JT sightings at consumer to shows?

[Karnaj]

Steel bumper group and the high clearance fenders , domed hood suggest its a Rubicon

Also has red tow hooks and outlining of the JEEP emblem on the side. More indications of a Rubicon.

Sponsored

 

[5JeepsAz]

So far we have not seen any Gladiators with a soft top on at a show. Last year at the auto shows they were excited to demonstrate the functionality of the new zipperless soft top for the JL. If anyone is at a show and has the ear of Jeep rep I would really like to know how the soft top will function. Specifically will it fold all the way down or just sit in the sunrider position. If the later, how much effort to take it off completely?

This issue has been a concern of mine for some time now, I just didn't want to sound like a broken record so I have not brought it up for a bit. But now that the JT is showing up at shows across the country I think it is a good time to get an answer.

I'm adding sport cloth and max tow to the list of would like to see soon

 

[Jake]

In one video someone from Jeep showed how to get it into that Sunrider position. And in that video for about 3 seconds you can see him holding one of the corner sections of the rag top in one hand.

Further to my above post I found the video. It was Mark Allen from Jeep showing how you could open the Sunrider section of the rag top version. See these 2 pictures. Right at 40 seconds into the video you can see that he is holding is his left hand the rear corner section of the rag top. And in another picture where he is at the tailgate of the truck you can see where this corner section has been removed from the drivers rear side of the rag top and you can also see that the passenger side has not been removed. Wonder if these 2 corner pieces are also to be stowed in the optional rear window storage bag.

 

[Jake]

Here’s 2 more pictures from that same video. As you can see Mark Allen shows how to open the top into the Sunrider position. As you will see the sides to the top appear to ride on a black rail that is attached to the roll bar. I have circled this area. Mark Allen has his left hand on it in the other picture. To take the entire rag top off I guess that you probably have to take off at least 4 bolts on each side, maybe more. And I would assume that the whole top section would come off with the gas struts and the black bottom rails attached. No clue how easy or time consuming it would be to take it off or to put it back on.

 

[homerun]

Here’s 2 more pictures from that same video. As you can see Mark Allen shows how to open the top into the Sunrider position. As you will see the sides to the top appear to ride on a black rail that is attached to the roll bar. I have circled this area. Mark Allen has his left hand on it in the other picture. To take the entire rag top off I guess that you probably have to take off at least 4 bolts on each side, maybe more. And I would assume that the whole top section would come off with the gas struts and the black bottom rails attached. No clue how easy or time consuming it would be to take it off or to put it back on.

Sounds like a lot of work. This is what I was thinking to and I am really disappointed. Others have told me I am worried for no reason and that FCA won’t bring us so close to top off and yet come up so short. I hope they are right.

 

[19JL]

We got to check out this one today at the Portland show. I can’t wait, wished it was a rubicon but still awesome to see in person. Looks like our 19 JL will be forsale real soon according to the wife.

 

[steffen707]

In looking at the rear seat flipped up, it looks like all the weight of somebody sitting on the seat would held up by the seat hinge, because the seat bottom is floating? Those must be super strong hinges.

 

[Jake]

Looks to be 100% correct, especially when the storage box below it is removed. So that storage box can’t be there to support the weight of the seats and passengers.

 

[lrtexasman]

Yea the Ridgeline and pretty much all the full size trucks now are designed to flip up for cargo room. Very helpful in getting tall cargo on the floor (dog-box, big screen TV, Bike, ect) when the cargo box is removed. Shameful the Ranger did not design their seat this way. As a bonus because of the additional rear legroom the rear seat backs can fold down without removing the headrests.

 

[Jake]

From this picture from the above post by 19JL I zoomed in on the speakers on the roll bar. And I really can only see one big speaker on each side. I know that there is supposed to be a total of 4 speakers on the roll bar but I really just see the 2 big ones. Would appreciate it if someone could satisfy my curiosity and show me where the other 2 speakers are on this roll bar.

 

[steffen707]

Wonder how that'll hold up long term.

 

[steffen707]

Yea the Ridgeline and pretty much all the full size trucks now are designed to flip up for cargo room. Very helpful in getting tall cargo on the floor (dog-box, big screen TV, Bike, ect) when the cargo box is removed. Shameful the Ranger did not design their seat this way. As a bonus because of the additional rear legroom the rear seat backs can fold down without removing the headrests.

The Ridgeline has a bar at the front of the seat to hold the weight though.

 

[Jake]

Yea the Ridgeline and pretty much all the full size trucks now are designed to flip up for cargo room. Very helpful in getting tall cargo on the floor (dog-box, big screen TV, Bike, ect) when the cargo box is removed. Shameful the Ranger did not design their seat this way. As a bonus because of the additional rear legroom the rear seat backs can fold down without removing the headrests.

Those rear headrests can also fold down before you fold the seat backs down. There is a little release button on the side of the headrests for that. I’ve seen them flip down before the seats are folded down in some of the videos.

 

[19JL]

From this picture from the above post by 19JL I zoomed in on the speakers on the roll bar. And I really can only see one big speaker on each side. I know that there is supposed to be a total of 4 speakers on the roll bar but I really just see the 2 big ones. Would appreciate it if someone could satisfy my curiosity and show me where the other 2 speakers are on this roll bar.

Good eye on the speakers. They said that truck came off the line 6 days ago as of yesterday. There is a sub next to the removalable Bluetooth speaker behind the rear seat. I wasn’t allowed to get any closer.

 

[RandyM]

I missed the Houston show. Will the JT be at any other shows in Texas this year?

Sponsored