Windshield angles in CJ5 / CJ7 vs YJ / TJ vs JK / JL

psrivats

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As I was drooling at this time capsule CJ7 on Craigslist, I started thinking that the windshield on the TJ doesn't look as steep as the CJ7's. Not sure if this is real or just me imagining it. I have always liked the body lines (not sure what else to call it) connecting the full door/window to the hardtop and the back of the tub in the CJs.

@glwood or @Mr. Bills you guys have had older Jeeps and know these things well. Have the windshield angles always have been getting less and less steep with different generations? The JL is really visibly different than the JK, but I'm not sure about the rest.
 
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The TJ windshield does lay back further than the CJ ws did. I'm sure aerodynamics were being considered for gas mileage...the JK is even further back, and also no longer flat, but curved also. That took some getting used to in a Jeep.
 
The TJ windshield does lay back further than the CJ ws did. I'm sure aerodynamics were being considered for gas mileage...the JK is even further back, and also no longer flat, but curved also. That took some getting used to in a Jeep.

Thanks. So they *have* been changing that angle over time.

The JK vs JL difference is very visible. The JL windshield even more of a curve to it than the JKs.


JL-vs-JK-Wrangler-Comparison2.jpg
 
I had a CJ-5 before my ‘06 and I thought the angles were pretty much the same.

Pretty much the same? Yes, but maybe not exactly the same. I know your second picture is at it's own angle which can effect what we see but I see about 1" or so difference. Even without that picture I thought the TJ is slanted about 1" farther back. This would be very similar to what happened to the CJ5 itself in 1976. It got the same windshield frame as the CJ7 which was slanted about 1" farther back than the windshields on the CJ5s of 1975 and earlier.
 
The angle can be deceiving. I don’t remember it being very far off at all when standing and looking at it. It was close enough that I was surprised that it was so close for being 30 years apart.
 
psrivats said:
@glwood or @Mr. Bills you guys have had older Jeeps and know these things well. Have the windshield angles always have been getting less and less steep with different generations? The JL is really visibly different than the JK, but I'm not sure about the rest.

The angle of the windshield changed from early to late CJ-5's, I think at the time the wipers were moved from the top to the bottom of the glass. The angle also differs between CJ-7's and YJ's which I discovered when I helped a friend replace his damaged CJ-7 windshield frame with what looked like an identical YJ frame which was just different enough to cause all kinds of consternation when we re-installed his soft top and it no longer fit properly because the windshield angle wasn't the same.
 
That old CJ I had was mangled up mess of parr’s. If I remember correctly in ‘76 the wiper motor moved to the inside of the windshield frame too, instead of outside the window on ‘75 and below. I discovered it had a ‘74 frame and drivetrain, ‘76 body but a dash with the VIN from a ‘75 and titled as a ‘75. There was no VIN tag under the hood on the firewall. The best part though was it was my wife’s family that misled her and sold it to her.

It all worked out though, it led to get the LJ.
 
The angle of the windshield changed from early to late CJ-5's, I think at the time the wipers were moved from the top to the bottom of the glass. The angle also differs between CJ-7's and YJ's which I discovered when I helped a friend replace his damaged CJ-7 windshield frame with what looked like an identical YJ frame which was just different enough to cause all kinds of consternation when we re-installed his soft top and it no longer fit properly because the windshield angle wasn't the same.

Thank you. I thought all CJs had the same angle but very interesting to learn that they have been changing it since pretty far back.

l hope they don't become like today's pickup trucks eventually with really swept back windshields, ha!
 
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That old CJ I had was mangled up mess of parr’s. If I remember correctly in ‘76 the wiper motor moved to the inside of the windshield frame too, instead of outside the window on ‘75 and below. I discovered it had a ‘74 frame and drivetrain, ‘76 body but a dash with the VIN from a ‘75 and titled as a ‘75. There was no VIN tag under the hood on the firewall. The best part though was it was my wife’s family that misled her and sold it to her.

It all worked out though, it led to get the LJ.

That's a real soup of parts in that CJ!
 
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Yes, it was a mess. Fun for a couple years of playing around on the weekends locally, but still a mess. Some guy bought from me to keep on his hunting property.
 
I think there is a small difference. I had to reset my windshield angle when I purchased a hard top. This is from Rally tops web sight.
1. Place your tape on top ledge of the windshield.
jeep-cj5-1pc-install-pre-install2.jpg

2. Extent the tape to the rear of the body.
jeep-cj5-1pc-install-pre-install3.jpg

3. Where the tape hits the body , it should read the value in the chart below. Measure both sides. If it does, put the top on. If not, go to step 4.
  • CJ 5 (1972-1975) — 70 3/4”
  • CJ 5 (1976-1983) — 67 1/4 “
  • CJ 7 & YJ — 75 1/8”
  • CJ 8 — 97 11/16”
  • TJ — 75 1/8”
  • Unlimited — 89 7/16”
Added missing measurements
 
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I think there is a small difference. I had to reset my windshield angle when I purchased a hard top. This is from Rally tops web sight.
1. Place your tape on top ledge of the windshield.
View attachment 91352
2. Extent the tape to the rear of the body.
View attachment 91353
3. Where the tape hits the body , it should read the value in the chart below. Measure both sides. If it does, put the top on. If not, go to step 4.
  • CJ 5 (1972-1975) — 70 3/4”
  • CJ 5 (1976-1983) — 67 1/4 “
  • CJ 7 & YJ — 75 1/8”
That is good to know when I lower the windshield on the YJ...that way the top goes back on where it belongs...
 
So I did some reading on this topic. And you guys were all correct. The windshield angle has indeed been SLOWLY becoming less and less vertical over the years. It's pretty visible if you carefully compare photos of the old wartime Willys jeeps to the CJ-3a/3bs to the CJ5/CJ7s and then the wranglers. It's not very apparent till you get to the YJ/TJ era. I also noticed that the hardtop edges have also been getting softer over time. Part of the old-timey look is in the straighter angles in my opinion and why the older jeeps look so stately.
 
Notice the jk/jl have no outer trim ring on the window ...just glass, a gap, then the frame . Seems they would collect bugs and also break easier .
 
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Notice the jk/jl have no outer trim ring on the window ...just glass, a gap, then the frame . Seems they would collect bugs and also break easier .

The way the JL windshield folds down being so different from the previous Jeeps makes me sad. Only the glass folds down .. the A-pillar doesn't like in previous generations. I guess this will be the first Jeep feature to go away eventually in the future.

Wrangler-JL-windshield-down.png
 
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The way the JL windshield folds down being so different from the previous Jeeps makes me sad. Only the glass folds down .. the A-pillar doesn't like in previous generations. I guess this will be the first Jeep feature to go away eventually in the future.

It's not just the glass, the frame and all fold down, which is easy enough now that the roll cage doesn't have to be unbolted every time. Unfortunately, that A pillar looking thing is part of the ugliness that makes up the rest of their so called roll cage. Made out of stamped sheet metal that is pretty squared off, it's the first roll cage that looks like everyone at the factory was having such a big party they forgot to weld the roof on.
 
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It's not just the glass, the frame and all fold down, which is easy enough now that the roll cage doesn't have to be unbolted every time. Unfortunately, that A pillar looking thing is part of the ugliness that makes up the rest of their so called roll cage. Made out of stamped sheet metal that is pretty squared off, it's the first roll cage that looks like everyone at the factory was having such a big party they forgot to weld the roof on.

Oh wow. That's the roll cage!? Did not know that.
 
Oh wow. That's the roll cage!? Did not know that.
Man that is too weird. I’m just not ready for some of the things that are coming our way. For most of my life , a CJ-7 was the dream, and when I got back into Jeeps, a TJ gave you about the same look, coil springs , way more comfort and snug top. I feel like the guy who still has a Cheryl Tiegs poster.