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View Poll Results: Hard top or Soft top or Both?
Hard Top
20.36%
Soft Top
23.95%
Both
55.69%
Voters: 167. You may not vote on this poll

Hard Top or Soft Top and why?

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Old 11-25-2010, 07:51 AM
  #31  
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I only have the Freedom top so thats what I voted for. Weather here is nice 97% of the time so I guess a soft top would be more ideal. But I can take the front panels off and be on the road in less than 3 mins with my hardtop. I know its not the same as going topless but it works for me. Also I like having the security of the hard top.
Old 11-26-2010, 10:08 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by leozimm
I like the hard top for the "look"...see my before and after pictures. btw, I have a really nice soft top now available if anyone local needs one for a fair price....not trying to hi-jack, just an offer.

<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=104416"/><img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=104417"/>
Nice. The hard tops look so much better on 2 doors.
Old 11-26-2010, 10:38 AM
  #33  
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Hard top.

Bought mine used with a soft top that I enjoyed for a season. But, eventually bought a hard top off Craigslist and don't plan on using the soft top again. If I need a top off, I'll use the freedom tops and just take off the back portion.

(FYI, part of my reasoning is based on going to work at 5:00 a.m. every morning on the freeway. If I didn't do so much freeway driving, I might be more inclined to have soft top down and doors off on a regular basis.)

Another factor: Since 90% of my off roading is in desert conditions, I enjoy the protection from the elements (read dust and dirt). Also, the after-Jeeping cleaning is much less intense when the top and doors are on.

All that being said, in a perfect world, the top and doors would be off all the time.
Old 11-26-2010, 10:48 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by HappyCurmudgeon
Western NY winters & zero problems with the soft top only. Originally I considered dual tops to have a hard top for winter, now I am glad I didnt waste the money on it. Windows melt off FAST from the heater and if i didnt have the soft top, i wouldnt be able to do the soft top punch/007 snow release on tailgaters.
Hahaha... that's awesome!! I'll have to remember that trick.

this is my first Jeep... and I have always been a traditionalist... so I went 2dr and soft top... Figure, I've had a 'hard top' vehicle all of my life.

Last edited by TXJfrosty; 11-26-2010 at 11:00 AM.
Old 11-26-2010, 10:57 AM
  #35  
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Hard top. I could only afford one top and since it gets to -40 here in the Winter I chose Hard top.
Old 11-26-2010, 11:16 AM
  #36  
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I started with the freedom top. What a great improvement with the removable panels. The first summer I bought the sun rider after renting a wrangler in California that Christmas, it had a soft top and I got to see what a great improvement it was over the older tops. I put on my softtop in April and by june, have it down with a mesh bikini. Great for hot sunny days and always ready for the rain.
Old 11-26-2010, 11:24 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by azrwilkinson
Thats what I keep telling myself, but the pain of taking the hard top off is starting to get to me. Thinking about a soft top.
I've found just the opposite to be true. The front panels pop off easy as pie and, once I installed the pulley in my garage, taking the back off is a one-man operation.

I hated fumbling with the soft top. It seemed to take twice as long to get everything just right.

One thing I miss about the soft top? Being able to take it down, store in in the vehicle, then drive to wherever and put it back up when rain looks possible.

I just bought a cab cover and resigned myself to waiting out any rainstorms (you can do this is So. California). If I lived in a perpetually rainy area I'd have to figure something else out (like how to hitch up a U-Haul).

Oh, and I forgot to mention: U-Haul won't rent trailers to Jeeps with soft tops.
Old 01-08-2011, 02:51 AM
  #38  
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i bought mine with the hardtop, but this spring i plan on getting a trek top for the spring and summer, and will use the hardtop for fall and winter

most of the summer mine is without top and doors, and a soft top will be better to put on if it rains instead of a hardtop
Old 01-08-2011, 03:14 AM
  #39  
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Post Hard Top or Soft Top

I have a hard top and like it alot. The noise is low and so far it's warm in the winter but I have been thinking more and more about how nice a soft top would be for the summer.
Old 01-08-2011, 10:44 AM
  #40  
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Default Gotta love it

Since I travel a lot I need the security of a hardtop. The old style 1 piece hard top would make it a tough call but the Freedom Top is the best of both worlds to me.


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