neil17

this past summer I was able to remove my top with just the help of my father. I'm 5'6" and my dad is 5'8" and we're both moderately strong...strong enough to remove the top with just ourselves, but as stated previously. The more the merrier.

Funny story, I was doing some research on this forum before removal and looked at the dimensions and weight of the back end of the freeedom top. Somewhere said it was 100 or so pounds and that day I decided to remove it myself. I was able to do it, but after a whole lot of sweat and cursing and a few scratches on my paint. Luckily nothing worse than that, like a cracked mirror also mentioned earlier. Then once the back end was removed the day turned completely gray and the sound of thunder was in the midst. Had to put the top back on within an hour. All my effort put to waste, haha.

So, Its not simply the weight of the back end, its just how the weight is awkwardly spread. All the weight is to the rear, similar to carrying an older model television where the weight is where the picture tube is. All the weight is simply on one side of the top. I'm looking into buying the hoist-a-top before next summer to save me some time and energy.

Mark Doiron

That's why I picked up a trail cover: Works great!

racer83l

the hardtop, is fairly easy to take off, Ive had it off twice this past week.

One thing I noticed.. with the doors on, and hardtop off, it doesnt feel much different than having the doors on, and only freedom panels off.

Of course with the doors off, its a whole other story.

I doubt Ill ever take the hardtop off again, just freedom panels, nice and easy..

plus you can have them off with the windows closed and have it locked in a parking lot and I doubt anyone will even notice they are off.. fairly good to keep things from being stolen.

only_in_my_jeep

The top comes on and off fairly easy now. Usually my wife and one of our girls get one side and I get the other. Now rewind to a month or so after we bought it. We wanted to try taking it off so the wife and I did everything and in removal she became overballanced and dropped it shattering the back glass and scratching the hell out of the paint on it. You can not be too careful with it. Now this allowed me to not be as concerned about scratching the hard top more which is a good thing but I can't say that about when it happened. I will say if you plan on manually (no hoist) removing it you make a table or stand of sorts to keep it about level where all you have to do is slide it off and onto it. I use something that is only 6" or so lower so all we do is lift, walk back and set down then reverse to put back on. It is a lot better than putting it all the way down. I do run a strap over the top to keep the wind from blowing it as we do get some strong wind sometimes. BTW now we have it all on or off in 45 min including doors and we don't break a sweat or work hard to do it.

Mark Doiron

A question: How much did that back glass cost? An acquaintance I saw while camping this past weekend describes a similar circumstance and said he paid $850 for the replacement glass.

Also, I'm not trying to make this into a race, but I timed myself several times doing the strip-down and, with only a couple minutes help from one other person to install or remove the heavy top section, it only takes me 20 minutes (usually less) to either install or remove everything (including the Mopar side mirror). This was before I got smart and started leaving out a couple "unnecessary" things, such as the big plastic screws for the two front panel sections, and all of the door nuts. I suspect now that I'm experienced, it's closer to 15 minutes.

only_in_my_jeep

Not sure I think it was like $950 or so due to the defrost, tint and such. Of course that was installed and insurance covered it just likt the rock into the front glass a week later. My luck with glass has sucked recently I got a new chip a while back I have not gotten fixed.
I hear you but I am in no rush and usually have "help" like my daughters argueing over who gets to unplug the doors or unscrew the top or whatever.

bswaltm

with two people it's fairly easy but let me give you a little piece of advice open tailgate, open glass, then close tailgate, remove top with tailgate closed i know it sounds like common sence, apparently sence isen't so common in my house but after three times i figured it out, the spare really gets in the way especialy when the spare is a 37"

Element

Removing the hard top can best be described as a PITA compared to folding down the soft top. Do a search for hard top removal storage. I use the one with the ratchet straps and 2x4's. This system is inexpensive and works. I can usually get it off in about 15 minutes and on in 20 with minor frustration. I tried to have my fiancee help me remove the hardtop once (she's 5'2" and pretty weak) and she just couldn't do it physically.

I bought both hard and soft tops and don't regret it. Both have their place. Namely... hardtop in winter and softtop in all other seasons. The freedom panels are VERY simple to use and even way easier than folding the softtop down.

Let me put it this way, you're not going to want to "pop" the hardtop off to take a drive on the beach for the day, like you would fold the softtop down.... it's too much of a hassle and no fun.

SuperJK

My wife and I would take the top off no prob, but we had experience.... we would take the cap off my truck...

pearl-drum-man

I have a two-door, and my wife was barely able to help me get the top back on last fall, I don't think I'll be asking her to try it again. I imagine the four-door top is a bit more of a challenge.

Damn, old thread.