The Rebuilding of Smokin's 2014 JKUR Build

Soft top looks good. I have always liked the soft top look especially on larger rigs like yours. :yup:

Just curious...why didn't you buy one of those emergency tops that is stowable and readily deployable? Unless you have been wanting a soft top in general. I would say if the Rigid is bothering you sell it and get a small bar for the bumper or just not use it at all. Personally, I do not care for windshield bars. Too "high-techy"-looking.
 
Jackal01 said:
Soft top looks good. I have always liked the soft top look especially on larger rigs like yours. :yup:

Just curious...why didn't you buy one of those emergency tops that is stowable and readily deployable? Unless you have been wanting a soft top in general. I would say if the Rigid is bothering you sell it and get a small bar for the bumper or just not use it at all. Personally, I do not care for windshield bars. Too "high-techy"-looking.
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I like the idea of having a top on demand. I also like way the rig looks with the soft top. I actually like it so much that I don't know if the hard top is going back up. I *MAY* sell the 50" bar if the flapping becomes too annoying. Right now, I'm gonna restow the top after the Texans/cowboys game and try he Rugged Ridge boot that I just picked up.
 
SmokinV10 said:
I like the idea of having a top on demand. I also like way the rig looks with the soft top. I actually like it so much that I don't know if the hard top is going back up. I *MAY* sell the 50" bar if the flapping becomes too annoying. Right now, I'm gonna restow the top after the Texans/cowboys game and try he Rugged Ridge boot that I just picked up.
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Right. I've had my doors and rear windows off for the past two weeks. I leave the top on, though. If I had the top off I would have one of those emergency covers. That boot looks good too. Can't wait to see it on yours.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Jackal01 said:
Right. I've had my doors and rear windows off for the past two weeks. I leave the top on, though. If I had the top off I would have one of those emergency covers. That boot looks good too. Can't wait to see it on yours.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
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The boot is going back to Amazon. There is no way in hell that it's going to fit with the premium fabric and the Tuffy deck everything just sits way too high I read that others had issues with the Mopar boot and the premium soft top, but some got the premium top and the Rugged Ridge to work. I had it outside for an hour before the game for it to soften up. An hour of cursing later, no dice. Moral of the story? It's gonna be sun rider or top up.

Maybe the Trektop wouldn't be so bad. Both have the sun rider option. The Trektop has a better shape the Mopar has better fabric.
 
SmokinV10 said:
I was running around in Houston topless for the last two weeks enjoying the break from our steam sauna weather and got caught in the rain twice.

After spending an hour hiding out at a gas station, I decided that a soft top was in order. Looked at getting a Trektop NX since I like the way they look but wanted something that could be put up and taken down quickly. Ended up picking up a Premium Factory soft top off of a 2014 JKUR from another member here yesterday afternoon.

Install was a bit less straightforward than I thought since the front bracket had to be modified to accommodate the Rock Hard Sport Cage front cross bracket. Beyond that, I also realized that I need to move my Powertank to accommodate the soft top brackets on the rear factory rollbar. Considering mourning it on top of my Tuffy deck lid.

Initial impressions are good but I think my 50" light bar causes some flapping at 70+ mph. Damned light bar is noisy and causes flapping. Makes me reconsider having it all together.

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If you crack a window maybe a 1/2" or turn the air on the lowest setting it creates enough positive pressure in the cab to stop the violent flapping that the light bar creates. Still a noisy bitch but it helped mine make it tolerable.

I've also been considering trying out a SR light bar.
 
SmokinV10 said:
The boot is going back to Amazon. There is no way in hell that it's going to fit with the premium fabric and the Tuffy deck everything just sits way too high I read that others had issues with the Mopar boot and the premium soft top, but some got the premium top and the Rugged Ridge to work. I had it outside for an hour before the game for it to soften up. An hour of cursing later, no dice. Moral of the story? It's gonna be sun rider or top up.

Maybe the Trektop wouldn't be so bad. Both have the sun rider option. The Trektop has a better shape the Mopar has better fabric.
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Well that sucks. I'd go with the better fabric personally. Like he said Bestop makes a premium fabric one. That may suit you.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
HDGasser said:
If you crack a window maybe a 1/2" or turn the air on the lowest setting it creates enough positive pressure in the cab to stop the violent flapping that the light bar creates. Still a noisy bitch but it helped mine make it tolerable.

I've also been considering trying out a SR light bar.
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If you try out an SR light bar and its noticeably quieter, post up the differences. tI'll sell my 50 in a heartbeat and go with a single row. Mine is a Rigid E2 so the sale of it should easily fund an SR. I just don't want to do it if it doesn't yield any benefit.

Jackal01 said:
Well that sucks. I'd go with the better fabric personally. Like he said Bestop makes a premium fabric one. That may suit you.
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I may be wrong but I thought they only make the premium fabric (twill) in their Supertop NX. If this doenst work out, its not a big deal, I bought the top at a reasonable price an could always resell it for something different.


Learned two things out of this.

1)Top all the way down is kind of a PITA....especially if you have the PSC C Pillars. If you're not careful, the soft top brackets will scratch the shit out of your roll bar. Nothing that some VHT didn't fix in 5 minutes, but I doubt most of us want to be repainting parts every time we drop the top. Then if you have a tufty lid. there is fabric sitting a mile high everywhere.

2) There isn't a soft top boot that works with the premium factory soft top. MAYBE I could have gotten it to work with another hour of sweat, but thats just not worth it.
 
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SmokinV10 said:
If you try out an SR light bar and its noticeably quieter, post up the differences. tI'll sell my 50 in a heartbeat and go with a single row. Mine is a Rigid E2 so the sale of it should easily fund an SR. I just don't want to do it if it doesn't yield any benefit.



I may be wrong but I thought they only make the premium fabric (twill) in their Supertop NX. If this doenst work out, its not a big deal, I bought the top at a reasonable price an could always resell it for something different.
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I haven't researched the models. I am just going off what you said about the Mopar one with premium fabric. Sorry about the confusion.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
No, they make the trek top nx in twill.
Probably what I'll go with.
 

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olram30 said:
No, they make the trek top nx in twill.
Probably what I'll go with.
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I'll roll around with this for a bit and see how I really end up using it before I switch to something else. If I end up using it like the way Its panning out, It sounds like the Trektop NX in twill will be perfect. Seems like the main functional differences will be a lower overall height for the Trektop but a smaller sun rider opening. But, $1300!!! Damn! NOTHING on these rigs are cheap.
 
Damn glad I have a 2 door when I got the trektop is was only 500 but it wasn't the fancy new materiel...then again I can't even run one now lol
 
Did some research on the web about 50" light bar induced turbulence causing soft tops to "flap" and learned that it's rather pervasive.

Some mention that the one row light bars help but I couldn't tell if it really stopped the flapping or just reduced wind noise. Changing light bars on a hunch is a pretty expensive proposition so I'm going with another low cost fix that others claim will work.

I Ordered some 3" thick foam with a 35lb compression factor. I will cut it into a 5-6" wide section with a wedge/triangle profile that spans the width of the front bar on the soft top and then cover it in black broadcloth so it doesn't look "Mickey mouse". Supposedly inserting this foam wedge between the front bar and the soft top twill top adds some tension to the soft top and stops flapping. I'm a bit concerned about permanently deforming the soft top if I keep it in too long. Will post results and pics.
 
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You should get a wind tunnel installed at your house so you can check out the turbulence issues your are having. If not, I think rigid sells some things for your fins you shove in them. Might want to look into that if the tunnel is out of the budget.:thumbup:
 
SaddleTramp said:
The only next "accessory" on this JK should be ......dirt! Get that thing dirty!
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X2. As a business man one needs to capture ROI sooner than later before depreciation set in.

Wouldn't build a new house and not move in right. 😉


- Jason
 
I've considered a 50" light bar but the negative side effects didn't seem to be worth it. I'll probably install a 20" light bar between my stinger base, right above the bumper. That should be enough light.
 
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