Continuing soft top saga (JKU)

StG58

TJ Guru
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
6,650
Location
Orygun, the wet side...
Never, under any circumstances, allow your wife to buy a JKU if she has driven European luxury cars for the last 35 years. Please, for your sake, just don't go there.

The top STILL leaks a small amount in one spot, and a tiny bit of mold developed on the carpet. It was a crisis of biblical proportions. I'm sure she's noticed that it rains in Oregon, sometimes a lot. Jeep soft tops sometimes let a little water in. Arrgggh!
 
Maybe it's time to buy her a hard top for her birthday, anniversary or what ever is coming up. Win Win. Nothing says I love you more than Jeep parts.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: zip04 and StG58
May it's time to buy her a hard top for her birthday, anniversary or what ever is coming up. Win Win. Nothing says I love you more than Jeep parts.
She's getting more appropriate tires and wheels, though the hard top is on the list. Unfortunately, the hardtops leak as much as the soft tops.
 
I did not realize that the JKU hard top leaked so much. I know several people with them and not a one has leaking issues. Maybe they don't take theirs off enough to cause issues. Wife is wanting her a JKU so I'll keep that in mind. @StG58 maybe you will be ready to pass a good deal along on yours sometime soon.
 
Had to pour water out of my soft upper's yesterday. I don't say this often, but it really is just part of owning a Jeep.
You know that, I know that, wife never got the memo.
I did not realize that the JKU hard top leaked so much. I know several people with them and not a one has leaking issues. Maybe they don't take theirs off enough to cause issues. Wife is wanting her a JKU so I'll keep that in mind. @StG58 maybe you will be ready to pass a good deal along on yours sometime soon.
It's something to look at. Only a small percentage leak, it seems, but it happens enough that there is a factory service bulletin on it and two different patch kits. The wife loves hers, but it has normal Jeep opportunities for improvement. And it's not like the S class she killed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JP98 and PStov98TJ
It's so odd that JKs have this problem with leaking tops. TJs don't have this problem at all!
Really, Jeep's only been doing soft tops since, what, 1941? Besttop redesigned the top on the JK. The JKU's are just nuts to keep weather resistant and the water out.
Ya know? We need to have a local Jeep day at Pacific City or something. Compare Jeeps and get out for a little fun. There's a small trail just north of PC that might be fun to congregate at.

What'cha think, @Chris?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hrothgar
Really, Jeep's only been doing soft tops since, what, 1941? Besttop redesigned the top on the JK. The JKU's are just nuts to keep weather resistant and the water out.
Ya know? We need to have a local Jeep day at Pacific City or something. Compare Jeeps and get out for a little fun. There's a small trail just north of PC that might be fun to congregate at.

What'cha think, @Chris?

Once Summer rolls around, I think that's a good idea! I can never get enough of sitting around at The Pelican and watching people get stuck in the sand! It's too funny!

But yeah, it sounds like Bestop (or Jeep?) really messed up this new soft top design. But you're saying that the hard top leaks too?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hrothgar and StG58
Once Summer rolls around, I think that's a good idea! I can never get enough of sitting around at The Pelican and watching people get stuck in the sand! It's too funny!

But yeah, it sounds like Bestop (or Jeep?) really messed up this new soft top design. But you're saying that the hard top leaks too?
Yup, they went with a design that has two removable panels in the front. They leak sometimes, and right from the factory. Probably tolerance stack in the manufacturing process. It's kind of like the OPDA thing in that some are just fine and some aren't. On the soft tops, the front part of the top folds back. They don't hook into a door surround any longer on the U's on the front door.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Yup, they went with a design that has two removable panels in the front. They leak sometimes, and right from the factory. Probably tolerance stack in the manufacturing process. It's kind of like the OPDA thing in that some are just fine and some aren't. On the soft tops, the front part of the top folds back. They don't hook into a door surround any longer on the U's on the front door.
My 2012 Sport 2-door had the new version of soft top also. I noticed that there was no longer a plastic flap that tucked into the door surround on the new top, probably due to the sunrider feature. I never had it leak while the door was shut, just a lot of water poured onto your left leg (or right leg on the passenger side) when you opened the door after driving through rain. That happens on all soft top Jeeps, though. Early on, I read a lot of gripes about the JK freedom tops leaking, and lots of ideas, tsb threads, etc. on the fixes. The ones I had on my 2007 Rubicon and 2012 Sport never leaked a drop, so it seems it is hit or miss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StG58 and Chris
I'm betting that this old tops didn't leak.

88b249c33dafda52e058709bde0a91af.jpg
 
Well, an update on the fancy new Jeep in the family and the water drips, for those who care.

Went to the local Ace Hardware store on Friday and bought a selection of weather stripping. You know, the stuff that you put around doors and windows to keep the wind and rain from blowing through? Anyway...purchased a selection of that stuff and attacked the passenger door seals on the JKU with it. Started by readjusting the door (again) so that it appeared to fit to the frame perfectly. The door has a slightly different shape than the body, it appears. Strike one for MOPAR. Fiddled around with the soft upper until I got it to fit as well as it could. Then I messed about trimming various bits of sticky backed foam and applying to the back of the factory weather stripping or to the framing behind the factory weather stripping to push it out in the areas that were leaking. A little nudge here, and a little nudge there, as it were. It sure doesn't take much to get the factory stuff to seal correctly, and a little bit too much causes other leaks to appear. A couple of hours fiddling around with it and all seems to be happy at the moment.

At least I got some Jeep time in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris and JP98
Sheesh! Well, I hope it hold up to the rain. I guess you'll know soon enough!
Yup, so far, so good. It didn't leak after this weekends little bout, but there's more to come. At least i know that with enough fiddling about, like most thing Jeep, there is a solution out there somewhere.

This thread reminds me of this ...
(love the smiling dog) ...
View attachment 11784
Love the smiling dog as well! Just wish the wife looked that happy after the inside of her new toy gets a little damp! (second picture) She was reeealy unhappy about this whole thing. And pretty unhappy when I just shrugged and told her it was a Jeep thing the first time she noticed it. Wrong answer!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris