What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[Blade1668]

Nothing really special did oil n filter change yesterday, last week I did a change from solar system in back seat area to bed. Since I got a passenger now.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Snow season over, removed plow bracket/cross bar and frame brackets. Took some thinking to resecure the hoses. I wanted to secure the bolts in the frame - the only way to remove them is to remove the bumper and brackets that hold the reservoirs in place. So I put on washers and nuts to hold them in place until next winter.

Since I can no longer work UNDER a vehicle without getting sick for 12 hours, I was lucky and was able to do all of this sitting at the front and on the sides, going through the wheel openings to the frame bolts. Thankful for the clearance and height of the Mojave in this case.

The full original skid plate went back on since I didn't need the cut one to clear the brackets I took off.

I figure I removed at least 30-40 pounds and should be getting an extra 10 mpg now with the more aerodynamic front end of a Jeep without the brackets and bar.

 

[Mud Pie]

A question to those that have a Sunrider top -

Yeah, I'm thinking of getting one. Sure, them Freedom panels are easy-peasy to remove, but flipping that fabric top back is a whole lot easier !!

I know interior noise will be greater with fabric; I put those 1" thick sound deadening pads on all roof panels, it did make it slightly quieter, but not to the point where you can whisper to your front passenger....lol. I haven't been through a Texas summer yet with the Jeep, it's unknown how well they'll deflect heat. My father-in-law had a JK and I remember touching his Freedom panels in the summer, and jeez-Louise that roof got HOT.

My question is; with the summer temperature here in Texas getting hotter than the door hinges to Hell, will that fabric top make it feel like I have the door open on my kitchen oven ? I'll be honest, I prefer comfort over convenience. If the Sunrider is just going to bake me, I'll leave it on my wish list....

 

[Jeepmonster]

A question to those that have a Sunrider top -

Yeah, I'm thinking of getting one. Sure, them Freedom panels are easy-peasy to remove, but flipping that fabric top back is a whole lot easier !!

I know interior noise will be greater with fabric; I put those 1" thick sound deadening pads on all roof panels, it did make it slightly quieter, but not to the point where you can whisper to your front passenger....lol. I haven't been through a Texas summer yet with the Jeep, it's unknown how well they'll deflect heat. My father-in-law had a JK and I remember touching his Freedom panels in the summer, and jeez-Louise that roof got HOT.

My question is; with the summer temperature here in Texas getting hotter than the door hinges to Hell, will that fabric top make it feel like I have the door open on my kitchen oven ? I'll be honest, I prefer comfort over convenience. If the Sunrider is just going to bake me, I'll leave it on my wish list....

Get the headliner for the Sunrider, and you'll be happy. Whatever tradeoff there is (slightly more noise, and maybe more heat) will be quickly forgotten. I wish I had gotten the Sunrider (and headliner) years earlier than I did. I know it gets much hotter in Texas than SoCal, but the inside will cool down pretty quickly once you get AC or ventilation air going. I think you'll really enjoy the convenience and functionality.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

A question to those that have a Sunrider top -

Yeah, I'm thinking of getting one. Sure, them Freedom panels are easy-peasy to remove, but flipping that fabric top back is a whole lot easier !!

I know interior noise will be greater with fabric; I put those 1" thick sound deadening pads on all roof panels, it did make it slightly quieter, but not to the point where you can whisper to your front passenger....lol. I haven't been through a Texas summer yet with the Jeep, it's unknown how well they'll deflect heat. My father-in-law had a JK and I remember touching his Freedom panels in the summer, and jeez-Louise that roof got HOT.

My question is; with the summer temperature here in Texas getting hotter than the door hinges to Hell, will that fabric top make it feel like I have the door open on my kitchen oven ? I'll be honest, I prefer comfort over convenience. If the Sunrider is just going to bake me, I'll leave it on my wish list....

Go read my massive thread .. .
If you get one that fits right, bravo. If not, well.......
And ignore those who claim it fits fine but have to tuck the bucket seals and so on. That is NOT a correct fit. Even Bestop says so. I have two tops sitting here and the fit is a fukin joke and no help.
One I'll likely strip some parts off and burn. The other I haven't decided yet.
Even Bestop admits there are others with the same problem so good luck
Try those flip top things for your panels.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Get the headliner for the Sunrider, and you'll be happy. Whatever tradeoff there is (slightly more noise, and maybe more heat) will be quickly forgotten. I wish I had gotten the Sunrider (and headliner) years earlier than I did. I know it gets much hotter in Texas than SoCal, but the inside will cool down pretty quickly once you get AC or ventilation air going. I think you'll really enjoy the convenience and functionality.

Yeah, and lack of support if it won't fit

 

[WILDHOBO]

Snow season over, removed plow bracket/cross bar and frame brackets. Took some thinking to resecure the hoses. I wanted to secure the bolts in the frame - the only way to remove them is to remove the bumper and brackets that hold the reservoirs in place. So I put on washers and nuts to hold them in place until next winter.

Since I can no longer work UNDER a vehicle without getting sick for 12 hours, I was lucky and was able to do all of this sitting at the front and on the sides, going through the wheel openings to the frame bolts. Thankful for the clearance and height of the Mojave in this case.

The full original skid plate went back on since I didn't need the cut one to clear the brackets I took off.

I figure I removed at least 30-40 pounds and should be getting an extra 10 mpg now with the more aerodynamic front end of a Jeep without the brackets and bar.

Nice work!

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Finally got around to installing the Quadratec Headliner Kit and threw on some NXTGen Blind Spot Mirrors. Also got the solar gland and the Renogy 200W Shadowflux from my old truck installed to power my Bluetti AC200L. It was a bit unnerving drilling a huge hole in my Alu-Cab Contour Canopy, but hopefully the sikaflex will keep the water out.

 

[Mud Pie]

Go read my massive thread .. .
If you get one that fits right, bravo. If not, well.......
And ignore those who claim it fits fine but have to tuck the bucket seals and so on. That is NOT a correct fit. Even Bestop says so. I have two tops sitting here and the fit is a fukin joke and no help.
One I'll likely strip some parts off and burn. The other I haven't decided yet.
Even Bestop admits there are others with the same problem so good luck
Try those flip top things for your panels.

No can do.

1) I think they are ugly as all get-out.
2) I believe those hinges hold the panels with glue strips. I can never fully trust ANY sticky-stuff holding weight under speed/wind drag after being aged by sun and rain for weeks or years at a time, no matter what is claimed. Them panels are too pricey and I can't afford to foot the bill for the car behind me that gets hit by a rogue fly-away panel. I could only imagine the argument I would be having with my insurance company to handle THAT claim...

Others may like it. Me ? Nope.

Maybe I'll just re-think the whole Sunrider thing, probably not good for months of over 100+ degree temps and 100% humidity....thanks guys !!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

No can do.

1) I think they are ugly as all get-out.
2) I believe those hinges hold the panels with glue strips. I can never fully trust ANY sticky-stuff holding weight under speed/wind drag after being aged by sun and rain for weeks or years at a time, no matter what is claimed. Them panels are too pricey and I can't afford to foot the bill for the car behind me that gets hit by a rogue fly-away panel. I could only imagine the argument I would be having with my insurance company to handle THAT claim...

Others may like it. Me ? Nope.

Maybe I'll just re-think the whole Sunrider thing, probably not good for months of over 100+ degree temps and 100% humidity....thanks guys !!

Well, I don't disagree on the "hinged panels". It's always windy here - and when I say windy, I mean 30-50 mph winds aren't unusual for us.

I can add that the black of the sunrider does make the interior of a Jeep a lot more hot and it takes longer to cool down. I know this because last year my top was off, on, off, on, off, on, off, on and so on. So I had perfect times to do direct comparisons.
Anyone who has passed 8th grade science classes know that black not only absorbs heat, but it transmits and transfers it to surrounding things, too. A day of my Jeep in the sun was like - holy hell, these things get HOT. Swap back to panels - it stays a lot cooler when parked in the sun.
I disagree strongly with those who claim it's not a big deal - when my wife comments before I even mention it as a possibility, I know it's a thing. (she rarely complains about anything)
I'd say for me it made a 10 degree difference easily.

So although I'm going after them and Jeep and at the very least trying to get my money back - if they actually fix things, I would take that as my second choice.
Panels take moments to remove and put back. I know - I had to do it in a huge hurry one year as the massive, record derecho was headed our way and I had the panels out - luckily in the bed of the truck! I bet I had those panels back in in 2 minutes.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

Treating the panels has made a HUGE difference in temps when the Jeep sits in the sun. That plus one of those decently priced sunshades in the windshield keep the temps way cooler inside. Cool enough that a drink left in the cup holder stays fairly cool from 8:30-9:00 until 1:30-2:00 when I head down to pick up the kids from school.

 

[RudeJeepin]

No can do.

1) I think they are ugly as all get-out.
2) I believe those hinges hold the panels with glue strips. I can never fully trust ANY sticky-stuff holding weight under speed/wind drag

They do have a bolt-on option to add to the 3m tape. That's not gonna help the look, but can you really see it from the driver seat?

I don't have a set, so I really have no answers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

They do have a bolt-on option to add to the 3m tape. That's not gonna help the look, but can you really see it from the driver seat?

I don't have a set, so I really have no answers.

As far as 3M tape......
I've used it for years on auto trim and other heavier parts. I defy anyone taking things apart without destroying them even after 12 years. I had to leave a couple of things with our 2023 JLU when we traded it. Impossible to remove. The genuine stuff is amazing and literally chemically bonds.

 

[RudeJeepin]

As far as 3M tape......
I've used it for years on auto trim and other heavier parts. I defy anyone taking things apart without destroying them even after 12 years. I had to leave a couple of things with our 2023 JLU when we traded it. Impossible to remove. The genuine stuff is amazing and literally chemically bonds.

Oh yes, I know. I used to install route sign holders on the side window of school busses with that stuff. Used it on loads of other stuff too.
I have a partial roll in the other room.

 

[Mud Pie]

Treating the panels has made a HUGE difference in temps when the Jeep sits in the sun. That plus one of those decently priced sunshades in the windshield keep the temps way cooler inside. Cool enough that a drink left in the cup holder stays fairly cool from 8:30-9:00 until 1:30-2:00 when I head down to pick up the kids from school.

My Jeep came with a Mopar Jeep sunshade, I haven't had the need to deploy it yet. Those days are a-coming !! I do already have the Design Engineering Boom Mat installed, hopefully I can keep some of the heat at bay...

The heat in Texas is incredible. It routinely stays above 100* and humidity at 100% for months on end. When I was working, one night we went outside to take a water break. It was midnight. Temperature gauge in the outside break area read 98*. At midnight. I turned to my co-worker (native Texan) and said, "For real ?? Sun set, what, 4 hours ago ? Still almost 100* ?!?!". He just chuckled and said, "Welcome to Texas !!".

When we left at 2, he says, "See ? It cooled down !!" We looked at the gauge, 95*...at 2am. Downright balmy....lol

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