Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Rain-proofing hardtop glass

Kinardg7

Kinardg7

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Mar 11, 2020
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South Carolina
So I just got back from camping with my Jeep. It was pouring rain and I found some flaws in my current setup. I found that my rear glass was dumping water in my back cargo area while I was cooking on my tailgate table.
Im looking for a seal that would go between the glass and the hardtop. I have the weather stripping on the hardtop, but I want something to repel water from between the top of the glass and top.
Any ideas are welcome!
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Does water pour in when tailgate is closed, as designed?
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Are you saying the jeep is designed to leak? I'm confused by your question. To answer, no. With the top and tailgate closed, no leak. My problem is with the glass. First off, its angled so water comes from the bottom of the glass, to the top. Secondly, there is no seal at the top. Im looking for ideas to fill that crack.
 
alittleoff said:
Maybe not repel but redirect the water with a pool noddle.
Use a tarp or EZ-up.
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The pool noodle isnt a terrible option, but im looking for something more permanent that I dont have to think about. Like weather stripping that I could double sided tape to the window.

In regards to the tarp idea, of course thats an option, and we had a tarp over the vehicles this weekend. The problem was that the tarp funneled it to the crack. And yeah, thats on me for not putting the tarp up better but I want something I dont have to think about, and to where I dont have to carry something extra.
 
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29A8BE92-49AC-40D8-B97D-FD67FACE7558.png


This would be your only option.
 
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Little ghetto but how about flex seal tape? Tape one side and then the other so both sticky sides face each other... basically that's the weatherstripping you need...a flexible bellow between the hard top and the glass when it's open...right?

IMG_20211221_110609915~2.jpg


-Mac
 
Kinardg7 said:
Are you saying the jeep is designed to leak? I'm confused by your question. To answer, no. With the top and tailgate closed, no leak. My problem is with the glass. First off, its angled so water comes from the bottom of the glass, to the top. Secondly, there is no seal at the top. Im looking for ideas to fill that crack.
Click to expand...
It seems like maybe you're missing the rubber seal/weatherstrip that lives on the lip of the hard top and the glass presses against when it's down. One section of my stripping sometimes will fall out of position, and it never fails that when it does I'll be parked outside during a storm. It leaks like a sieve under those conditions, but if that weather stripping is in place the whole thing stays dry.

I'll take a picture later today.
 
hear said:
It seems like maybe you're missing the rubber seal/weatherstrip that lives on the lip of the hard top and the glass presses against when it's down. One section of my stripping sometimes will fall out of position, and it never fails that when it does I'll be parked outside during a storm. It leaks like a sieve under those conditions, but if that weather stripping is in place the whole thing stays dry.

I'll take a picture later today.
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Ive got the full weather seal on the hardtop it self. No need for the picture my friend. Ive got that lol
 
macleanflood said:
Little ghetto but how about flex seal tape? Tape one side and then the other so both sticky sides face each other... basically that's the weatherstripping you need...a flexible bellow between the hard top and the glass when it's open...right?

View attachment 297714

-Mac
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea. Like you said, a little ghetto, but if it works, it works. If I try this, I will report back here
 
Kinardg7 said:
Are you saying the jeep is designed to leak? I'm confused by your question. To answer, no. With the top and tailgate closed, no leak. My problem is with the glass. First off, its angled so water comes from the bottom of the glass, to the top. Secondly, there is no seal at the top. Im looking for ideas to fill that crack.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm still confused.
It sounded like you don't expect water to get inside when the the tailgate is open (when you're cooking).
Where do you expect the water to go even if it did go around the window channel?
 
As designed by Jeep, water will intrude when the rear glass is open/up.
On my 4-Runner, the lift gate is designed to channel the water down the D pillars.
I don't know if the Cherokee's lift gate is designed that way too. Maybe some one will chime in on that.

And I'm not trying to be a **** but, if I had the time to cook something on a fold down tailgate table, I'd make room for an EZ up.
 
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I get why you want to do this...I live in Oregon and it rains all the time.

Stopping for a quick hot meal is huge for morale.

And if you're wet, cold and exhausted digging a canopy out and trying to unfold it solo absolutely sucks.

A 270 awning on a roof rack might be another solution.

If flex seal works see if you have a local canvas tent manufacturer...they might be able to sew up and rig a strip of canvas that might be more appealing.

You also could attach a metal gutter or drip edge above the glass.

Or find someone good with fiberglass to make a drip rail.

-Mac
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Maybe I'm still confused.
It sounded like you don't expect water to get inside when the the tailgate is open (when you're cooking).
Where do you expect the water to go even if it did go around the window channel?
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Im trying to figure out how to deflect it to the sides. And yeah, I would have thought the design team would have made it so when you got groceries out of the back of the jeep, you dont pour water in. Is not too crazy of me to think that people wouldnt want water pouring in everytime they open the glass.
alittleoff said:
And I'm not trying to be a **** but, if I had the time to cook something on a fold down tailgate table, I'd make room for an EZ up.
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The reason I dont want that is because I dont have a four runner or cherokee. I dont have room for an EZ up in the TJ. I want something I dont have to think about. Something that isnt gaudy, or tacky, but functional and you wouldnt notice it unless I showed you.
 
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macleanflood said:
I get why you want to do this...I live in Oregon and it rains all the time.

Stopping for a quick hot meal is huge for morale.

And if you're wet, cold and exhausted digging a canopy out and trying to unfold it solo absolutely sucks.

A 270 awning on a roof rack might be another solution.

If flex seal works see if you have a local canvas tent manufacturer...they might be able to sew up and rig a strip of canvas that might be more appealing.

You also could attach a metal gutter or drip edge above the glass.

Or find someone good with fiberglass to make a drip rail.

-Mac
Click to expand...
Mac, I like the way you think man. I do have a roof rack, so the awning may be what I need to just nut up and buy. I do like the idea of a drip rail of sorts.

And for reference everyone, this is the gap im working with
IMG_1059.JPEG
IMG_1076.JPEG
IMG_1075.JPEG
IMG_1074.JPEG
IMG_1073.JPEG
 
So you want like a soft gutter fixed to the underside of the top and the glass so the rain runs out the ends? If so i think the water would then pour out the ends causing more problems.

I think a rear awning is your best option given you have a rack plus they are pretty cheap, I have the short rear one on as a side awning and they set up pack down pretty quick, not great in strong wind but I doubt you would be tailgate cooking in strong wind :)
 
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