Jeep Tops, Getting Ready For The Summer

March 2, 2013

      Jeeps are fun to have, and one reason people buy a Jeep is to remove the top, who doesn't like cruising around with the top off, and possibly even the doors, its a blast. But, what if your a Jeep owner that lives in an apartment complex, you removed your hardtop three months ago, and you have no where to store your Jeep but outside, how do you keep the elements out. What if your Jeep only came with a hardtop, and the person you had help remove it last time is not able to help, or you like things a bit quieter, and your factory soft top just doesn't do it. Today, I'd like to discuss the pros and cons of each top that is offered with the Jeep Wrangler, and some other options for the Jeep owner.

      I'll start with the Jeep hardtop because I am a Jeep Hardtop only owner, but I've owned Jeeps with each top. The hardtop, just as the soft top version has its pros and cons. I've owned three different Jeep Wranglers over the last several years, this recent one having being my first Jeep with a hardtop. One of the things I noticed right off was, its hard to remove by yourself, you have to have someone help you remove the top from the Jeep. You first have to remove six bolts from the rear edge of the tub, and unhook the sun-visors and unclasp the front of the top from the windshield, that is the easy part. The next thing is to lift a 120 lb top off the Jeep, and that's where having a buddy on one side and you on the other comes in handy, both can lift the top up, and walk it off the back. If your lucky enough to own a garage, you can purchase a hardtop lift, you mount the lift to the ceiling of your garage, and when your ready to remove the top, you attach the hoist to the edges of the top, and crank the handle or push the remote lift button. These lifts will run a person anywhere between $150-$200 or more dollars.

      Things I like about having a hardtop, and you yourself may like as will, I like that they are a bit quieter than the soft top versions. With a hardtop, I can have a decent conversation with front or back passengers, because of little road noise that comes through. Now I am not saying that a hardtop is like riding in a luxury car, you do have a bit of road noise come from the outside but not as bad as a soft top. Another thing that one may like about a hardtop Jeep is, the little bit of extra added security. With a hardtop, once the doors are locked and the tailgate is locked, a crook is going to have to work a little bit harder to break into your Jeep, than would if it where a soft top version. Also, the hardtop models offer a rear wiper on the back along with a rear defroster, which I find very useful.

      But if your not fortunate enough to have a place to store your Jeep or you do not always have a buddy to help, there are other options for the hardtop only owner. You can purchase whats called a waterproof cab cover for your Jeep, or you can spend a little more and purchase a soft top.

      A cab cover allows you to leave your hard or soft top off and will still allow you to keep the elements out of your Jeep. A cab cover simply slips over the roll bars and windshield of your Jeep, and with the available straps, you attach the cover to the frame to keep the wind from blowing it off. Cab covers can be purchased with the ability to slip them on over the hard or soft top, which cost a few dollars more than their cab cover top off counterparts.

       A soft top has its pro's and con's just as its cousin the hardtop but one of the best pro's is the ability to remove the top by yourself. You simply unzip the side and back windows, pull the back corners out of the tub, remove the side holders from the door surrounds, unclasp the front portion from the windshield and lower the top into the back of the tub behind the seat, and before you know it, your soaking up the suns rays, and the wind is blowing through your hair. Another great thing about a soft top is if you brought the windows with you, you run into a freak rain storm, you can pretty quickly raise the top and your protected from getting wet, with a hardtop, your out of luck.

      A few con's with a soft top are one, they are a little bit noisy. Don't get me wrong, the newer model's now days have way better tops on them than thirty years ago, you can at least have a conversation while driving down the road. The newer tops now days are made from whats called "sail cloth material", and comes in a really thick material and is less likely to flop around in the wind while driving down the road. Another thing with a soft top is the little security, its a cloth top, and it is not hard for a crook to take a knife and cut open your top and be gone with your belongings.

      Hardtop Version
Pro's 

• Less road noise
• Better Security
• Rear Wiper and Defrost

Con's

• Hard to remove alone
• Out of luck once in a freak rain shower

Soft Top Version 
Pro's

• One can remove
• Easy to remove and put on

Con's

• A little road noisy
• Less secure

Soft top or hard top, with the warmer weather approaching, knowing some facts about each top can help you decide and start enjoying the sunny weather as you cruise down the road with your Jeep's top down. Happy Jeeping Guys.