Soft top to hard top questions

Kalums

Kalums

New member
Ok so, I want to move from my 2013 factory soft top to a preferably factory hard top. I don't take my soft top off or even down for that matter because I have the 3rd row roll bar and if I use the sunrider option I can't get It seated correctly half the time so it leaks like a siv if/when it rains plus it's too friggin hot here in phoenix to take it off for 9 months out of the year( yup I'm a heat wimp)
1) what do I need to know to do this? My JKU never had the dual top option.
2) will I need a new/ different header seal? Mine looks to be in good condition, no rips/tears or holes.
3) I heard there might be a difference between the older JKU hard tops and the newer ones? ( something about another latch on the freedom panels or a latch was moved *shrugs* I don't know)
4)I am probably forgetting something so please let me know if you recognize something I forgot.

Thank you in advance.

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One thing you'll be missing is the harness and switches for the rear wiper/defroster/washer. Course you probably won't be needing the defroster out there. As far as the tops go, I do not know what the differences there are if any on how the Freedom panels secure. I would assume they are the same. The front window frame seal is the same for both tops.
 
I just got a 2015 hardtop for my 07 this spring. As stated, you won't have the rear wiring/washer fluid hookup. Also, on the older model JK the footman loop is centered on the windshield where the new ones are slightly offset(centered should be 07-09, may include 10 but my 11 was offset). This makes the front center twist latch miss but the main latches work fine. For around $300 quadratec has all the parts to move the footman loop and the wiring harness for the rear window. On the main hardtop itself they added another set of alignment pins toward the back(not sure what year that started). You can either drill holes in the rails and use them or they can be fairly easily removed.

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Sweet, not too much of a difference then. So there is a latch on the footman loop in the center of the windshield? Anyone have a picture, please? I believe that is where I mounted my over head CB bar to... 1565035631970.jpeg1565035700590.jpeg

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If you've never had a hard top, then you're probably missing the hard top retainer nuts where the hard top bolts to your rail along the rear tub. Search "JK Hard Top Retainer Nut" and you'll find them at pretty much any Jeep parts retailer for about $5 each. You'll need 6 of them.
 
huge thanks for all the recommendations that i found here https://suppsforlife.to/what-is-clomid/ . i was wondering pretty much similar things and i am very thankful for every piece of information here. i'm pretty new to all of this and there's still a lot of things for me to learn. huge thanks again :rock:
 
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smittycm said:
If you've never had a hard top, then you're probably missing the hard top retainer nuts where the hard top bolts to your rail along the rear tub. Search "JK Hard Top Retainer Nut" and you'll find them at pretty much any Jeep parts retailer for about $5 each. You'll need 6 of them.
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Wouldn't they also be missing the front 2 bolts that secure the front to the roll cage, behind the freedom panels? So, total of 8 bolts?
 
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