't have a garage or anything to rig to overhead to hoist the hardtop on and off, so having the soft top on in summer allows me to lower it by myself. I seek the help of a friend or neighbor when I get ready to swap them for the season.
I'm wondering now, if I could simply but the OEM brackets and use an OEM tailgate bar on my Bestop rear window?
Otherwise I'm going to try to either put a threaded insert into the body to screw into, or try to key hole the brackets so the screws can stay in and the brackets can slide on and off (being retained in their locked position by the tailgate bar to keep them from inadvertantly coming off).
Thoughts?
PS I don't have a garage or anything to rig to overhead to hoist the hardtop on and off, so having the soft top on in summer allows me to lower it by myself. I seek the help of a friend or neighbor when I get ready to swap them for the season.
I love both type tops. My 03 is the only Jeep of 9 I've owned that had one. It's nice. Not essential, but a nice option.
In the CJ 80's era a hard top was the only way you're going to get anywhere close to a modern vehicle climate controlled environment ... The soft tops improve significantly with the yjs and beyond.
In the CJ 80's era a hard top was the only way you're going to get anywhere close to a modern vehicle climate controlled environment ... The soft tops improve significantly with the yjs and beyond.
It is just 4 screws into the body. I was concerned that removing/replacing them seasonally over time wouldn't be good for the body. I never had to do this on my YJ's so I have no experience with it.
Jeremy007
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Jeremy007
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