Had a buddy that would always use his after a round of golf mid summer. It never made sense to me at the time. Then as I aged I started to understand.
Hard top vs. soft top (or to switch or not to switch?)
- Thread starter Kurt_S
- Start date
Had a buddy that would always use his after a round of golf mid summer. It never made sense to me at the time. Then as I aged I started to understand.
Stupidest thing. I bought a new RAM truck in 2020 and my absolute favorite feature is the heated steering wheel. I turned the damn thing on today when the temperature was in the 40's, for my morning commute!
I'll follow you someday! A ram 2500 is on my plan in the next few years. I don't like being swassy, but warm hands I am cool with since all new vehicles insist on leather.
A proud moment in my life when I could walk into a dealer and pay cash. Being debt free is a good feeling!
A proud moment in my life when I could walk into a dealer and pay cash. Being debt free is a good feeling!
That's my wife and my plan, so the LJ is a "family vehicle" for now (in addition to the also paid off family wagon - a Hyundai).
Mousy Orla
TJ Enthusiast
I know I'm definitely changing over to a hard top when I'm able to find one cheap enough.
Hell,I'd straight up trade but that's not likely.
Gonna check FB marketplace and salvage yards.
Hell,I'd straight up trade but that's not likely.
Gonna check FB marketplace and salvage yards.
I put a hardtop on Red LJ a year or two ago and haven't looked back, but this one is a pavement princess. I have dogs I take along and it was obnoxious to deal with the zippers on the rear window. And loading groceries or using the back for anything at all was a PITA. Visibility sucks thru the plastic windows and it's loud driving around and I had to crank the radio to the point of trashing my speakers to just hear it. And — to me — worst of all is the smell of the musty old vinyl top, it's nasty. I do have a shop so if I were to decide I want to take this Jeep off road, I will hang the hardtop and put the soft top on as rotating in the mud and tree roots and tapping trees with the top is common where I wheel my JK.
Overall i am okay with soft top, but damn zippers is the reason why i have hard top on my buy list. Using the back is pita for me as well, during summer i can at least win the fight and zip up rear, but when temp drops i have to use pliers. Added Hothead insulator 2 years ago, it was fine until last January stitches for upper zippers ripped off, now it is hanging on velcros.
Had a soft top for 6 years and just got a hard top recently and installed a hotheads headliner and it’s a game changer on the highway , so much quieter . I had a bestop sailcloth before and it was nice but would rattle and flap around and was much louder. Love my hardtop , especially for access to the “trunk”
biggrigg49
Member
I have both tops but prefer the hard top. Don't mind the soft top just prefer the hard top in winter and no top in summer. To me full doors make a lot more difference. I hated trying to look through the plastic windows.
I've been a big fan of the alien shade/spiderweb style, but due to space constraints I end up with the hard top on 98% of the time. But when I bought a 2nd TJ I moved the hard top to it, while shopping for some soft top components (the plan was to soft top on the 02, hard top on the97). I opted for a frameless, but figured why not try it out on the 97. Turns out I like it a lot more than the mesh style. I'm not convinced the solid roof doesn't hold in more heat than the mesh, but the 100% reduction in sun is a net benefit, even with these cooler temps we've had. My new plan is to see how I like the soft top over the winter, and then make a more final decision about hard vs soft top. But I've pretty much settled on soft top > mesh top, at least for my tastes.
Hard top Pluses:
Cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
Security your stuff is not getting stolen by just grabbing and going. I always have a truck long gun and spare pistol in the Jeep.
You can hear the stereo and talk on the phone.
Just did and 80 mile run on dirt roads, no dust inside, unlike our trail buddies who were covered in dust.
Minuses:
Hot in the Summer Cold in the winter.
Opps your stuff got stolen.
What did you say I cant hear you with all the wind noise.
How do I get all the dust out of my Jeep interior.
Cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
Security your stuff is not getting stolen by just grabbing and going. I always have a truck long gun and spare pistol in the Jeep.
You can hear the stereo and talk on the phone.
Just did and 80 mile run on dirt roads, no dust inside, unlike our trail buddies who were covered in dust.
Minuses:
Hot in the Summer Cold in the winter.
Opps your stuff got stolen.
What did you say I cant hear you with all the wind noise.
How do I get all the dust out of my Jeep interior.
I hated my soft top. Looking out the plastic windows or having to roll them up was a PIA. If I just removed the door windows and rolled up the back the road dust would circulate from the back to the front. I went the 2 jeep route. My YJ has only had a bikini top for 20yrs. I bought my TJ with a hard top and AC so the wife can travel in comfort. The extra weight is not an issue for the wheeling that I do. For my climate I’ll take the bikini top over a full soft top every time. It’s nice to have options.
First winter, would you tell more about windows in winter? '03 Wrangler with soft top. Only had it a week
No kidding!
Advice on material?
The door skins need replaced and my order has shipped but I have no problem returning for better quality.
I bought diamond and only found out about twill today. Different terms for the material being used makes it hard when you are just getting started.
Need solid advice.
I am running a RT Offroad(rebadged Rampage) frameless and Bestop upper door halves. I get 4ish years out of them by keeping them clean as best as I can, avoiding heavy snow accumulation and giving the Jeep time to warm up during the colder days some to give the windows a fighting chance. I also live where I do not have to worry about morons poking at the thing either.
My comment was going to be for all the softtop fanboys decide to sell hardtop, its interesting didn't have any trouble selling!
Full disclosure. I have a like new never used MOPAR soft top with all the hardware I bought for 250 bucks in 2006 or so. I never put it on because I didn't want to stink up my primo top and full doors. I do run with the windows down lol and never use the air.
my jeep came with a hardtop and didn’t even consider buying one with a soft top. buying a lange power hoist was $ well spent. try to run warmer months with bikini top and no doors. hardtop and doors just went back on a couple weeks ago. couple friends have had soft top jeeps and zippers were a pia in colder weather. love my hardtop.
Road spray on paved and even worse dirt roads is a pain in the butt to clean off without scratching the plastic windows.
The film seems to degrade quickly getting hazy , ( this may be a Colorado Rockies UV problem ) .
If that's not enough fun , try using the rear window zipper when it's cold out ! If you can fight the zipper open using vise -grips and spray lube , the window
doesn't want to close again. You end up waiting for a warmer day with the window in the sun. you will replace the rear window every 3 years if it's a daily mountain driver.
None of these issues happen with the hardtop.
If your Jeep is a summer only toy you will likely delay having these problems for a while.
Welcome to the Forum ! , Have a blast with you Jeep!
Ok, I’m gonna spill the beans and tell him the of the story now- he has to fill out the application with all his information and climate data and we( The Counsel of Regional Directors) review and make a decision in 90 days, no seasonal exemptions are allowed and once he makes the change (if approved) he has to run it on that vehicle 12 months before reapplying for another top.
I know ya’ll think all that will scare him off but people need to know up front we have a lot of rules. We can’t just have people running around doing whatever, the next thing you know he will have an angry bird grill and dash full of ducks.
Makes me want to sand my nipples off with a die grinder.
I know ya’ll think all that will scare him off but people need to know up front we have a lot of rules. We can’t just have people running around doing whatever, the next thing you know he will have an angry bird grill and dash full of ducks.
Makes me want to sand my nipples off with a die grinder.
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