Hi everyone I have a question about soft tops. What is Better a frameless top or the stock hardtop? Are tops with the sun rider feature any good for the tjs? I have an 03 Jeep tj. Thanks
What is better, a frameless top or the stock hardtop?
- Thread starter Aidenk
- Start date
It really comes down to personal preference. With a frameless, you’re going to lose a little bit of cargo space (not that the TJ has much to begin with), but you also don’t have a metal frame to mess with. I’m not too familiar with the newer sun rider feature, but whatever top you do decide to get, go with Best Top.
I’ve found the sunrider feature to be extremely useful. It allows you the option to fold back only the area of the top that’s above the front seats. This provides good air flow and an open top feeling without having to lower or raise the entire top, which would also require removing and reinstalling the windows.
The sunrider was an ‘03-‘06 TJ feature. If you look around, you may be able to find a used top, or at least a used OE frame. Bestop supplied the original tops but the Bestop frame is not exactly the same as what came with our TJs. You have the option of buying an entire top from Bestop or, if you have an OE frame, a replacement top and windows from Bestop.
The sunrider was an ‘03-‘06 TJ feature. If you look around, you may be able to find a used top, or at least a used OE frame. Bestop supplied the original tops but the Bestop frame is not exactly the same as what came with our TJs. You have the option of buying an entire top from Bestop or, if you have an OE frame, a replacement top and windows from Bestop.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
SPECWAR
TJ Enthusiast
Not if you have a top lift in your garage. 10 minutes on or off tops.
I prefer a hardtop. The look is very classy. I have a place to store mine in the garage. If I didn't I might change my mind. I use a SpiderShade when I go topless. I love that thing. People in convertibles are driving around sweating and I'm sitting perfect in my TJ, super comfy!
Soft tops wear out and need replacing after some number of years (probably varies due to climate). I personally think they usually look trashy, but a brand new Bestop looks clean. If they would only stay that way. In the end they are probably more pricey than a hardtop since the best Bestop is around $1K. They also offer less protection from thieves
This is just a preference, everyone has their own opinion.
To each their own. I like hard tops only because I can get $800 for them to buy something more useful. They do nothing better than a soft top, other than add weight. I had a Trektop NX frameless and liked the look, quality, larger side windows and flip back feature that took a minute to open or close.
p.s. Jeeps are boxy looking enough without a hard top.
p.s. Jeeps are boxy looking enough without a hard top.
This being my first I can't comment mush. I like this frameless top with the sides and back off. Keep that upper part on to keep the sun off me head.
I've had an LJ with a hardtop for a few years and I recently picked up a TJ with a worn out factory soft top. I was very surprised to find that the soft top is barely louder on the freeway than the hard top and I am in love with the versatility of it. The hardtop for sure looks nice but I really think I am done with hardtops. I'll probably either sell the LJ or sell the hard top and get a supertop nx kit for it.
I have an original sunrider soft top sitting in my shed because I have nowhere to store my hardtop so its never been on since I bought the TJ, they are hard to store and take up too much room. Both of them.
eventually I will get a Trek top. Shipping costs alone to Oz is at least half the top cost. add tax both sides and its an expensive swap for me
eventually I will get a Trek top. Shipping costs alone to Oz is at least half the top cost. add tax both sides and its an expensive swap for me
I have to agree my hard top looks ugly and odd from the rear but with a black TJ nothing looks good on top because it lacks contrast.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
Huh?
I can literally have a soft top off in 90 seconds.
3 minutes to put on.
The only advantage to a hard top is security.
Soft tops are easier to warm up...
Noise...modern soft tops compared to a hard top is pretty much negligible. Especially considering it's still a hollow tub Jeep which inherently isn’t good with NVH regardless
I've had an LJ with a OEM sunrider top, a TJ with a frameless, and currently have an LJ with hard top.
I had the oem sunrider in Oklahoma. Rain is more predictable, so the need to put the top up in a rush was rare, but when it rains, it rains hard and it rains damn near all day so there's no riding it out like I do in Colorado. I had the frameless in Colorado, left the top on all the time but went without windows except for longer drives with the kids in the back. I don't like being in the sun for extended periods so the sunrider was nice, on both tops, to get the open air feeling without the work of fully putting the top down.
I'm going to get a soft top for the LJ, but the frameless looks a little weird to me with the extra length so I'm leaning toward a framed top. I also like how the side windows on framed tops have the diagonal cloth strip so it folds and rolls up smaller. It's a little bit of a tradeoff though, cause the sail panels on a framed top take a little bit away from the bikini top look the frameless has with the windows out.
After some time with the soft top I may decide to sell the hard top.
I had the oem sunrider in Oklahoma. Rain is more predictable, so the need to put the top up in a rush was rare, but when it rains, it rains hard and it rains damn near all day so there's no riding it out like I do in Colorado. I had the frameless in Colorado, left the top on all the time but went without windows except for longer drives with the kids in the back. I don't like being in the sun for extended periods so the sunrider was nice, on both tops, to get the open air feeling without the work of fully putting the top down.
I'm going to get a soft top for the LJ, but the frameless looks a little weird to me with the extra length so I'm leaning toward a framed top. I also like how the side windows on framed tops have the diagonal cloth strip so it folds and rolls up smaller. It's a little bit of a tradeoff though, cause the sail panels on a framed top take a little bit away from the bikini top look the frameless has with the windows out.
After some time with the soft top I may decide to sell the hard top.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
