Hard vs Soft Top

[djayc]

Hi guys,

I was wondering what you think about the hard top vs. the soft top? I feel like the soft top is convenient since you always have the option of putting it back on if you took it down.. but in terms of taking it off road, is one better than the other?

[Lifes A Jeep]

I was wondering what you think about the hard top vs. the soft top? I feel like the soft top is convenient since you always have the option of putting it back on if you took it down.. but in terms of taking it off road, is one better than the other?

Your answer depends on what kind of wheeling you plan on doing. If you want to wheel the harder trails, its only a matter of time until you damage your top. And damage is even possible on some of the easy trails. There are trees and brush and other stuff that can scratch and even penetrate either top. IMO, you should wheel without either. Go buy yourself a bikini top for the trails. You'll be able to see much better and its not too bad when you need to spend 50 bucks on a new one.

[Number 7]

We have a soft top that is pretty much scratched up. If it were a hard top it would look pretty bad, I think. You can still see out the windows now, but if it ever came down to it and they were scratched so bad you couldn't, we'd just buy replacement windows.

We have friends who have hard tops & they say that they can really feel the weight of them when they have them on, and they prefer to wheel with them off because they feel less tippy that way.

If I had to do it over I'd get another soft top.

[Huck]

I run them both and they both have their benefits. I run my hard top in Summer and during my hunts. Nothing beats the glass top for cooling in the Summer and for defrosting in the Northern AZ Winter. During the 7 months out of the year that we aren't roasting, I run my soft top. Its nice having the ability to close up or open up your Jeep with just a few zippers.

I've read the old hard tops weigh so much more and make me tippy posts, but I have never experienced this, myself. My hard top has rock rash on it and I've got a nice scratch in my glass (Passenger side glass near the top) from resting on it while traversing the notch on Collateral Damage. Its also been said that there is nothing 'cooler' than having rock scratched glass on your rig. To be close enough to scratch it, but not break it..... If you've been there, you already know about it. I've had my Jeep in hard top form on many of our nastier trails. I've also done them with the soft top on and haven't noticed any difference from the weight of the tops. This has been my experience.

I like being able to run either top and that would be my vote. I do like having the hard top on in the heat and for kicking it at 80mph on the freeway. The limo tinted glass keeps things cooler, much more private, and some would argue a little more secure. I definitely take different precautions with what I leave in my heep when the the soft top is on and the windows and doors aren't.
HTH

[lancetkenyon]

No top for wheeling, soft top for here in the valley, hard top for cold locations with snow and ice.

[rubicontrail]

Hard top is quieter, hard top makes access to the rear area a little more convenient. Soft top is much easier to "take on and off".

I would suggest the hard top and then a bikini top for off-roading and mild weather.

[Kelly P]

No top for wheeling, soft top for here in the valley, hard top for cold locations with snow and ice.

X2 I run the sunscreen bikini top most of the year, Hard top hangs in the garage unless Im goin up north. Never have used the soft top yet.

[xjstocker]

ask Miles about what can happen on easy stuff. oops

[CaptainMorgan]

I live in the snow and cold...it got down to -20 at my house last year. The soft top has been fine for all of it. The TJ has an amazing heater. 10 mins after getting in I find myself turning off the AC. Although I sometimes wish I had a hard top, I really prefer the soft top for its diversity. I've had stuffy closed up trucks...I prefer canvas.

[CooL_DaD]

I prefer Hardtop and bikini

[terron gregg]

top whats that for one thing less to get ruined

[Cave Gimp]

Since the Jeep is my wife's DD it runs with the hardtop, much easier to get our 9 month old in and out, and it is a bit quiter. When we hit the trails, it comes off and the soft top goes on. At the airdown spot, the windows come off. A bikini would be cool, but its nice to be able to drive back home in comfort. Get all 3. :)

[sgt.pinkerton]

I've done a lot of trails out here in Oregon out on some real old loggin roads all over grown, slick and cut out by cats and skidders. All with a hard top. Every time I wash my jeep afterwards, I can't believe there are still no leaks...AT ALL. I even have to crack my window before I close the door to keep my ears from popping. If you condition your hard top to fit your jeep, then yeah, the hard top is awesome. My Jeep is a 1990 YJ.
To condition my hard top I did this:
Wet down 4 army wool blankets, rolled them all up together, set them on the front top edge and above the doors, made sure my Jeep had lots of sun all day and soaked her down every 3-4 hours to keep up the weight. Did this for 2 days. Then I re-did all the seals on the hard top.
This did work for me, I learned it from my old Sgt.Major.