Any Clime

What about the security of the top to the jeep in case of accident? Obviously, this doesn't apply with the top off. But perhaps there is some creditted safety feature for keeping you in the jeep.

that said, I never put those dang screws back in, jeez, could they have made them any longer? Honestly thought about putting a window crank on em. Never had any leaks with em out though.

murdadock

We are totally on the same page. Those things are a PITA. I never put them in. I don't think that it is an issue of getting thrown out. The lockers are pretty reliable.
I'd say in combination with the lock downs and your SEATBELT you will be ok. If you are still concerned, either screw them in or invest in a 5 point seatbelt harness system

But yeah, I hate those things too. I hate the ones that are in the front of the hardtop too. I upgraded to the quick Hand screws on the back but still have to pull out a torx for the front. Blah! Still like it better than the Soft top though.

Yankee

I do not use the screws in the summer because I pull the panels off and put them on a lot (Michigan weather FTW). I think the screws are a PITA also. I put them back in for the winter. Never have had a problem with leaks.

If I roll the vehicle those panels coming off are the least of my worries, if I am not belted in those two little screws are not going to save me.

The latches only method has been tested more than once on the expressway and windy days. The panels are still there.

murdadock

Here ya go

ADagnan

Now I see why I had no idea what screws everyone was talking about...my jeep doesn't have them...lol guess I am not putting them back in.

slinky

The top is really only to keep the weather out, there is no structure to it so it really offers no protection. Most likely, the plastic top will crush till its flat with the roll bar if you happened to roll. It's not that much of a pain for me to put the screws in, but then again ill take the front panels off for a day or two at a time. In the summer the top will probably be off more than its on.

JKMO

One of mine always felt cross threaded so I left it out until winter

rickyj

Ah. Lets be fair, the top will provide a ton of protection in the situation you actually need it. As much as a steel roof, probably not. But it is going to help a ton. The soft top will help too, although much less. Anything between you and the object is going to help.

That said, the screws are not going to be the make or break. The top is pretty smooth, if you rip it off it is probably going to sheer the bolts as well. You are either going to have a "gentle" rollover that pushes straight down or the violent one that tears everything off, but those tear off steel roofs as well sometimes.

slinky

So I don't want to revive this thread or anything, but I was driving today and it was raining pretty badly and some water managed to find its way in from the top of the passenger side door, kinda by where your shoulder would be. I'm chalking this up to me throwing the panels on in a hurry last night and it might not have seated properly, instead of it being because the screws were out. I've driven in rainstorms before with them out and had not had this problem

The Outlaw

Thank God for those bolts or we may have had a mother-in-law ejection seat!!! [/QUOTE]

I'll have to keep that in mind when my mother-in-law is riding in my Jeep. She gets to talking too much, I'll just flip the latch myself!!