Sponsored

Rear roof section.

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,084
Reaction score
34,569
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
Hard tops are the worst, nobody really wants to hang a fragile fiberglass boat from their ceiling. it’s too heavy, its unbalanced, and we shouldn’t need tools to remove it. The cheap, minimal hardtop soundproofing is for some reason an option. The rear sliding window is still manually operated. The rear window as a whole can’t be folded or removed for carrying extra long items. At the VERY least, Freedom Panels should have been designed for safe, padded on-board storage.
Seriously? That top is light. Unbalanced?
Sarcasm, right? Gotta be. It's funny.

Put the panels in the bag, stash them in the back seat, or in the back of the truck. Easy. Not unlike the T-tops of the Camaro we had. Now those were heavy and if you messed up, you'd break one.
Gotta be a joke as these are hardly fragile.

I can take mine off, and even put it back on, in minutes and I'm old, with a bad back and arthritis.

Jeep Gladiator Rear roof section. 20200712_121045_s


Jeep Gladiator Rear roof section. 20200714_165608_HDR


Seriously, I like the panels because they do work as they do. I'd not want it any other way. Any other sections would add complexity and the possibility of malfunction, leaks, ill-fitment and so on. IMO, this is the best of both worlds.
One healthy person can unbolt the rear section and take it off by themselves in 5 minutes, 10 tops.
I don't want more sections, more seals, more fitment issues, more leaks, more noise that comes from more pieces.
My Chevy had a manual sliding rear window - I guess I fail to see that as a shortcoming of these trucks where they tried to keep the top simple and light. I thought Jeep people liked simplicity?
Sponsored

 

@californiajeeping

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Threads
16
Messages
916
Reaction score
922
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
2022 Jeep Gladiator diesel, 1977 cj5 LS swapped
Yall are missing the point.

Buy the soft top! It literally does everything and no other pickup can compare to having a full top off.
 

NachoRuby

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chad
Joined
Apr 28, 2021
Threads
28
Messages
2,985
Reaction score
4,395
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
'21 JTR , '18 JLU, 73 VW Bug, 97 VW Jetta, all MTs
Yall are missing the point.

Buy the soft top! It literally does everything and no other pickup can compare to having a full top off.
Been there done that. I'd get a soft top in addition to a hard top, but no way I'd buy only a soft top. The full top comes off on the hard top too, so I don't know what you mean there. The only issues are pop up storms and storage space. So I'd buy one with dual tops, but I'd not buy one with soft top only. I've had soft top convertibles and jeeps before, but I have no interest whatsoever in only having a soft top for the JT. The hard top isn't hard to remove. It's not like a four door wrangler. It can be done by one person and no additional tools other than the torx wrench in the Jeep bag. I can do it in about 15 minutes. Ideally, I'd run hard top for three seasons and soft top in the summer.

I definitely prefer a hard top in the winter, for temperature control, the rear defroster, and for the weight of snow, which over time has meant I needed to replace the soft top on other convertibles. Ideally, I'd have the dual top group. But I bought off the lot.
 
Last edited:

DocMike

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
May 28, 2020
Threads
57
Messages
2,555
Reaction score
4,747
Location
Colorado Springs
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Sport S, 2001 Audi TT Roadster, 1930 Model A Hot Rod, 1973 VW Square Back
Occupation
Education
Top off, doors off, RTT off....rack still on. But it's useful for wheeling.
Now if the C&D and CR people would stop bitching about the wind noise.....
Oh wait...driver faster, can't hear them.


Yall are missing the point.

Buy the soft top! It literally does everything and no other pickup can compare to having a full top off.
IMG_7520.jpg
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,084
Reaction score
34,569
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
Been there done that. I'd get a soft top in addition to a hard top, but no way I'd buy only a soft top. The full top comes off on the hard top too, so I don't know what you mean there. The only issues are pop up storms and storage space. So I'd buy one with dual tops, but I'd not buy one with soft top only. I've had soft top convertibles and jeeps before, but I have no interest whatsoever in only having a soft top for the JT. The hard top isn't hard to remove. It's not like a four door wrangler. It can be done by one person and no additional tools other than the torx wrench in the Jeep bag. I can do it in about 15 minutes. Ideally, I'd run hard top for three seasons and soft top in the summer.

I definitely prefer a hard top in the winter, for temperature control, for snow weight, which over time has meant I needed to replace the soft top on other convertibles, and for the rear defroster.. Ideally, I'd have the dual top group. But I bought off the lot.
The only way I'd have a soft top is if I had both where I live.
Yeah, the drawback of full top off and leaving it at home is out pop-up storms. Clear sky, no rain forecast, and 2 hours later, record storm. I've been caught in 3 and more inch per hour storms when none were forecast multiple times.
And if you left the top on when there was a 10% chance, you might hardly ever take it off.
 

Sponsored

ntwrkguru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2020
Threads
2
Messages
77
Reaction score
125
Location
PA
Vehicle(s)
1987 Jeep Wrangler, 2020 Jeep Gladiator
Top off, doors off, RTT off....rack still on. But it's useful for wheeling.
Now if the C&D and CR people would stop bitching about the wind noise.....
Oh wait...driver faster, can't hear them.




Jeep Gladiator Rear roof section. IMG_7520
what is RTT?
 

ShadowsPapa

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Threads
178
Messages
29,084
Reaction score
34,569
Location
Runnells, Iowa
Vehicle(s)
'22 JTO, '23 JLU, '82 SX4, '73 P. Cardin Javelin
Occupation
Retired auto mechanic, frmr gov't ntwrk security admin
Vehicle Showcase
3
Real time text........ at least with Android.
 

NachoRuby

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chad
Joined
Apr 28, 2021
Threads
28
Messages
2,985
Reaction score
4,395
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
'21 JTR , '18 JLU, 73 VW Bug, 97 VW Jetta, all MTs
Got my full hardtop off, and I timed it. Only 15 minutes, exactly. I started at 8:42, finished at 8:57. Now I'm ready for one day of good weather tomorrow (rain Wednesday).
Jeep Gladiator Rear roof section. IMG20220620205754
 

Sponsored

DocMike

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
May 28, 2020
Threads
57
Messages
2,555
Reaction score
4,747
Location
Colorado Springs
Vehicle(s)
2020 Gladiator Sport S, 2001 Audi TT Roadster, 1930 Model A Hot Rod, 1973 VW Square Back
Occupation
Education
That's because this didn't happen:







Got my full hardtop off, and I timed it. Only 15 minutes, exactly. I started at 8:42, finished at 8:57. Now I'm ready for one day of good weather tomorrow (rain Wednesday).
IMG20220620205754.jpg
 

Lunentucker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2022
Threads
184
Messages
4,715
Reaction score
11,647
Location
Virginia
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave
Occupation
People Work?
Yo... did you... did you just insinuate that the Bronco has a better design somewhere? Blasphemy!

Honestly, I've never really seen how the Bronco does it. I do wish there was an easier way to remove the back solo, but it's easy enough with a buddy.

There is also always the hoist option, I don't think my garage is deep enough for a hoist as the garage door motor is right where the separation between the front and rear panels. I might look into it after the 110 degree days are over.
The top is made to wrap around the opener 😁

Jeep Gladiator Rear roof section. PXL_20220618_190718583
 
 



Top