Would it be safe to drive with the hardtop rear window open?

[DWR]

Random question… I know the prior owner used to do it for more airflow at times but….

Is it ok, dangerous or whatever to drive your jeep with the hardtop rear window open? Does anyone do it on here? I haven’t ever personally done it, but the prior owner drove it to meet me like this.

 

[Austin O.]

Fwiw, I drive my dads jk like that, and he commonly does as well. Don’t know if that’s different from a tj hardtop though, I only have a soft one.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Doing so can draw carbon monoxide into the interior in some situations.

 

[DWR]

Doing so can draw carbon monoxide into the interior in some situations.

Stricktly would only be doing so when the front windows are open or doors off so I’d think it that would be avoided right? Also, only when on paved roads… don’t want to break that precious rear window

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Should be fine with the front windows open.

 

[RINC]

Should be fine with the front windows open.

Miss read that. I thought you typed front windshields.

 

[C.J. Roberts]

When I had my YJ, it had a hard top. When I put the 31s on it, the rear window could rest on the tire so that it was open a few inches. I tied the window down to the tire so that it wouldn't flop around. Gave the dogs some fresh air, too.

 

[KennethS]

Wondering if the glass bouncing would cause stress cracking in the hard top.

 

[AndyG]

I remove my hard top completely, then open the rear window, and drive around like that a lot. If it gets cold, I go home and close it, but that doesn’t help much.

 

[Rickyd]

I've had gas struts fail on both my tj and different camper shells after going down the road with the rear hatch open. They don’t like the constant movement

 

[The4bangertj]

Ya I’ve done it a lot and on smooth roads it’s fine but any bumps wears the struts out ( did it a ton one year in highschool and they didn’t last the full school year) and I always fear it it smacking and breaking the glass on the spare tire if it was a trail. As well at lower speeds (windows down) the exhaust fumes can get drafted in but never been more than a second or 2 and often when I’m taking off at a stop or red light.

 

[DWR]

I've had gas struts fail on both my tj and different camper shells after going down the road with the rear hatch open. They don’t like the constant movement

Ya I’ve done it a lot and on smooth roads it’s fine but any bumps wears the struts out ( did it a ton one year in highschool and they didn’t last the full school year) and I always fear it it smacking and breaking the glass on the spare tire if it was a trail. As well at lower speeds (windows down) the exhaust fumes can get drafted in but never been more than a second or 2 and often when I’m taking off at a stop or red light.

Good thought, might be smart to get a couple of these to keep from relying on the struts then


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091L9NBWY/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[P man]

I wouldn't for a couple reasons..as Jerry mentioned carbon monoxide but also taking a chance of damaging the back window somehow. They are expensive to replace

 

[RINC]

I wouldn't for a couple reasons..as Jerry mentioned carbon monoxide but also taking a chance of damaging the back window somehow. They are expensive to replace

A side story, my dad would complain about fumes driving my busses. Found out he would have the rear open without the windshields at least cracked open.

 

[DWR]

A side story, my dad would complain about fumes driving my busses. Found out he would have the rear open without the windshields at least cracked open.
View attachment 416296

Ok, so fold down my windshield and wear a face shield… ok lol


Hell it might improve MPG (obviously I know you can’t do that for a number of reason, one being making your hardtop into a flying object)

 

[MountaineerTom]

If the struts are weak, or you hit a big enough bump, you might be in for a bad day.

I was sitting in a parking lot once waiting for my wife to come out of a store. An SUV drove by with the rear window opened up and drove over a speed bump in the parking lot. They weren’t going fast at all, but when the rear wheels came down off the speed bump to the normal parking lot surface, the window slammed down and shattered.

 

[RINC]

Ok, so fold down my windshield and wear a face shield… ok lol


Hell it might improve MPG (obviously I know you can’t do that for a number of reason, one being making your hardtop into a flying object)

Having never owned a hardtop, how reasonable is it to pull the rear glass?

 

[DWR]

Having never owned a hardtop, how reasonable is it to pull the rear glass?

Having never done it but knowing how the hinges are attached, not difficult at all other than being cumbersome (not dropping the window).

But my reasoning is being able to drive to the campsite with hardtop on and close it up at night to sleep inside

 

[P man]

A side story, my dad would complain about fumes driving my busses. Found out he would have the rear open without the windshields at least cracked open.
View attachment 416296

Like a vacuum

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I still remember when I was about 8 years old how enthusiastic my dad was about the time my mom backed their Explorer out of the garage with the rear window up, catching it on the bottom lip of the garage door and shattering it in a billion pieces with a sound approximating a shotgun blast.