Bull Dawg LJ Hardtop Initial Impressions

Rolling LJ said:
I've got you boys beat, had this one for almost two months now. ;)

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It's their "Highlander" edition. I originally was going to purchase the regular top with a sunroof but I wanted something that would be able to support the weight of a roof top tent. I specifically wanted the dark khaki color since one, it looks good with the factory paint and two, it doesn't absorb heat as much as my old black hardtop did.

Keep in mind the paint top is textured like a bedliner and NOT smooth like regular paint.

I ordered the top with only the roof rack rails since I want a rack that extends the full length of the roof. I also speced the interior with their "Desert Sand Spice", it looks FANTASTIC. Future plans are a low profile Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform and the associated rack tiedowns and trinkets.

Shipped front Tennessee to Idaho, the grand total with tax was $4048. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? ABSOLUTELY!


Here's some obligatory shots:View attachment 257557
View attachment 257559View attachment 257560View attachment 257561

If you gentlemen have any questions, hit me up.
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That looks great.

Do you have any pictures of the Desert Tan Spice interior?
 
Here ya go my good sir.

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I can get some better shots tomorrow but here are some work parking lot pics.
 
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Here are some better shots of the top. Jeep is in summer mode now.

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You can see the fiberglass sub structure that's molded into the top to provide its 600lb dynamic weight load.

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And a better close up of the texture.
 
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csaxj3 said:
Yessir
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Reviving an old thread - thinking about ordering one of these for myself and going through all the reviews.

Question: anyone have problems closing the rear window? I read one review somewhere that said you had to close the tailgate first, then the window? If so that seems kinda like a PITA if you have a spare on the back.
 
If you’re running a spare, yes, its a bit of a pain to close in the correct order. But I now use the side windows 90% of the time and only use the back for larger objects.
 
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I placed an order for one of their Highlander tops along with a set of hard uppers last week for my TJ. It was expensive but with my build hopefully wrapping up soon, I wanted a good top on my TJ. I had a two-piece hard top that was always missing a side window, but I hurt my back once removing the front section by myself and decided to go with a one piece top in the future.
 
I was wondering if someone could explain to me what the interior finish feels like both physically and atmospherically. Is it paint or something else? I guess I just don't really understand what it actually is.

Not that I'm going to be touching it/rubbing it while I'm driving :oops: but I currently have an aftermarket top with carpet on the inside and I like the feel. But I want a higher quality top.

Also just for anyone wondering regarding rear window closing - my aftermarket top closes the same way as the Bulldawg. If you have a tire carrier it's irrelevant, but if you're running stock It's definitely not ideal... you get used to it, and the plus side is the tailgate will never leak as the seal will close over the tailgate. here's what I do to close it:

close the glass
lift up the glass just a hair (like 1 inch)
close tailgate, it will run the tailgate under the seal, and then the spare carrier will push the glass closed from your hand as you hold the glass open.

I can send anyone a video of how I do this if you are curious.
 
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Gibsonfirebird12 said:
I was wondering if someone could explain to me what the interior finish feels like both physically and atmospherically. Is it paint or something else? I guess I just don't really understand what it actually is.

Not that I'm going to be touching it/rubbing it while I'm driving :oops: but I currently have an aftermarket top with carpet on the inside and I like the feel. But I want a higher quality top.

Also just for anyone wondering regarding rear window closing - my aftermarket top closes the same way as the Bulldawg. If you have a tire carrier it's irrelevant, but if you're running stock It's definitely not ideal... you get used to it, and the plus side is the tailgate will never leak as the seal will close over the tailgate. here's what I do to close it:

close the glass
lift up the glass just a hair (like 1 inch)
close tailgate, it will run the tailgate under the seal, and then the spare carrier will push the glass closed from your hand as you hold the glass open.

I can send anyone a video of how I do this if you are curious.
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Looks like plastic/resign. I'd email bull dawg, see what they say.
 
suicideking said:
Looks like plastic/resign. I'd email bull dawg, see what they say.
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I actually did, I called them and emailed them.

I never got an email response, and I talked to a woman on the phone who did not seem very interested in answering my questions, nor seemed super knowledgable about the tops.

Those two experiences are giving me pause. And also part of why I am asking a lot of questions here.
 
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9-C6-C9-DB6-9-A9-A-4271-BDF6-0-C6355252-BE3.jpg
It’s fiberglass.

Mine is airy as it’s white with random dark sprays. I’ll get a pic tomorrow.

I’m sure you could easily line it.

Try Erin, she was the main POC when I had questions. 423.777.4915
 
Mostly just tagging this thread. Mine is on order (well was ordered 5/19). I currently have a OEM top in good shape, abet the seals are OEM old. Mostly getting it because a huge part of what I am building this LJ for is the roof rack. I kayak, canoe, and fish (including shark fishing which is best done from an elevated platform). I am curious how it will compare to the OEM with regards to leaks, noise, and thermal insulation.

About the only "new" information I can add is that while Bulldawg has traditionally used a 60x54 pioneer platform as an option on their tops, they had a client request an 84x49 on their LJ top and they were very pleased with the results.

As I intend to fish off this platform and carry 20' canoes - the extra length could come in handy. I tried a few different racks on trucks over the last 25 years, and the long canoe really liked to vibrate in the wind. My current canoe carrier was originally designed as a skull carrier, it attaches rigidly to my bars - but ultimately has 96" between the canoe supports - that nicely stopped the vibrations. While I have little doubt I could adapt it to the pioneer platform, I also have yakama bars with rail riders that could also easily attach (If I feel the need to use those bars, I could attach them to the pioneer platform, or to the T-slot rails directly). I put thousands of miles on those bars connected to t-slots 20 years ago. While my current truck system works, the T-slot system was superior. I have popped the current towers off my truck (with the rack loaded) a few times - that is always "thrilling". A little too much on the rack, a little to big of bump, the pads compress and the clamps go "pop"). Luckily I have only hit bumps like that at low speed off road. On a trip right around y2k, I watched 8 boats go flying when a rack had a similar failure at 70mph. During the same trip, I watched one of the guys in our group destroy his land cruiser roof on its first major trip because he had pad mounts rather than t-slots. So, yes, I like T-slot mounts.

Given that fiberglass usually has a gelcoat - my wag is the pattern is something added to a gelcoat. FWIW, if you dig around on their website, you will see they also make small fiberglass sailboats.
 
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