Should I get a hard top or a soft top?

[TRevs]

I have been using the bikini top that came with the jeep, but I’m considering getting a real top in case I decide to take it on the trails.

I assumed i’d get a soft top because the top-down experience is to me one of the most essential parts of Jeep ownership. But the YJ soft top hardware seems much more cumbersome than the TJ style. On top of that there seem to be 2 kinds of hardware.

I’ve looked a bit at Bulldawg Mfg which says they’re starting YJ hardtop production soon along the lines of their TJ top. https://www.bulldawgmfg.com/shop/Jeep_Hardtop_for_Wrangler_TJ_97_06-3-2.html

While a hardtop might be nice in some ways, I think I’d miss the ability to go top down but put the top up on short notice away from home for rain or highway wind reduction.

Question is: is a new Bestop soft top with whatever hardware is currently available for purchase significantly more difficult to raise/lower than the TJ design?

 

[machoheadgames]

Sadly I can’t answer your question. I dislike all of the options. My YJ came with a factory hard top and full hard doors. That was too much to deal with taking on and off when I was a kid and sailing the jeep while living at my parents house, so we stored the HT in the backyard and I got a soft top. Went with the Bestop supertop, the one that works with the full doors and has the rounded opening as a result. I found it very cumbersome to throw together when the unexpected rain came.

Finally moved into my own house and toss the soft top on the shelf. My plan is to never drive the YJ again unless it’s sunny out. Essentially bikini top and either no doors or half doors forever. I don’t have half doors, I want them and hope to get a set someday but that operation has been pretty bleak when I’ve been searching for the last 11 years.

If you have half doors currently, a factory style soft top with included soft uppers might be the best bet. They are easier to install from what I remember because you build the cage and then just throw the top over and secure it. The bestop sucks because the rear spreader is angled and you have to fight it into the top and then secure the top before tightening the bar.

If you have half doors and want a hard top, you can do so but I think you’ll need to buy TJ uppers and modify one of the pins by cutting and welding so it will fit the YJ door. Common mod, plenty have done it. Otherwise I think you’re buying something like hard uppers with sliders, aka aftermarket solution for mating half doors with a hard top.

 

[dodgerammit]

Any YJ soft top is cumbersome compared to the "convertible" aspect of the TJ.
I bought a Rampage top since I wanted a gray top (they were the only ones who had it) to round out the correct Islander look.
From what I can find (my 1st YJ, so may be wrong), it has a setup like the factory.

Many say you can't fold the top down.
You can.
It's a pain in the @$$.
It takes 10 minutes.
You need to be patient putting it down/up. There's a specific order to go. You can easily scratch the tub with the framework if you don't watch it.

It does stow nicely (with some additional straps securing the 'rolled' section at the tailgate).

There are things I don't like about it. Mainly the snaps that fasten the forward section of the top to the door surrounds. They will pull out of the fabric if you're not careful. Velcro would be a better solution, IMO.

If it's not gonna be sunny for multiple days in a row, it stays up. I'll just pop the upper doors off and roll up the back window instead.

 

[Gilaguy23]

Hard top, the bad. Must be a planned removal and storage place. Ventilation/noise sucks with the door off or door window rolled down IMO.
Hard top the good. Rig can be locked up, quieter, more weather proof.
Soft top bad. Tears in heavy brush or tight trail work. Noisy as all hell. So so weather protection. Cant be locked up. Zipper failure. Bestop not so good anymore, dont know about the other brands
Soft top good. Easier to drop on a nice day. Perfection for me was main top section in place, no doors on ,side curtains off, rear window zipped up for dust control. Keeps the 100 degree sun and glare off my head or the dogs, still open air, and easy to put the rest back on for bad weather, the doors and sides can be hauled where you go trippin.
Good and bad in both ya know.

 

[1989YJguy]

Ive had both, and store in garage with top off during summer. After a few times, soft top not too bad to take down and put up. Much faster than hard top hassle (had garage ceiling hoist for that jeep). Using half doors, and go doorless in summer too. Live in Oregon. Soft top louder, but liveable with decent door seals and adjustment. And plenty warm in winter. Was gonna buy hard top and doors for winter...but I can get a lot of killer upgrades with that much money...so leaning into soft top lifestyle. I just don't leave valuables in the Jeep, my factory half doors don't even have locks! I also have waterproof cover for quick covering if needed. 2nd pic shows how I leave frame stored on tub, part of cover, and door off side mirrors that use top door hinge. I find soft top more badass now...its a Jeep!

 

[TRevs]

Much faster than hard top hassle (had garage ceiling hoist for that jeep).

Tell me more about this part please? My garage has a high ceiling so I thought maybe a hard top with hoist would be fairly quick to install/remove, and use a SpiderWebShade on nice days.

I have the soft top on the LJ and I like to run it without side or rear windows, and put the top up or down depending on conditions, so I’m familiar with typical soft-top life. I may go that route with the YJ if the uo/down isn’t terribly painful.

I have full doors that honestly look great and would look even better with a hard top… although I love half doors on the LJ. I acquired red YJ half doors last fall and will start using them as soon as I can repaint them. Bestop sells both styles of uppers, round and angled.

So many choices.

 

[1989YJguy]

Mine was homemade...but they sell them. 2 holes in drywall either side of ceiling joist, 1/2" rope up and over joist, 3" block pulley at ceiling, cleat on wall. Back in, unbolt top. Run a couple webbing straps under top and hook to rope that's sized for pulley (bigger is better)...haul to ceiling and cleat off (don't skimp on cleat). I would then pull in front first and park under top (10' ceiling)) all summer. End of season, back in and reverse process.

 

[Stoopid Jeep]

...both

 

[TRevs]

Any YJ soft top is cumbersome compared to the "convertible" aspect of the TJ.
I bought a Rampage top since I wanted a gray top (they were the only ones who had it) to round out the correct Islander look.
.

Did you get the frame hardware from Rampage, or just the fabric/windows? I’m trying to understand the two hardware types and if one is superior to the other. Yours looks like the kind with the angled sliding lock bar by the sode windows.

 

[1989YJguy]

Both

Did you get the frame hardware from Rampage, or just the fabric/windows? I’m trying to understand the two hardware types and if one is superior to the other. Yours looks like the kind with the angled sliding lock bar by the sode windows.

Any hard top is cumbersome compared to YJ rag. Of course Jeep streamlined the soft top design and mechanisms on subsequent generations. YJ was 1st wrangler after all. But I'm amazed how stout, functional, flexible, and watertight it is when properly deployed.

 

[ACKyj]

I've had 5 jeeps. Cj's , YJ's, soft top for the win. Hard top is a pain in the ass to take on/off in a hurry, and storing it, etc. Full doors are heavy and cumbersome. Let's face it, Jeeps are primarily fair weather vehicles. Ultimately it's your ride and decision, but if you need to lock stuff up in it get a Tuffy center console.

 

[1989YJguy]

I've had 5 jeeps. Cj's , YJ's, soft top for the win. Hard top is a pain in the ass to take on/off in a hurry, and storing it, etc. Full doors are heavy and cumbersome. Let's face it, Jeeps are primarily fair weather vehicles. Ultimately it's your ride and decision, but if you need to lock stuff up in it get a Tuffy center console.

Agreed...had both also. My father inlaw bought a tj like 7 years ago with hard top and doors. Right away bought bikini top, etc. For summer fun. Never once had top off. He'd like to, but just too much hassle for him to bother.

 

[dodgerammit]

Did you get the frame hardware from Rampage, or just the fabric/windows? I’m trying to understand the two hardware types and if one is superior to the other. Yours looks like the kind with the angled sliding lock bar by the sode windows.

Bought the entire kit from Quadratec. I sold my full doors and hard top, and purchased half doors, so needed everything to convert. It was a bit over $800. However, it is the square upper half door style. They also offer one for full steel doors at a bit cheaper price. About $750 (Just checked) Mine doesn't have the angled sliding bar. https://www.quadratec.com/products/11009_1235_07.htm

 

[dodgerammit]

Here is a good install video that shows everything

 

[BCNYOU]

Bought the entire kit from Quadratec. I sold my full doors and hard top, and purchased half doors, so needed everything to convert. It was a bit over $800. However, it is the square upper half door style. They also offer one for full steel doors at a bit cheaper price. About $750 (Just checked) Mine doesn't have the angled sliding bar. https://www.quadratec.com/products/11009_1235_07.htm

I have the same plan for mine too. I have had lots of jeeps in the past and only one that I left the hard top on was my daily driver and even when I had that one I had two vehicles licensed and the only driver in the family so I didn't need the hard top or hard doors really because it is always parked for the winter or rainy days and stored til spring.

This jeep I just bought that I am just starting to work on the first thing I did was sell the top rack to get new rubber ( 33x12.5 15) and the next plan is to sell the doors and hard top and get a good Bikini and half doors with uppers.

It came with a soft top so maybe I will put that on as well if all the bracket pieces are there, might be missing the tailgate bracket and the corners. Anyways I will be spending alot of time and money to get this where I want it and the hard top and full doors are not part of the plan for me. I never used them in any of my previous jeeps except my Rubicon in the past.

My new Alpine is on the way and I can't wait to put these tires on and see what it looks like.

The red is all coming off for now btw cas it is faded and poorly painted. I might put it back to a Jurassic again at some point but I kind of like the way the Saharas looked really.

 

[Flyer58]

My YJ only came with the half doors and no top when I bought it and I found some good deals on both a hard top and two full doors, thinking it may be better in winter or rainy days. I've since found that removing and installing the hard top is not a one person job unless you have an overhead winch or engine hoist that reaches that high safely.

Storage is also an issue. I may end up suspending it from the ceiling but that will require me to strengthen the overhead premade roof trusses first to handle the weight. As an alternative, I built this roller dolly from 2x4's, castors, and carpet. It works well but still takes up limited floor space.

Simply slide it in place, strap it to the top and tilt it upright.

 

[ytradio]

My YJ only came with the half doors and no top when I bought it and I found some good deals on both a hard top and two full doors, thinking it may be better in winter or rainy days. I've since found that removing and installing the hard top is not a one person job unless you have an overhead winch or engine hoist that reaches that high safely.

Storage is also an issue. I may end up suspending it from the ceiling but that will require me to strengthen the overhead premade roof trusses first to handle the weight. As an alternative, I built this roller dolly from 2x4's, castors, and carpet. It works well but still takes up limited floor space.

Simply slide it in place, strap it to the top and tilt it upright.

View attachment 122600


View attachment 122601

View attachment 122602

That’s a great idea!

 

[T-Rex Jeepster]

Ive had both, and store in garage with top off during summer. After a few times, soft top not too bad to take down and put up. Much faster than hard top hassle (had garage ceiling hoist for that jeep). Using half doors, and go doorless in summer too. Live in Oregon. Soft top louder, but liveable with decent door seals and adjustment. And plenty warm in winter. Was gonna buy hard top and doors for winter...but I can get a lot of killer upgrades with that much money...so leaning into soft top lifestyle. I just don't leave valuables in the Jeep, my factory half doors don't even have locks! I also have waterproof cover for quick covering if needed. 2nd pic shows how I leave frame stored on tub, part of cover, and door off side mirrors that use top door hinge. I find soft top more badass now...its a Jeep!

View attachment 122591

View attachment 122592

What size are your rims and tires?

 

[OldJoe28]

I've had MANY Jeeps since my first CJ 5 back in '73, with I believe as many different top options as you can have!
The best was a '42 Willys retired navy jeep with a real canvas top. It unzipped and you could make it a 1/2 top, just behind the seats.
Soft tops, window plastic gets hard, fog up over time, no matter what you put on it.
Zippers break, tops stretch and ," flap" going down the road. They ALWAYS seem to drip ON YOU when it rains!
Never had one that I could fold down more than a couple times, caught in rain more than once fighting to put top back up, of course doors are at home and now rain is POURING in where the doors SHOULD be on the miserable ride home!
But, Hey! I looked cool going down the road before it started to rain!!
I won't even go there on soft tops in cold weather, trying to stay warm, cracking the plastic windows with a simple brush against!
Hard tops are, let's say," permanently " mounted. A real pain to get off n on, storage.
Hard top doors are heavy, cumbersome to pull off n on, paint scratches will result!
My thoughts are, your hot? Roll down the window! What do you do in your truck or car??
If your Jeep has AC, turn it on, (that's another thing), a Jeep should not have AC, it's a Jeep! Not a ," Soccer Mom" car!
If I have a choice, I stick with hard top with doors!
This is just a AARP card carrying old guys thoughts!
Joe
It's a Jeep, your not supposed to be real," comfortable " in it!!