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Newbie needs help/ dual top group option

13K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  SoCal147 
#1 ·
Hello,

I have been a GM man my whole life. The wife has always wanted to dable elsewhere. It is hard to justify, as I get the GM discount. After 20 years of marriage she has worn me down. Plus, her brother in law can now pass employee pricing on to us.
Anyway, she has her eye on a four door unlimited. I am just starting to do some research on the options. In particular the tops. We are in the midwest. I am thinking the hard top is needed. I see that there is a dual top group. The soft top does sound appealing. Especially if you are away from home with the top down and the weather does not cooporate. My question is how does the dual top system work? If you have the hard top on is the soft one inplace underneath it, or is it rolled up out of the way in the back?
I have a red hard top on hold at the dealer, pending I have to do this research. I told him the only reason i wouldn't buy is because I wanted a dual system. He said he would throw in the soft top. I was checking mopar.com To me it looks like this is a $1500 part.
Thanks in advance for the help.
 
#2 ·
You can only have one or the other on at any given time. It will come from the dealer with the soft top folded down under the hard top. This is for shipping purposes only and one of the tops should be removed to prevent damage to the soft top. People that have both usually run the hard in the winter and soft in the summer. There is no problem with running the soft top year round. The heater is like a blast furnace.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the fast reply.
In your opinion: Does the soft top stow away descent when the hard top is in place, or does it suck up a lot of room? It seems that space is at a premium in the back. This will be our grocery getter.
Is the soft top easily removable out of the vehicle in the hard top(winter) months?
Lastly, are the soft tops fairly leak proof in the rain? I looked at a softop on the lot. Overlapping velcro flaps seemed to me like they would be prone to water getting in.

Thanks!

Stu
 
#4 ·
I live in the midwest too (St Louis)! Its a one or the other thing with the other being stored in your garage. I have had just a softtop and found that fine. Never cold in the winter but it is a little nosier than the hard top. In my JK i have both tops. I run the hard top in the winter and remove it and install the soft top for the summer... in fact I need to do that in the next couple of weeks. Its a shame jeep has never figured out a way to do it the way many people think but really this frees up the jeep trunk area...

steve
 
#5 ·
You can only run one top at a time. I run the soft in the summer and hard top in winter...or on road trips.

The soft top is key when running doors off, windows out and top up. Its a great Safari style top.
 
#6 ·
For the past two years(almost), I use Hardtop during winter, then, set up a lift in my garage that holds the rack, and hardtop after removal. Then I get to cruise around topless for a few days, before putting the soft top on. I just did this yesterday. I'm going camping in Bear country next month, and I may switch back to the Hardtop for more protection. But today being Mom's Day, the little woomba wants to ride topless over to the gathering today. :smokin:
 
#8 ·
I did not want a hard top when I bought my Jeep. It didn't have the dual top option, but it did have a dealer added hard top. (probably from someone else who didn't want it) I had them take it off. I have no leaks with my soft top. The only issue is that you have to be aware that some water collects on the top when it rains and if you're not careful when you open the door, you will get a shower.
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the opinions...they are great. How heavey is the rear portion of the hard top? The salesman told me I would need three people to pull it off. Back in the day my buddies ran Blazers. These were a lot bigger and not that heavy to get off. Anyway, maybe I will just use the hard top and pull it off when we want to go topless. I saw a youtube video showing how to drop and raise the soft top. I am thinking my wife couldn't drop it alone.
The security issue leads me to another question. Right now they are giving $500 in Mopar bucks. I was looking online at the mopar.com. I see that they have locking gas caps and a keyed hood lock. Both can be keyed the same as the ignition. Does anyone here use these?
Also, there is a jeep remote start and spare tire cover. Any opions to quality on these?
Thanks again for you opinion guys.......
 
#10 ·
the rear weighs about 95lbs and its easy to get off with 2 people, there are also a bunch of lifts you can hang from a garage ceiling to be able to take it off with one person. There are a couple write ups here on the forum.

the soft top is a lot easier to drop then removing the hard top for the day. That video is good BUT an easier way to drop it along is to just stand on the front seats and fold it back then push it back and it drops. I believe most everyone drops the 4 door top that way by themselves. I honestly dont think there will be many days where you will want to remove the hard top and then put it back on at end of day or couple days later. I had the dual tops and traded my hard top for another soft top. I took it off and never put it back on again.

I guess if you are getting the locking gas cap free its worth it but I've never heard of anyone having trouble with anyone messing with their gas cap. The remote start would be nice for the wife, I know I've seen a bunch of people add them to their JK. Spare tire covers are so 80's lol.

edit: this is a good security option for when you are running soft top/no top
http://www.jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8924
 
#11 ·
Do not get the hood lock. Its junk.

I had hard top only on my first JK. Got caught in the rain more than once. Just fyi.

If you do go hard top only, I recommend the Mopar Sun Bonnet. Its the best bakini top out there.
 
#12 ·
I bought one with the dual top group in February. I've yet to put on the soft top. I installed a Lange hoist in my garage and I can get the hard top completely on or off in about 5 minutes. Buy a cheap cordless drill and some torx bits (size 40 and 50) for quickly taking off the top and the doors. The hard top is super easy to take on and off if you have a hoist. You only need two people to take the hood on and off without a hoist. Two men can do it easily. It's a struggle for a woman.

If you go with the soft top you should DEFINITELY order one with half doors. The factory half doors are super expensive if you try to get them aftermarket.
 
#13 ·
I might be chiming in a little late, but if you get the dual-top option invest in the Bestop Quick-Release bow knuckles. They cost between $25-$30 but they are worth it imho. Also I like all the different options I have with both tops. Full top...... back on - freedom panels off........ full soft....... sunrider back...... windows out..... and the freedom panels can be used as a bikini-top. Let's see a GM do all that! (just kidding, I owned GM's most of my life, this is my first Jeep as well) Whatever you get...... enjoy it!! Everyone I ever knew who owned one was right..... It's a Jeep thing..... you'll get it the first time you get behind the wheel. :beer::beer:
 
#14 ·
I just got a soft top, and took the hard top off for the time being. I"m getting used to not having the whole back end open up when I open the tailgate.. without popping off the tailgate bar or unzipping the rear window. With the soft top folded down in the back it still takes up a whole bunch of space, so you'll want to run one or the other. All in all, noise isn't much greather in the soft top, and it is easier to fold it down and up in a day vs. taking the hard top off for the day (which we used to to all the time.. its not hard, just combersome and takes up alot of space). I do like the extra security of the hard top too, but I like the versatility of the soft top for the summer when its hot.
Its a jeep afterall, its supposed to have its top off.:beer:
 
#15 · (Edited)
Hard top is never needed for a Jeep, they shouldn't even make one. If you get the 2 tops option sell the hard top and use the $ to buy a spacer lift and bigger tires. I've lived all over the country with the soft top and the great heater will keep you warm no matter what. In Boston I have been in -20 and was fine after the Jeep warmed up. Hard top is a PIA to take on and off, soft top is easy. I'm a top down guy - you might be to.

Welcome to the board:beer: Good luck!
 
#16 ·
Thanks again for the input on the tops.
I ended up buying one last night. I drove it over to my folk's to hide. On Sat. my wife is graduating from school and I will be surpising her with it. I hope she doesn't like it, as I had a big smile on my face driving it home and wouldn't mind it being mine.
The dealer through the soft top in for free. He took it off another vehicle that had the dual top group. I downloaded the installation instructions at work. I noticed that a couple parts were not installed on the roll bar. I am thinking they just put the top in the back.

Thanks again!
 
#17 ·
The dealer through the soft top in for free. He took it off another vehicle that had the dual top group. I downloaded the installation instructions at work. I noticed that a couple parts were not installed on the roll bar. I am thinking they just put the top in the back.

Thanks again!
make SURE you got 2 boxes with that top, one has the windows in it, the other has the door surrounds in it. I know a lot of dealers forget to give that to people . Also like you mentioned make sure they gave you the roll bar brackets and the bolts for them.

Congrats on the new jeep :beer:
 
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