Will physics get in the way of fun?

[Tortooga Custom Works]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

Sponsored

 

[Pat2Alaska]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

I plan on using eye bolts in the ceiling and just ratchet straps so I don't think it is an issue for me. I'm contemplating the Leitner Rack at this point but not considering anything else. My guess is I would only put the rack on if I needed to use it for a bit but take it off most of the time....... Besides nothing, not even physics trumps fun for a Gladiator owner!! (well, maybe hot feet, but that seems to be in the past)

 

[JT614]

What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This was my first thought too, but hopefully the windshield would block enough of the air that would reach the rear. Riding with the windshield down would be a different story!

 

[JP1]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

I won't be using a topper.
I've been waiting for one of these:

even then, the top rack will probably be left off 99.999%.

Like @JT614 said, turbulence should be minimal for bed items unless the windshield is down, and I won't be doing that.

 

[bangolia]

So I have been thinking about this too but I’m a slightly different way. I want/need a tonneau cover to keep my “trunk” dry on trips. This will be where we keep our camping gear clothes and other things so dryness is a necessity. However I also want a rack system back there for bikes and maybe even a RTT one day. I have the factory tonneau and it would be awesome if someone could come up with a rack system that was comparable with it. Not 100% sure how it would work but then again that’s why we pay the engineers the big bucks.

I have a soft top so removal would be pretty easy. But with a hard top and a bed rack I assume you would need a lift.

 

[JP1]

So I have been thinking about this too but I’m a slightly different way. I want/need a tonneau cover to keep my “trunk” dry on trips. This will be where we keep our camping gear clothes and other things so dryness is a necessity. However I also want a rack system back there for bikes and maybe even a RTT one day. I have the factory tonneau and it would be awesome if someone could come up with a rack system that was comparable with it. Not 100% sure how it would work but then again that’s why we pay the engineers the big bucks.

I have a Tonneau also, both of us will probably have to do something along this line:



I can't believe people were able to survive before the Redneck Engineers figured out YouTube...

 

[WXman]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

That's a very good observation, and I personally feel that a bed rack or topper would make removing the hard top a PITA for the reasons you mentioned. You'd have to lift it high enough to clear the entire structure of the truck, OR, tilt it and roll it over one side of the truck, either of which would be risky and dangerous.

For these folks, the soft top would be a better option. Jeep purposefully designed it to NOT interfere with bed racks, toppers, or loads in the bed.

 

[kayakmike]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

So I have been thinking about this too but I’m a slightly different way. I want/need a tonneau cover to keep my “trunk” dry on trips. This will be where we keep our camping gear clothes and other things so dryness is a necessity. However I also want a rack system back there for bikes and maybe even a RTT one day. I have the factory tonneau and it would be awesome if someone could come up with a rack system that was comparable with it. Not 100% sure how it would work but then again that’s why we pay the engineers the big bucks.

I have a soft top so removal would be pretty easy. But with a hard top and a bed rack I assume you would need a lift.

So, there is nothing aerodynamic about a JL/JT Jeep. Smooth airflow goes to hell as soon as it hits the winch/grille, and definitely by the front windshield. Any rack that sticks above the roofline (or beyond the sides of the vehicle) is going to add drag/noise to your ride, but since aerodynamics go to hell on a JL/JT pretty early (especially if tops/doors are off), rack aerodynamics are probably irrelevant.

There are tons of options for racks/toppers/etc. so your solution would vary depending on what you choose. I would think if you are going to remove the vehicle roof, any sort of traditional camper shell would be removed first (usually just a couple of J hooks). Most of the bed rack/topper setups could be left in place, but to remove the roof you'd have to pull the roof straight up. I have some Harbor Freight pulleys (https://www.harborfreight.com/bicycle-lift-95803.html) in my garage for larger kayaks. Not sure I'd trust anything from HF for Jeep stuff but something like that could work. The pulleys on this setup do not roll very smooth, and with a 50 lb kayak on them I usually have to pull a ladder out to help lower the kayaks. But what do you expect for <$10 Chinese junk/plastic wheels? You could create your own pulley system with better hardware. Just need to make sure you can park the JT in close to the same spot every time.

The roof mounted rack setup (https://www.quadratec.com/p/mopar/removable-roof-rack-kit-jeep-wrangler-jl) appears to really suck for the JT. The factory cross bars mount on the rigid roof behind the freedom panels. May be OK on a JL Unlimited, but with the JT the roof line is too short to get any crossbar spacing. I wouldn't want to mount a rack to the freedom panels since they can't take much of a load. The downside of the removable roof & freedom panels is that load capacity here is very limited.

I'd really like to keep the roll-up tonneau cover, trail rail system, as well as a bed rack system. Can't have them all at the same time. I'm thinking of bolting plates to the top of the bed that extend out a few inches beyond the side of the bed. Something like this (but not the lumber rack): https://www.campway.com/wp-content/uploads/3000-Series-Camper-Shell.png That would allow a tonneau cover to still roll over the bed. Then I can add a rack base system to the plate that would be just outside the tonneau cover width. It could be a low, bed height rail system (just high enough for the tonneau cover to roll under) or could be like the Xporter/cab top height.

If this works, I think my setup would be:

• My existing Kuat hitch mount for bikes most of the time (https://www.kuatracks.com/products/hitch/nv-2-0/)
• Bed rack for kayaks (hopefully low height for whitewater kayaks and occasionally bikes, but may opt for an adjustable height so I could haul longer sea kayaks without my trailer)
  • I have the Mopar cross bars that fit on the trail rail system sitting in my parts pile, but know those won't work with the tonneau cover
  • A beefier rack system would allow a tent type setup on the rack too
• Tonneau cover under rack (to store/secure gear under the rack)

I should be able to remove the JT roof with this setup.

Maybe someday I may get a chance to play around with this and see what will work. But right now I'm 16 weeks after ordering my Granite LE and still sitting in C status with no hope of ever getting a build date.

 

[Pat2Alaska]

So I have been thinking about this too but I’m a slightly different way. I want/need a tonneau cover to keep my “trunk” dry on trips. This will be where we keep our camping gear clothes and other things so dryness is a necessity. However I also want a rack system back there for bikes and maybe even a RTT one day. I have the factory tonneau and it would be awesome if someone could come up with a rack system that was comparable with it. Not 100% sure how it would work but then again that’s why we pay the engineers the big bucks.

I have a soft top so removal would be pretty easy. But with a hard top and a bed rack I assume you would need a lift.

I'm more concerned with dust than wet in the bed. I think anything I put back there that will be affected by either would be in a dry bag or a contractor garbage bag. The tonneau cover won't keep the dust out if you are off pavement.

 

[SleepyJeep]

I will definitely be putting a rack and a canopy tent on top in the back with some kind of a leitner or decked drawer system. I am being patient in waiting out what products will come out for this and so far none of the products have impressed me. I know this is probably vanity and not important to many folks but I need the lines of the rack to align with the jeep and it should look good for me otherwise I will not purchase it - so it has to be both form and function LOL.

So far, the best one that is in the works I have seen is from JCR Offroad.

I will definitely have problems taking the top off alone, will need to figure out the solution later. I am interested in @JT614 's solution. Regarding the turbulence, I mean I don't believe it will be anything more than what the JLU folks have encountered but I also definitely don't plan on putting the windshield down - I plan to put lights and a highlight jack on the hood so that will not be possible for me anyways . I do remember from the days when I had my TJ - driving over 55mph with the top off became quite rough.

I am also looking for solutions where they move the spare to the back and put an extended fuel tank in its place...

I'm also following TrailRecon's videos and he has some new updates with the tent now altho I don't like that rack he has :

 

[Ole Cowboy]

I've been thinking... bed racks, toppers, etc...

They make removing the hard top a tad complicated. You now would have to life the hard top up and over the side, front or rear - no so easy. Unless you have some kind of pulley system in your garage, or your 6'5" with a friend or mate who is also 6'5" and equally strong.

So by adding a topper or bed rack, are you giving up the gladiator's core feature?

Let's say you do have a good way of removing the hard top, consistent, easy, no issues...
What kind of turbulence will having the tops off add to your ride?

This question is probably the same for a soft top - tho the soft top is much easier to maneuver.

This has partially been steering me away from a rack/topper and more towards just a traditional tonneau...

Thoughts? Not sure if someone brought this up already....

@steffen707 @SleepyJeep @Bobs85Reny @Rex3rd @JP1 @Pat2Alaska @Jake @5JeepsAz @smlobx @Slapping_Rabbits @WXman @Sorbs @kayakmike @bangolia @pilotpat

Interesting point you make.

Pondering on it in hopes of giving an answer I came to realize I have more miles on a Jeep WITHOUT a top than I do with...LOL . But what I do run is over the front cockpit is a shade or sometimes called a Bikini top.

Had it custom made with 2 layers, the out is water-resistant and in between the 2 layers I put a windshield sun reflector, which does a GREAT job of mitigating the heat.

So to answer your question...

Turbulence, I don't care about any stinkin turbulence, in fact I have never noticed, but that is just me...

I'm the wind-in-the-face, Jeep drivin, ape-hangin' Harley ridin, bugs-in-my-teeth, ride-every-mile-like-it's-my-last, son of a gun."

 

[Jake]

Hey @ralphjjr to me it looks like there’s a couple of issues here. First one is how do you lift your roof over a bed mounted rack. Would be a tad difficult to lift it up and over the rack with 2 strong and tall people. And I got a really simple solution to offer up here. Why don’t you just lower the front windshield and go forward with the roof instead of going back, up and over any tall racks you might have?

And regarding the Mopar hard folding tonneau cover I bought one from a dealership just yesterday. They happened to have one in stock. And now that I have that cover I also have the installation instructions. I have read them and looked at this cover in great detail. And I can tell you that this cover will do a great job of completely covering the entire bed. I frankly don’t know how you could then also attach a rack of some sort on to a Gladiator on top of this cover. But hey I am not an engineer. Maybe there is a way to do that. And sorry but I can’t post pictures of this cover on my Gladiator as I have not yet ordered one. Still waiting to see a Gobi and a Sting Grey Gladiator before I decide which color I will order. Just offering up my opinions and comments here about what you are wanting to do.

 

[kayakmike]

Hey @ralphjjr to me it looks like there’s a couple of issues here. First one is how do you lift your roof over a bed mounted rack. Would be a tad difficult to lift it up and over the rack with 2 strong and tall people. And I got a really simple solution to offer up here. Why don’t you just lower the front windshield and go forward with the roof instead of going back, up and over any tall racks you might have?

And regarding the Mopar hard folding tonneau cover I bought one from a dealership just yesterday. They happened to have one in stock. And now that I have that cover I also have the installation instructions. I have read them and looked at this cover in great detail. And I can tell you that this cover will do a great job of completely covering the entire bed. I frankly don’t know how you could then also attach a rack of some sort on to a Gladiator on top of this cover. But hey I am not an engineer. Maybe there is a way to do that. And sorry but I can’t post pictures of this cover on my Gladiator as I have not yet ordered one. Still waiting to see a Gobi and a Sting Grey Gladiator before I decide which color I will order. Just offering up my opinions and comments here about what you are wanting to do.

You'd still have to go over the vehicle frame. Lowering the front windshield or removing the doors won't significantly change vertical clearance needed to remove the roof. If your topper is higher than the roof than going forward may help by a few inches, but that's it.

 

[Jake]

Oh yes you are so correct. In addition you would have to go up and over the roll cage. My bad. No more alcohol or drugs for me today. Maybe coffee might help. Oops!

 

[Bobs85Reny]

Any rack is going to mess with aerodynamics. The biggest issue I see is the soft bulky rooftop tents. The thing is a brick. Unless you use something hard shelled like on the wayout concept that at least has some aerodynamics to it. This is an area that I am addressing with my new design.
As far as bed rack is concerned I think most manufactures over complicate it. Look at the ford ranger I think they hit the mark with it. It works with the cover. but most of all it has 2 separate uprights that can slide independently in a track system. What a concept. If this was incorporated into a Gladiator it would do everything you guys are asking the front pillar could be slid back so the top could be removed. everything about it is clean and simple. It even has a height adjustment. To many aftermarket companies are to fast to throw out products without thinking things through. Even deckbox bothers me. Sure it looks cool but It wastes to much space. In my opinion there are better options. I always think in scaleability. With deckbox I can't reconfigure it for different uses. Just my 2 cents.

Sponsored