Hard top protection

SpikesHD

SpikesHD

Member
Newbie here so please go easy - After wheeling one time with the local club I'm concerned that my hard top isn't going to last long on the trails. Most of the guys / gals run a soft top or no top, but I am partial to my AC when it's 100° with 60% humidity.

After coming back from the trail (on a flatbed wrecker, but that's another story), I noticed that I put some good scratches on what has been a pristine mall crawler until I bought it last month. I don't care about scratches but I was surprised I didn't break a side window or crack the top on a tree branch or rock face.

I've seen the 'Molle' style grids that can be bolted on the outside of the side windows. Does anyone sell armor for the top and corners?

"Man up and take your top off", while great advice, will fall largely on deaf ears - again - Air conditioning. :)

Thanks!
 
My AC works with my soft top. Also works with the top off too. 🤷🏼‍♂️
Armor really isn't going to do much if you're leaning into it with the weight of the vehicle. Plus it can bend and not flex back into shape.
I've seen a bunch of attempts at exo-cages, and besides adding too much sprung weight they don't really do much.
 
I’ve been wheeling with a hardtop for 4 years now and I mean I’ve never thought about it all that much. Yes it has glass windows but so does every vehicle. Just pick your lines correctly and choose a good spotter.

While I don’t think you wheeling with a hard top is a problem of any kind, I think a soft top is your only “solution,” and think a cage on the outside would be more of a headache then doing you any good.
 
Ddays said:
My AC works with my soft top. Also works with the top off too. 🤷🏼‍♂️
Armor really isn't going to do much if you're leaning into it with the weight of the vehicle. Plus it can bend and not flex back into shape.
I've seen a bunch of attempts at exo-cages, and besides adding too much sprung weight they don't really do much.
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This. AC works just fine with soft top. With that said, I ran a lot of hard trails on the west coast with hard too and never hit it. I hit a door but not a hardtop.

Trees and mud are definitely different on the east coast though so if you are worried about the hard top, just get a soft top for wheeling.
 
DirtHeadDavis said:
I’ve been wheeling with a hardtop for 4 years now and I mean I’ve never thought about it all that much. Yes it has glass windows but so does every vehicle. Just pick your lines correctly and choose a good spotter.

While I don’t think you wheeling with a hard top is a problem of any kind, I think a soft top is your only “solution,” and think a cage on the outside would be more of a headache then doing you any good.
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I think this is the direction I'm heading. I really prefer the hard top, last Jeep had a leaky, noisy, flappy soft top and I hated it.
 
OverlanderJK said:
This. AC works just fine with soft top. With that said, I ran a lot of hard trails on the west coast with hard too and never hit it. I hit a door but not a hardtop.

Trees and mud are definitely different on the east coast though so if you are worried about the hard top, just get a soft top for wheeling.
Click to expand...
Managed to smack it pretty good on the first trip out. In my defense, the front locker stuck closed and my stock steering setup took a dump so I was having to back up / left a lot to turn right.
 
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