Another sagging hardtop question

[bigjeffb]

I tried searching here and other forums to see if anyone has come across a fix for this yet.
The hardtop for my 04 Sport is sagging on the outer shell only just enough to have a puddle form every time it rains. Inner shell is fine, and almost no flex. BTW it's not the original top. PO bought this somewhere before selling it
I know lots of people have had it over the years, but has anyone successfully experimented and found a fix? (Other than going to soft tops or no top at all )
Or is it prevalent on only certain years?

 

[Chris]

Looks like an aftermarket hardtop. An OEM hardtop wouldn't do this. Not that I've ever seen at least.

 

[bigjeffb]

Looks like an aftermarket hardtop. An OEM hardtop wouldn't do this. Not that I've ever seen at least.

I've seen and heard plenty of OEM hardtops have done this.

 

[ColoJeep]

I've seen and heard plenty of OEM hardtops have done this.

For what it's worth , Our two hardtops have always lived outside since 2008 and 2011 and have had 5 feet of snow on top and still look factory fresh.

 

[bigjeffb]

For what it's worth , Our two hardtops have always lived outside since 2008 and 2011 and have had 5 feet of snow on top and still look factory fresh.

Out of curiosity, what years are they? I'm wondering if it's a model year defect

 

[ColoJeep]

Out of curiosity, what years are they? I'm wondering if it's a model year defect

A 1999 and a 2004.

 

[KennethS]

For what it's worth , Our two hardtops have always lived outside since 2008 and 2011 and have had 5 feet of snow on top and still look factory fresh.

Same with mine (early version with vents) sitting outside for over 20 years during 115+ summers. The paint is faded and the surface resin is deteriorating, but no sagging.

 

[Rickyd]

My 97 top is the same way. I've started putting a 4x4 under the spot that sags to bubble it upwards when I take it off for 9 months of the year. Hopefully the heat of summer will mold it back up?

Speaking of heat. It's possible VERY careful use of a heat gun could do the trick. But I'd want to do some research on the type of plastic our tops are made from and how it responds to heat

 

[Chris]

I've seen and heard plenty of OEM hardtops have done this.

In all my years on the forum I don't think I've ever seen a post about it. Interesting!

 

[zebra12]

I have a 2006 Mopar TJ hardtop; it sags a little. When I first got the top, I placed a jack with slight upward pressure on a 2x4 to spread the load on the underside of the top. It helped a little.

 

[ChasUGC]

I've seen and heard plenty of OEM hardtops have done this.

It really doesn't make sense to ask if it is prevalent, and then insist that it is. Better just to ask if there is a fix. Just sayin'. I've had my OEM since '97 and haven't experienced it. Maybe it was store outside with weight on it and sagged in the elements. It's plastic so there is no fix, that I've ever heard or seen this problem in over 25 years of wrangler ownership.

 

[CMBD]

My 98 hardtop has the same issue. Spent more of its life indoors than out, so not out in the elements with weight on it.

Just sayin

 

[bigjeffb]

It really doesn't make sense to ask if it is prevalent, and then insist that it is.

I asked if anyone had a fix. I didn't insist on anything. I also asked if it was prevalent on any particular years.

 

[bigjeffb]

In all my years on the forum I don't think I've ever seen a post about it. Interesting!

I think I found one or two here, and the same on a couple other forums. Some of them pretty old, and a lot of the responses were, "yeah mine does that too". Just thought I'd see if anyone came up with something.

 

[ChasUGC]

My 98 hardtop has the same issue. Spent more of its life indoors than out, so not out in the elements with weight on it.

Just sayin

I don't know. I've never heard of that until now. And my 1997 spent 10 years in 100 degree temperature in the valley. And, it didn't start to melt or sag like that.

 

[SRCustom]

Looks like an aftermarket hardtop. An OEM hardtop wouldn't do this. Not that I've ever seen at least.

I'm 95% certain that's a factory top because it's the same, identical top that I have... (Chrysler emblems in all three pieces of glass.) Mine is the same color, and has the same defect to the same degree as what's in the OP's picture. I don't, however, know what year my top is; it's not original to my '97, and it's the later ventless type.

As for a fix, I dunno. The plastic/fiberglass (whatever it is) is just kind of floppy there, with no apparent structural rigidity. The only fix I can think of would be to glass in some hoops--like bowed fiberglass tent rods--on the bottom side, but that would be dorky, and be more work than it's worth. But I'm biased... I think this hardtop looks ghey AF to begin with, and I always look for the first opportunity to take it off in the spring.

[edit] The more I think about it, it might be possible to glass a rigid FRP panel to the underside, but I don't know what the top is actually made of, and whether or not it would tolerate being subjected to the solvents in fiberglass resin... Who wants to be the test subject?

 

[Rickyd]

It really doesn't make sense to ask if it is prevalent, and then insist that it is.

Reading comprehension is a good thing... Where is the assertion that it is common and also asking if it is common?

I tried searching here and other forums to see if anyone has come across a fix for this yet.

Or is it prevalent on only certain years?

What is being asked is if anyone has fixed this and if some years are more prone than others.

 

[lBasket]

 

[MountaineerTom]

I think I found one or two here, and the same on a couple other forums. Some of them pretty old, and a lot of the responses were, "yeah mine does that too". Just thought I'd see if anyone came up with something.

Like you, I’ve seen posts on this site and other about, but unfortunately never seen a definitive fix.

 

[CMBD]

I don't know. I've never heard of that until now. And my 1997 spent 10 years in 100 degree temperature in the valley. And, it didn't start to melt or sag like that.

Mine spent 04 to 21 in a finished garage in Washington and it is similar to the OPs

Just sayin.