Second Opinion on Hardtop
03-22-2011, 07:35 AM
#11
JK Junkie
03-22-2011, 07:41 AM
#12
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I'd get the dive gear. I have had my hard top sitting on basement for about a year and half now. To hard to get people to help me get the back part off. You guys got the pine tree pollen going up that way? I gotta get the pollen off because my nack attack is coming this week. I've had the top completely removed for about last two weeks.
Roberta to Augusta is only a few hours.
03-22-2011, 11:29 PM
#13
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The hard top offers a bit more of a secure feeling, but glass is far from secure. If that is your concern, buy a tuffy underbox, console and trunk. Way more secure and still cheaper than a hard top.
The noise level, well the JK isn't going to be a BMW even with a hardtop. The hard top is much quieter in traffic. It blocks noise coming from other sources like dump trucks and semis, or noise in the air. Personally I don't mind that noise, it lets me hear as well as see a vehicle beside me. On the open highway, with no traffic around you and not too much wind, the soft top is quieter for me. If you want to address the noise, do it directly. I put second skin (dynamat) in my doors front and rear, and that made a bigger difference than the tops changing. Adding a layer of second skin, followed by bedliner and then about 1/4" of undercoating to the rear wheel wells did even more. I spent a long time researching what made the difference, and the most important things always came down to: #1 doors (#2 in wrangler), because they are line with the wheels, thin and vibrate. #2 rear wheel wells, #1 for Wrangler, because they are in the passenger compartment completely in the JK as opposed to a sedan. #3 bedline the floor, or leave carpet in - or best do both. Seems you already did this. With my carpet in, doors lined, and rear wheel wells heavily lined, and mesh bikini top I could talk on the cell phone no problem at 55-65 mph with the top down, as long as the wind wasn't up at 30-50 mph as it is right now here. I just lined last week, so I don't know how that is going to work out without carpet. Main point, you can make it quieter for less cost (more effort though) with CLD and liner than you can with hard top.
I bought my JK hard top only, I thought that I would never want to go to a soft top after my TJ soft top noise. After a year, I broke down and "had" to buy a soft top, no more idle curiosity. Now I hate the hard top. With winters getting to -20*F, the soft top doesn't work for me year round, but if I lived somewhere in the south I would get rid of my hard top. The only reason I say it is because you seem to think the hard top is going to be a "home run" and for me I would give it up immediately if I could somehow maintain the ability to open the rear in winter. One of the saddest days of fall last year was putting the hardtop back on, and putting the soft top back on brought a silly grin to my face. Still happy about it. The soft top fits the nature of a Wrangler better. Since you are getting into the heat down there, maybe you could rent a hard top from someone on here and see if it was what you really wanted? If you could do that for $100 for two weeks, you might change your mind before spending $2500 on a hard top.
The noise level, well the JK isn't going to be a BMW even with a hardtop. The hard top is much quieter in traffic. It blocks noise coming from other sources like dump trucks and semis, or noise in the air. Personally I don't mind that noise, it lets me hear as well as see a vehicle beside me. On the open highway, with no traffic around you and not too much wind, the soft top is quieter for me. If you want to address the noise, do it directly. I put second skin (dynamat) in my doors front and rear, and that made a bigger difference than the tops changing. Adding a layer of second skin, followed by bedliner and then about 1/4" of undercoating to the rear wheel wells did even more. I spent a long time researching what made the difference, and the most important things always came down to: #1 doors (#2 in wrangler), because they are line with the wheels, thin and vibrate. #2 rear wheel wells, #1 for Wrangler, because they are in the passenger compartment completely in the JK as opposed to a sedan. #3 bedline the floor, or leave carpet in - or best do both. Seems you already did this. With my carpet in, doors lined, and rear wheel wells heavily lined, and mesh bikini top I could talk on the cell phone no problem at 55-65 mph with the top down, as long as the wind wasn't up at 30-50 mph as it is right now here. I just lined last week, so I don't know how that is going to work out without carpet. Main point, you can make it quieter for less cost (more effort though) with CLD and liner than you can with hard top.
I bought my JK hard top only, I thought that I would never want to go to a soft top after my TJ soft top noise. After a year, I broke down and "had" to buy a soft top, no more idle curiosity. Now I hate the hard top. With winters getting to -20*F, the soft top doesn't work for me year round, but if I lived somewhere in the south I would get rid of my hard top. The only reason I say it is because you seem to think the hard top is going to be a "home run" and for me I would give it up immediately if I could somehow maintain the ability to open the rear in winter. One of the saddest days of fall last year was putting the hardtop back on, and putting the soft top back on brought a silly grin to my face. Still happy about it. The soft top fits the nature of a Wrangler better. Since you are getting into the heat down there, maybe you could rent a hard top from someone on here and see if it was what you really wanted? If you could do that for $100 for two weeks, you might change your mind before spending $2500 on a hard top.
03-23-2011, 02:50 AM
#14
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geography
My hard top sat in my driveway 9 out of 12 months, so I sold it. It's about geography though; we have nice weather down here in the south (no snow/ice).
My soft-top leaks too... I just removed the carpets and put in rubber floor mats.
My soft-top leaks too... I just removed the carpets and put in rubber floor mats.
03-23-2011, 06:48 AM
#16
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I went two years with a soft top only. It was okay.
Just upgraded to the four door and got the dual top option. I am really enjoying the hard top. I love that the rear glass flips up easily once you open the gate. Ducking under the rear window of the soft top gets old.
I built a lift for the hard top so I am ready to switch to the soft top once the weather gets warmer but I am not in a hurry. I am looking forward to trying the hardtop with the freedom panels removed.
Just upgraded to the four door and got the dual top option. I am really enjoying the hard top. I love that the rear glass flips up easily once you open the gate. Ducking under the rear window of the soft top gets old.
I built a lift for the hard top so I am ready to switch to the soft top once the weather gets warmer but I am not in a hurry. I am looking forward to trying the hardtop with the freedom panels removed.
03-23-2011, 07:05 AM
#17
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another thing with me would be getting the 3 piece freedom top...i could acutally put my top down...right now my soft top does not go down, it has taken a beatin and the back window is now stuck on in place for good.
and it would be nice not to have to duck under the bar
and it would be nice not to have to duck under the bar
03-23-2011, 01:46 PM
#18
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I got my Unlimited with a soft top and I didn't last more than 3 weeks with it. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too loud, I do a lot of highway driving and I wanted to blow my brains out! I would have loved a lift and wheels but the hardtop was my first priority.
03-23-2011, 05:19 PM
#19
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Did we forget that we bought Jeep's. Maybe you should have stuck with the plymouth or what ever faboulous vehical you had before you purchased this loud leaky plastice thing that annoys you so much. Most of us on here love the fact thats its loud (no one bumms rides anymore) and it leaks a bit (washes the inside to a perfect shinney gloss). I was thinking that or is it just me???
03-23-2011, 10:14 PM
#20
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another thing with me would be getting the 3 piece freedom top...i could acutally put my top down...right now my soft top does not go down, it has taken a beatin and the back window is now stuck on in place for good.
and it would be nice not to have to duck under the bar
and it would be nice not to have to duck under the bar
How did you damage your soft top so badly? The hard top is definitely more durable than the soft top. If you are only getting two or three years out of a soft top, then a hard top would be cheaper in the long run. Why not just go test drive a hard top for a while?