How to Install Vent in Hardtop

JMT

Just another auto…
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
22,332
Location
🌎
There are a few threads on this topic already, but I think it’s worth a “How-To” thread that includes solutions in the first post.

If you have broken or lost one of your vents in the 97-02 hardtops, this post is for you. If yours is broken you may be able to repair it if you have all the pieces, even if some parts are broke. If you’ve lost it obviously you need to buy a new one. I got one through EBay for around $90 shipped.

The vent is three pieces that make up one part. First, an inner plastic piece with wings that are supposed to catch behind the edges of the hardtop to snap it in place. Second, a rubber weather guard piece. Third, an outer trim piece. These three pieces are all attached from the factory into one part.

Here’s the key: the outer trim piece MUST stay attached to the inner piece for THE vent to stay on your hardtop. Otherwise it will eventually blow out or fall off in a car wash or whatever. The problem is the three pieces are not attached very well, especially now that they are ~20 years old, and if you try to remove it you will probably separate the pieces and now it’s broke.

BROKEN

If yours is broken this section is for you. If it’s not and you just want to install a new part, drop down in the post where important instructions are given so you don’t break yours.

To fix the broken part get it all out of the vent orifice and set it on the bench/table. It’s easy to see how it should all go together. You now see how the factory connected the outer trim piece to the inner piece with wings. There are about 20 of those little spots that are now broken. You can’t JB Weld for Plastics those together. They won’t stay and you’ll just be back at square one, so don’t waste your time. Get a plastic welder from Harbor Freight (~$20 as of Jan 2023). This will be a handy tool for lots of other jobs too.

Follow the instructions using the provided plastic weld sticks. Make sure you have the pieces clamped together before you weld so it’s a tight fit. Weld each spot being careful not to let any of the plastic weld run over the edges (you can remove it with the welder if you do). You can’t have it run over the edges because then it won’t slide into the vent orifice very easily and you may break it again. Doing all this takes ~30 minutes. Let it cool for several minutes. Go on to the Install section since everyone has to do this part.

INSTALL

Now you want to turn your attention to the wings on the sides. These are what allow the part to snap in place when you push the part into the vent orifice. The problem is they have usually flattened out, so they won’t snap in. This is true for brand new Mopar vents too (see my brand new part in pic below). Don’t think “It’s new” and try to just slip the part into the orifice. You may luck out, but you will probably be sorry. You need to get the wings to stick out further. Some have used a shoelace underneath them for a few months (@Reign Mack), but the quickest and easiest way is to use a heat gun to make them stick out more (pics below). Use a flat head screwdriver to pry them out as you put a little heat on each one. It only takes 10-15 seconds. You’ll feel them give. Then remove the heat and hold them bent out till they cool and keep their new shape.

Congratulations. You are now ready to carefully slide the repaired or new part in the hardtop orifice. It should snap in as the wings slip past the inner edge of the hardtop.

Here’s what the wings look like brand new Mopar right out of the box. They are not open enough to grab the edge of the hardtop
B7A77249-3B2C-4261-9496-EA7EEC4DA6E4.jpeg


Here’s the wings after the heat gun treatment.
9BDCFDA8-6291-4825-9263-756FA9C911F4.jpeg

This is a shot of the plastic weld repair.
A7507FAF-AA2F-4159-B786-4AB4FBE91204.jpeg

Installed on the Jeep like new.
0815BE83-AA20-4367-9DCE-2C682F3F8186.jpeg
 
dumb question but can I ask what the purpose of the vent is? Is it to alleviate excess cabin air pressure and vent out stale air? I broke my hard top on a trail, and the one I bought to replace it does not have these vents, plus I noticed the soft uppers on my doors are tight (being forced outward) when I drive at highway speeds.
 
dumb question but can I ask what the purpose of the vent is? Is it to alleviate excess cabin air pressure and vent out stale air? I broke my hard top on a trail, and the one I bought to replace it does not have these vents, plus I noticed the soft uppers on my doors are tight (being forced outward) when I drive at highway speeds.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/hard-top-vent.68593/#post-1278871
You can either purchase a different year top, or do what I did, and get the alternate year tail gate with the integrated vent. You may not be able to find a color match though, as not all colors are found across each year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
dumb question but can I ask what the purpose of the vent is? Is it to alleviate excess cabin air pressure and vent out stale air? I broke my hard top on a trail, and the one I bought to replace it does not have these vents, plus I noticed the soft uppers on my doors are tight (being forced outward) when I drive at highway speeds.

Been wondering the same for a while now!
 
The vents let any pressurized air out. Pressurized air occurs when you close the doors with the windows up, and when you turn on the fan (vent, AC, heat, defrost) that pulls outside air into the cabin. That air has to go somewhere, and all vehicles have vents at the rear to let the air flow through the vehicle from front to rear. Early TJs had them on the sides of the hard top, later TJs have them in the tail gate. Passenger cars have them under the rear fender or bumper covers. If you've ever seen a wrecked car with its bumper off, you can easily see the vents.

Here's a pic from the internet:

maxresdefault.jpg
 
I once bought a hard top that did not have vents. I didn't make it a mile on the highway from the seller before I turned around and brought it back due to a high pitched whistle. The corners of the lift glass pushed open trying to equalize the pressure, and the air flowing out made a very loud, high pitched whistle.