Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => General Talk => Topic started by: FirstTimer on July 13, 2011, 11:43:02 AM

Title: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: FirstTimer on July 13, 2011, 11:43:02 AM
I am considering selling the hard top for my TJ and before I do I wanted to get some feedback from those that have done this and ran a soft top year round.

Thanks for you time and info.

Kyle
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: JackstandJohnny on July 13, 2011, 12:17:27 PM
its cold.


very cold.


my soft top also sucks.   and i have no carpet.  and the heater isn't great.  and my doors don't really seal. 


frack i hate winter.  how DARE you bring it up in the middle of summer!!!!!!!


i ask this; why sell hardtop? to pay for parts/repairs/mods? 

for the 500$ you'd get for selling it, i'd keep it...............
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: dunl on July 13, 2011, 12:36:33 PM
Johnny, you mean you don't drive around with the windshield down in the winter?  :o
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: JackstandJohnny on July 13, 2011, 12:44:56 PM
i may not even put the windows in until NOvember, but at least i keep the windshield up ;)
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: Spinalguy on July 13, 2011, 12:45:19 PM
i have owned jeeps since 97. My TJ, my Rubicon and my 77CJ5 do not have hard tops. i have driven all of them in the dead of winter. None have carpet either. i will never have a hardtop. Even the CJ5 is warm in minus 25 weather. The TJ's were warm at any temp.
The BONUS to running soft tops is that you never need to defrost in the a.m. as the windshield never frosts or fogs up.
In the TJ's i never needed to dress warmer. In the CJ, i do wear a toque and gloves if its -20 or colder.
i should mention that both TJ's had 1/2 doors with the soft upper windows. The CJ has full soft door and window.
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: mike s on July 13, 2011, 01:54:10 PM
Ran my soft top last winter, didn't get a chance to get hard top on then thought "why bother". Still bloody cold, hard top just makes you think it's warmer cause you have a rear wiper and rear defrost. Just watch for heavy damp snow collecting ontop of soft top, can stretch/damage it.

Plus you get to be topless first in the spring.
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: Rubi03 jef on July 13, 2011, 05:11:50 PM
done try to open your back window in the winter .. the zippers dont like to be useed when its cold and make sure your windows are on befor it gets cold because they also dont like to be moved very much plastic cracks in -30
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: Spinalguy on July 13, 2011, 05:15:11 PM
done try to open your back window in the winter .. the zippers dont like to be useed when its cold and make sure your windows are on befor it gets cold because they also dont like to be moved very much plastic cracks in -30
i remember wheelin one  cold winternight and a tree branch hit the rear side window. It shattered like glass.
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: FirstTimer on July 13, 2011, 06:33:26 PM
Thanks for the feedback all, keep it coming. And yes I am looking to sell it for some cash for parts. Not worried about the cold either, the heater in my Tj  is hot! But I am worried about breaking something, like zippers. It ain't cheap to replace those.
So how cold does it have to be to break a zipper or smash a soft top window? Any guess?
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: Spinalguy on July 13, 2011, 08:21:04 PM
 i have never had a window or zipper failure due to cold weather. The wheeling incident was a freak thing and it was minus 30. When its cold out, why would i ever have a reason to zip something up or down?
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: FiEND on July 14, 2011, 02:20:29 AM
everytime i put on my soft top i miss the hard top.  every spring i put the soft top on and regret it soon after.  i destroy both on the the trail with trees but so far all windows have been ok.  if i could have a hard top like the JK, then i would not miss the soft top.  except i do like it... sigh.
Title: Re: YEAR ROUND SOFT TOP GUYS/GALS
Post by: specialk on July 17, 2011, 04:32:04 PM
Never had a hard top, a never will....  don't need it.  Soft top keeps enough heat in.   Don't like it, buy an XJ.

I did crack a back window by trying to flip it up whe it was too cold...  Don't do that...