Soft top guidance needed

[maxcrowley]

Hey everyone, I am looking for some help with my 2003 Tj. It came with a hard top and I’m looking to switch it to a soft top because I primarily use it in the summer here in New England. Can you just buy the soft top or do you need anything else? Something is saying the whole thing saying fabric only and I’m not really able to find the right direction as to what I need and not really sure if you need the rackets or you can just put the soft top on.

 

[The4bangertj]

There are 2 kinds of soft tops. A oem styled with a large frame and a frameless like a best top fast back which still has hardware just not the frame to hold the back corner up.
Both need hardware to mount them, notably the bars that clip the front into the windshield and the door surrounds.
Yes if you need everything find a complete set has. It should say if it’s just the fabric or a complete kit. Just the fabric options are to use your existing hardware but just swap the fabric and windows(this is option for people who have a soft top but it’s old since the hardware doesn’t wear out like the fabric)

 

[maxcrowley]

Thank you so much. That makes more sense. I will look for the complete site as that should have the hardware to mount as well

 

[cpwolf]

I'm not saying buy from there, but a good place to look at them would be Quadretec. Bestop brand is the OEM, or used to be. Just look up Soft Tops, then click garage and put in your year TJ.

You'll see all kinds of options, look at the Bestop, then you can look at others that would be cheaper. Bestop is great quality, but I bought a Quadratec brand for cheaper replacement, I usually leave mine off, and it's been pretty good quality. There are other brands too.

The door surrounds...I'm not sure those come even with the whole top package. That's one thing you should look at...and I've seen them on Facebook Marketplace as well.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/omix/do...z4BX6EAWpe1dZiriO2vj65LijO6oRXVIaArl9EALw_wcB

 

[The4bangertj]

I'm not saying buy from there, but a good place to look at them would be Quadretec. Bestop brand is the OEM, or used to be. Just look up Soft Tops, then click garage and put in your year TJ.

You'll see all kinds of options, look at the Bestop, then you can look at others that would be cheaper. Bestop is great quality, but I bought a Quadratec brand for cheaper replacement, I usually leave mine off, and it's been pretty good quality. There are other brands too.

The door surrounds...I'm not sure those come even with the whole top package. That's one thing you should look at...and I've seen them on Facebook Marketplace as well.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/omix/do...z4BX6EAWpe1dZiriO2vj65LijO6oRXVIaArl9EALw_wcB

I know best tops comes with everything including the door surrounds. Not sure about other brands since they very a bit.

 

[inline6aficionado]

I pieced together an OEM soft top setup for my TJ which came factory with only the hardtop . IIRC I needed:
1. Soft top itself obviously (the big fabric piece, including the support bows and header bar with the latches to connect it to the windshield, etc).
2. The soft top brackets for the sport bar ("Soft top roll bar disconnects")
3. The flat bracket that attaches to top of the tailgate/rear door.
4. Door surrounds
5. Windows ofc

I had to source the brackets from one of the jeep parts sellers on eBay but they weren't too crazy, maybe $50. After I did all that I immediately removed it and put on a Bestop safari top

Agree with the consensus that the easiest approach is to get a Bestop one which includes all the hardware needed. What I did was cheaper but for sure more annoying.

 

[The4bangertj]

I’d also recommend for the budget sided things, finding a used top on marketplace for super cheap like 50-200 bucks. Cheap ones you’ll do the fabric swap on but you get the hardware for cheaper the buying a best top.

 

[Daryl]

I’d also recommend for the budget sided things, finding a used top on marketplace for super cheap like 50-200 bucks. Cheap ones you’ll do the fabric swap on but you get the hardware for cheaper the buying a best top.

This is what I did,

 

[TheBoogieman]

FB Marketplace is the way to go.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:46e7e948-9901-46d9-b7e0-4e9f52ebf915