It's that time of year again - Hardtop appreciation thread!

[Jason4x4]

Well, the weather has once again turned cold (for those of us in the majority of the U.S. anyway), so with the change in weather comes the change in top. Last week I traded in my soft top for the good ol' hard top. Don't get me wrong, I love dropping the top in nice weather, but the hard top a) looks better and b) is a lot easier to live with in cold weather. So with that in mind, I'd like to see some hardtop love. Post recent pics of your Jeeps with the hardtop on!

Here's mine:

 

[KrazyJeeper]

Just took the pics, they may be a little dark. My top went on two weeks ago after rounding up the bolts and nuts.

 

[Jason4x4]

As an aside, what do you do with your hard top during the summer?? (Assuming you switch to a soft top). This summer mine sat in the shed behind my parents' house. We had such a hard time getting it back out last week that my dad said he doesn't want it back next year. Hopefully I'll have my own house with a garage by next summer .

 

[KrazyJeeper]

I have a 16x30 storage shed with double doors in my backyard. The top goes in there.

 

[TwistedCU]

 

[B'ham Jeeper]

I have a question. If you lived in the south would you go to the expense of getting a hard top? Mine did not come with the both and a new one from the dealer cost around $2000.
Opinions?

P.S. I do like the look of the jeep with the hardtop

 

[Jason4x4]

How far south are you? If it gets very cold at all during the winter the hard tops are nice (although the soft tops aren't terrible). Plus it's nice being able to raise the rear glass instead of unzipping windows every time you need to put something in the back (groceries, etc.). Finally, they're a lot quieter if you do much highway driving. The negatives are of course the price and the fact that they're a pain to remove (not difficult, just bulky and heavy - you have to have someone else there to help you, plus once you get it off you have to have somewhere to put it...) That said, if you are interested in a hard top I'd try picking up a used one before I put down $2k at the dealership. Look around forums like here and pirate4x4. Also you might find something on ebay.

 

[TwistedCU]

I have a question. If you lived in the south would you go to the expense of getting a hard top? Mine did not come with the both and a new one from the dealer cost around $2000.
Opinions?

P.S. I do like the look of the jeep with the hardtop

The pros of owning a hardtop are:
Nice looking

will better hold in heat (or A/C for people who should sell their jeep)

quieter

saved wear and tear on the soft top, prolonging it's life

rear defroster, wiper if so equipped

much better to knock snow or ice off of, and you can "scrape" ice off the windows without damaging them.

The cons are:
Large - storage may be an issue

Heavy - install and removal takes two people and they have to not be weaklings

if you get an early spring you might have to drive in nice weather under a hard top, an abomination and humiliating moment for any true Jeeper :lol:

They are expensive
*****************
I love mine, but have lived without one. Personally if I had a Jeep as a DD in a climate where it snows and gets cold I would not go without one. As for your situation, maybe look for a good deal on a used one but is it worth the expense of a new one? That's your call.

 

[B'ham Jeeper]

Thanks, that's the kind of information I was looking for...

Snow....once every 5 to 10 years.

Frost, yes!
Damp cold, yes!
Rain, yes!

I do have a 12 X 20 building where I could store the top. I would try and make/build a lift system to help me get it off.

If I go with the freedom top it least it has the popouts over the front seats for those warm days we do get.

Just wanted to some opinions. I did see one for sale for $1500.00 on jkowners but it is in NE and my luck shipping would probably be $500.00!!urple:

 

[Jason4x4]

I would assume the freedom top would be fine since it's actually a factory top, but I do know that Bestop has made a similar top for TJ's for several years now, which has one piece over the front seats that can come off without removing the whole hardtop. However, I've heard several people report leaks in the seal between the front and back halves of the top.

 

[Junkpile]

I've owned a couple of CJs with hardtops, and my current 77 has one on it. The hardtops are nicer from a comfort standpoint, but a good quality soft top isn't much worse overall. I always bought the cheaper tops for my CJs, like the BestTop Tiger Top, and never really liked them. Then I bought a CJ that already had a newer YJ style top on it and I began to appreciate the soft top more. I actually prefer the half hard doors and soft top over a full hard setup on the YJs and TJs, even in the cold weather.

Not much need for it around here though, as it only really gets cold for a couple of months, and I like the cold weather better anyway. My DD YJ went year-round once with just the overhead section of the top and the half doors in place! If we saw snow I would probably feel much different.

 

[southtj]

I live in Memphis and while it gets cold in the winter we don't get much snow. That said, I bought my Jeep with both tops. It came with the hard top on so I went through the first winter with it on. Second winter I put it on as well. After that it never went back on. It was just too much hassle taking it on and off and then I had to store it in the back yard. I just sold my hard top a couple of months ago for $800 so if anyone is looking to buy one expect to pay at least that. Avoid buying a new one from the dealer.

For those that say that the hard top is warmer in the winter...I respectfully say BS. The heater on my TJ is better than any of my previous 8 vehicles. Even on the coldest days (single digit temps) once the engine warms up I can keep the interior warm with the blower on the lowest speed. And then I still get hot and have to back down the temperature dial.

 

[B'ham Jeeper]

Thanks everyone. I think I will hold off on spending that money and go through our "winter" with just the softtop.

Thanks again....

Done with the :hijacked.:

 

[cewtwo]

Since I allowed Molly to drive the Mighty YJ once, and she attempted to commit suicide with it... I have been afraid to even try to fit the top. I should re-word that. I have been afraid to fit the hard doors to it.

So, even though there is snow on the ground, the soft-top is still in storage...

 

[jps4jeep]

Still trying to sell my hard top.. I have not used it in 4 years and it simply does not fit my tub anymore.

Freezing my arse off last weekend in NH, 15 degrees

As the sun set, I decided to put the doors on.. Steel doors don't fit anymore either...

 

[TwistedCU]

For those that say that the hard top is warmer in the winter...I respectfully say BS. The heater on my TJ is better than any of my previous 8 vehicles. Even on the coldest days (single digit temps) once the engine warms up I can keep the interior warm with the blower on the lowest speed. And then I still get hot and have to back down the temperature dial.

While this may be true in a TJ in Memphis, in a YJ in Pennsylvania a properly sealed hard top is much warmer than the soft top - supertop or factory. My soft top is a pretty good fit, and it doesn't let rain in if I have everything shut, but it allows too much air in at highway speeds to really warm up.

Sure, I ran YJ's year round with soft tops and they worked, but I have seen the light. I have had problems keeping the windsheild wipers from icing up with just a soft top, while since I started using a hard top it has not been an issue.

The YJ's heater isn't bad, so long as you can hold the heat in. It does not work well when there is too much aire transferring from the outside in and vise versa.

 

[cewtwo]

With my YJ, most of the heat is directed toward the driver's foot as it sits on the gas pedal. A passenger's feet could freeze, though...

 

[dave123]

I live in Miami and don't even own a top! HA

 

[LadyJeepFreak]

Man this post is making me weep especially since I can't find my drain hole plugs and my drivers window zipper is completely blown out and duct tape is in it's place. Usually this adds up to a pretty drafty ride whereas I must have a cup of coffee in my hands the whole drive. Course, I look for excuses to drink coffee so maybe I shouldn't complain! lol

Nice hardtops!
LJF

 

[Redsoxski]

I've never had a hard top so it might be a case of I don't know what I'm missing. But so far here in CO I haven't missed not having one. I do keep my TJ in the garage nights which might have something to do with it but even driving thru a blizzard to Crested Butte last weekend the soft top worked fine...