Is hardtop wiring ready for stock soft tops?

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BayTJ

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Nov 22, 2017
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Bay Village, OH, United States
Hi All

So I may have an opportunity to buy a factory hard top for the winter months. My 2002 TJ came stock with a soft top. Are there pre-run wires for the rear wiper, fluid, and defrost?

Thanks
 
Sometimes there is, other times there isn't. Does your TJ have the rear wiper switch and rear defrost switch in the center dash area?
 
None of that wiring would be present if the Jeep didn't come with a hard top from the factory. I had to buy Jeep's wiring harness kit and install it when I bought a hard top soon after buying my new TJ. It was not an easy job, there was a lot to it. I have read that wiring harness kit, which includes a relay, switches, different washer bottle design, etc., is no longer available.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
None of that wiring would be present if the Jeep didn't come with a hard top from the factory. I had to buy Jeep's wiring harness kit and install it when I bought a hard top soon after buying my new TJ. It was not an easy job, there was a lot to it. I have read that wiring harness kit, which includes a relay, switches, different washer bottle design, etc., is no longer available.
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That's a bummer!
 
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BayTJ said:
Hi Chris! That was a fast reply! Happy New Year!

Anyway, I do not have the switches above the Cigarette lighter. I have all blanks!
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Because you have all blanks and the add-a-hardtop wiring kit is no longer available for the 97-02 model years you are looking at needing to buy the wiring harness/switches/relay/different washer bottle used from a Jeep specialized pick-and-pull if you wanted to add it. The 03-06 model TJ's still have a kit you can add hardtops to, although that will be disappearing soon enough as well.
 
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JamesAndTheSahara said:
Because you have all blanks and the add-a-hardtop wiring kit is no longer available for the 97-02 model years you are looking at needing to buy the wiring harness/switches/relay/different washer bottle used from a Jeep specialized pick-and-pull if you wanted to add it. The 03-06 model TJ's still have a kit you can add hardtops to, although that will be disappearing soon enough as well.
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Will an 03-06 wiring harness fit an 02? What changed on it after 2002? Also, if the top is from 03-06 will that have different connections that I would need that harness instead of one pre 2002?
 
BayTJ said:
Will an 03-06 wiring harness fit an 02? What changed on it after 2002? Also, if the top is from 03-06 will that have different connections that I would need that harness instead of one pre 2002?
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Oh crap I forgot something really terrible. There are actually 3 different wiring kits... 97-00, 01-02, 03-06. Forgot my buddy had hell going through this on his ride. Let me do a bit of research and get back to you.
 
Ok here is some useful information:
What we need to know is what year hardtop you have (With or without vents).
 
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JamesAndTheSahara said:
Ok here is some useful information:
What we need to know is what year hardtop you have (With or without vents).
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I see vents on the sides...would that indicate a year? I just asked the seller what year as it does not say in the ad.
 
JamesAndTheSahara said:
Ok here is some useful information:
What we need to know is what year hardtop you have (With or without vents).
Click to expand...

Ok. He said it was from a 2003!
 
bobthetj03 said:
03-06 hard top had no side vents. They change the tail gate those years and vented via the gate.
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Here are the pics: Any way to tell a year? Is there a part # stamped inside?
IMG_3344.JPG
IMG_3345.JPG
 
BayTJ said:
Here are the pics: Any way to tell a year? Is there a part # stamped inside?
View attachment 28037 View attachment 28038
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Basically what you have is the hard top with the 97-02 vents. So your best option here is going to be to modify a harness or find an original to install the wiring harness in your 02 wrangler. I'll see if I can find anything else useful.
 
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BayTJ said:
So with all this hassle, if hard top was not stock, how many guys just have the hard top without wiper and defrost wired in?
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Nearly every single person I know running a 97-02 TJ does not have them wired in. Very few models came with it wired in and required either the dual top/hard top from the factory and possibly could have had the dealership add it in.
 
I bought and installed the kit for my 2004 SE this past fall. It took a few hours but I didn't find it too difficult to install, although it definitely was not just plug and play. I removed the driver's seat to make the wiring work under the dash easier.
 
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