Sunrider owners - MY mess-up, or theirs?

[ShadowsPapa]

I definitely think he has an issue with his JT, not the assembly with the THREE different Sunrider tops that have been tried on his Jeep.

I wonder if these THREE different tops have been tried on other JTs. or JLs. There's something else going on with the assembly of his Jeep.

I had thought that, but then - why does one fit not too bad on the left and could actually be solved on the lift side with a slightly modified clamp, and it sits way too deep on the right -

and the third top sits waaaay too deep on the left, but sits too high on the right?

So my original - too low on right, about right on the left
This 3rd unit - too low on the left, way too high on the right.
If it was the Jeep, would not all of them sit too low on the right but not so bad on the left?
And this one sits way high in the left rear.

My other sat so deep on the windshield seal it crushed it.
This one doesn't even touch the windshield seal on the right.

I'd expect the all to be about right on the left, way too deep on the right if it was the truck.

If it was a door issue - and one fit too tight, one fit too loose, is it the vehicle - or the doors?

Sponsored

 

[Trollboogie]

I definitely think he has an issue with his JT, not the assembly with the THREE different Sunrider tops that have been tried on his Jeep.

I wonder if these THREE different tops have been tried on other JTs. or JLs. There's something else going on with the assembly of his Jeep.

Although the last top looks like the corner was dropped and it got bent.

 

[Trollboogie]

I had thought that, but then - why does one fit not too bad on the left and could actually be solved on the lift side with a slightly modified clamp, and it sits way too deep on the right -

and the third top sits waaaay too deep on the left, but sits too high on the right?

So my original - too low on right, about right on the left
This 3rd unit - too low on the left, way too high on the right.
If it was the Jeep, would not all of them sit too low on the right but not so bad on the left?
And this one sits way high in the left rear.

My other sat so deep on the windshield seal it crushed it.
This one doesn't even touch the windshield seal on the right.

I'd expect the all to be about right on the left, way too deep on the right if it was the truck.

If it was a door issue - and one fit too tight, one fit too loose, is it the vehicle - or the doors?

I would think of it was just a truck issue.... all of them would fit consistently bad in the same way.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Although the last top looks like the corner was dropped and it got bent.

Yes, makes one wonder since it sits correctly on the right rail itself. The door clearance on the right is really not as bad as the other one.
But the left side is horrible where my other wasn't bad.

It's very possible this one is simply a problem top.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I would think of it was just a truck issue.... all of them would fit consistently bad in the same way.

Exactly - on one the left side was low but fixable and the right side was low and wasn't fixable with new mounts
on the other, the lift side is too deep, really slanted.
The right front of this top almost looks damaged.

What needs to happen is Jeep STAY involved instead of brushing this off as an accessory issue.
They need to prove first that the Jeep structure is perfect. If they do that, then they can blame someone else.

 

[rhaney02]

Exactly - on one the left side was low but fixable and the right side was low and wasn't fixable with new mounts
on the other, the lift side is too deep, really slanted.
The right front of this top almost looks damaged.

What needs to happen is Jeep STAY involved instead of brushing this off as an accessory issue.
They need to prove first that the Jeep structure is perfect. If they do that, then they can blame someone else.

At this point, I think this is definitely a Jeep problem. Of course, Jeep and Jeep Cares will ignore it as long as they can.

@ShadowsPapa, you present yourself as a very smart guy. You have three variables and only one constant. That should be very easy for you to do the math....

 

[ShadowsPapa]

At this point, I think this is definitely a Jeep problem. Of course, Jeep and Jeep Cares will ignore it as long as they can.

@ShadowsPapa, you present yourself as a very smart guy. You have three variables and only one constant. That should be very easy for you to do the math....

I can't count this last try - it's damaged goods and some idiot installed it using SHIMS at the rear mounts!
So, Really only two variables. My original and another they had in weeks ago.

If you did want to count this third - it fits the OPPOSITE of the others - it's down on the left and up on the right.
So one is down on the right, up on the left where it belongs.
This last one is down on the left.
If it's the Jeep, they'd all sit down on the right and up where they belong or at least closer to where they belong on the left.
The left side was 100% correctable with a different mount - just 3-4mm difference.
The right side defied correction.
This last one could be proof it's not the Jeep itself since it fit very differently, waaay too far down on the left, the others were not. But I don't count something that is obviously damaged by dropping, and is installed incorrectly to begin with. It's more of a "misfire" - try again.

I went back out to check things further, and decided to try to open it up.
If you release the left front clamp first, you can't get the right one unhooked there's so much pressure on it. If you release the right side first, the top literally jumps up, springs up, on that corner, then you can release the left latch.

Why is the rear sitting so high?
The idiot used the shims that Bestop sent for the FRONT mounting pads - on the rear - jacking it up too high. So the rear of the sunrider sticking it's ass up isn't "totally" the fault of the unit, it's a big part the fault of the dummy installer at the dealership.
When open, you can tell how badly the front corner of the sunrider is BENT and how it's digging into the windshield seal.

I had trouble believing the sunrider itself was so far off on the left rear as to sit this high - some high like the others, just a tiny bit, but not like this:

And I found the reason - idiots shimmed it up!

I thought - they had one job to do, just one job, don't tell me they did this on the other side, too!
Yes, they sure did!

Those shims were experimental, under the FRONTs of the other sunrider, the original. What made them think they should be installed at all, let alone on the rear? I furnished the emails and pictures from Bestop.

Left front corner - nice and STRAIGHT -

Right front corner - obviously BENT, likely from dropping it on the corner -

BENT, in and DOWN -

 

[Trollboogie]

Definitely bent

 

[MPMB]

Oof.

The struggle is real. It's amazing you had so much problem with it/them.

I have been happy with mine for 3 years... the 4th is being a bummer. It started to pick up more buffeting noise with crosswinds, like when a semi passes. It's loud and annoying. This year it seems louder, but it's probably that I haven't driven it more than in year's past.

It finally went through a touchless car wash a couple weeks ago. That was not a pleasant experience. 4 years of dust rained down when the power spray went over the top.

The "final" straw was yesterday, coming back from Moab. Big gusts and consistent wind blew into the side. I think a fix would be to add more/thicker weatherstripping in the gutter to compensate for the "stretched" fabric. For a few miles, I stuck my hand up there and pushed down on the "excess" flap above the door. I'm like, "I got 3.5 hours of this... forget it."

I think for long road trips, I'm putting the hardtops back on. My wife isn't going to be happy, she loves the convertible feel.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Definitely bent

Yes, it is absolutely bent, DAMAGED.
It's so bent, so bad, it's actually digging into the windshield header seal.
It will eventually damage it, not to mention the horrible WIND noise and leaking of water.

This isn't a sloppy fit sort of thing, this is physical damage and they stuck it on there and left it at that.

So now I fuss with the dealer, Jeep and deal with Bestop.

From now on, the dealer isn't touching it without me being there at the time. Someone has to explain to them how to install these things.

 

[rhaney02]

I can't count this last try - it's damaged goods and some idiot installed it using SHIMS at the rear mounts!
So, Really only two variables. My original and another they had in weeks ago.

If you did want to count this third - it fits the OPPOSITE of the others - it's down on the left and up on the right.
So one is down on the right, up on the left where it belongs.
This last one is down on the left.
If it's the Jeep, they'd all sit down on the right and up where they belong or at least closer to where they belong on the left.
The left side was 100% correctable with a different mount - just 3-4mm difference.
The right side defied correction.
This last one could be proof it's not the Jeep itself since it fit very differently, waaay too far down on the left, the others were not. But I don't count something that is obviously damaged by dropping, and is installed incorrectly to begin with. It's more of a "misfire" - try again.

I went back out to check things further, and decided to try to open it up.
If you release the left front clamp first, you can't get the right one unhooked there's so much pressure on it. If you release the right side first, the top literally jumps up, springs up, on that corner, then you can release the left latch.

Why is the rear sitting so high?
The idiot used the shims that Bestop sent for the FRONT mounting pads - on the rear - jacking it up too high. So the rear of the sunrider sticking it's ass up isn't "totally" the fault of the unit, it's a big part the fault of the dummy installer at the dealership.
When open, you can tell how badly the front corner of the sunrider is BENT and how it's digging into the windshield seal.

I had trouble believing the sunrider itself was so far off on the left rear as to sit this high - some high like the others, just a tiny bit, but not like this:

And I found the reason - idiots shimmed it up!

I thought - they had one job to do, just one job, don't tell me they did this on the other side, too!
Yes, they sure did!

Those shims were experimental, under the FRONTs of the other sunrider, the original. What made them think they should be installed at all, let alone on the rear? I furnished the emails and pictures from Bestop.

Left front corner - nice and STRAIGHT -

Right front corner - obviously BENT, likely from dropping it on the corner -

BENT, in and DOWN -

That's absolutely inexcusable from the dealer.

Just spitballing here, but did you ever test fit one of the non damaged Sunriders on your wife's JL?

It would be interesting to see if there was any difference in fitment.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That's absolutely inexcusable from the dealer.

Just spitballing here, but did you ever test fit one of the non damaged Sunriders on your wife's JL?

It would be interesting to see if there was any difference in fitment.

The only one I've had in my possession, aside from this damaged one, is the one that I'm going to insist they give me back tomorrow.
Otherwise, Jeep has maintained tight control on things. I've never even seen the second one (unless that's the one I was using and Bestop was testing with - who knows)

I'd like to grab everyone involved - dealer, Jeep and Bestop, and sit them down in the same room and say "FIX IT, no one leaves until it's figured out".

I'm going to remind my sales guy how much money I've earned him between Gladiators, Wranglers and Grand Cherokees over the last 10 years or so and see if he and the sales people there have any pull.
As far as Jeep proper, I suspect they just don't give a damn.

 

[Gatorized]

Yes, it is absolutely bent, DAMAGED.
It's so bent, so bad, it's actually digging into the windshield header seal.
It will eventually damage it, not to mention the horrible WIND noise and leaking of water.

This isn't a sloppy fit sort of thing, this is physical damage and they stuck it on there and left it at that.

So now I fuss with the dealer, Jeep and deal with Bestop.

From now on, the dealer isn't touching it without me being there at the time. Someone has to explain to them how to install these things.

Bent - is probably why they were able to find this old new stock.
that they still tried to make it fit speaks volumes as to the integrity of the mechanic/service dept.

 

[rhaney02]

The only one I've had in my possession, aside from this damaged one, is the one that I'm going to insist they give me back tomorrow.
Otherwise, Jeep has maintained tight control on things. I've never even seen the second one (unless that's the one I was using and Bestop was testing with - who knows)

I'd like to grab everyone involved - dealer, Jeep and Bestop, and sit them down in the same room and say "FIX IT, no one leaves until it's figured out".

I'm going to remind my sales guy how much money I've earned him between Gladiators, Wranglers and Grand Cherokees over the last 10 years or so and see if he and the sales people there have any pull.
As far as Jeep proper, I suspect they just don't give a damn.

Understood, but question not answered.

In my opinion, these tops need to also be tested on another JT/JL (maybe more than one) to establish a baseline of more than a sample size of one and determine what need to be addressed from there.

ETA: Of all people, you should you should realize and understand the process of elimination.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If I remember correctly.... the HighTide Wrangler came with a Sunrider and 35's

I had to look - but you are correct. It was part of the High Tide version.

Sponsored