Fabric Doors
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 440
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From: Kilauea, HI
Fabric Doors
Does anyone use 2-piece fabric doors in the summer? Wanting some, but have read mixed reviews about how they work.
I live in a rainy place and they seem handy for having with me when the doors are off. Plus, I think the soft doors look pretty cool.
Thanks in advance for any help.
I live in a rainy place and they seem handy for having with me when the doors are off. Plus, I think the soft doors look pretty cool.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Last edited by AZchris; May 16, 2021 at 08:09 PM.
JK Junkie
Joined: Feb 2012
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From: brick, nj
I have the same questions. I recall reading that they flap at higher speeds. I just took my top and doors off for the summer yesterday. I'm waiting for my new bestop NX glide soft top to arrive.
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Kilauea, HI
I've heard the same, luckily on our island the highest speed limit is 50 and its fine to go under that. Ha. I'm mostly concerned with its waterproofness overnight, thats when we get most of our rain in the summer is when it would be parked out side my house.
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From: NJ
I've had a set of fabric doors for a bunch of years now. I use them in between full-door and no-door weather, on the days that it's chilly in the morning but warm enough in the afternoon that I'd hate myself for having doors on. They are definitely a tool to accomplish a goal, and not a luxury. They are fully adjustable, and it may take some time and effort to get them to "seal" to your door hole. If you just slap them on right from the box, you will have gaps and they will flap in the wind. If you take the time to adjust them and bend the upper to lower mounting studs just right, the top corners will press tightly enough against the jamb to stay in place. As far as watertightness while parked, it depends how well they are fit to the openings. I have the tub bedlined, no carpet at all, so I don't mind a little puddle if it happens. I put enough effort into mine to get them not to flap, but not to make a good seal all the way around. I don't need them to do that so I never bothered. As far as the rest of the experience:
Good:
They keep the rain out
They keep the heat in
They keep bugs and animals out when parked
You can pull the uppers only and have awesome fabric half doors. The uppers fit in a 2 door trunk
You can pull the lowers when it warms up, they fit in a 2 door trunk with the uppers
You will look super cool sitting at a red light when you pop your lower door off and toss it in the back seat
Bad:
They are loud, no matter what. Some noise can be mitigated but at their best, they are still loud
The zipper windows are a pain (for me, I rarely bother)
Mine don't seal perfectly, Yours might with enough effort, but mine don't
Visibility out of the plastic windows is ok, but not great
You will need a mirror solution, possibly more than one depending on your preferences for full, fabric, and no doors
Water collects in the lower door weatherstripping. It tends to come out when it's most funny that you look like you peed in your pants. Always empty your doors regularly
A couple years ago I put on RRs mirror movers and they are awesome. One mirror for any door case. I used some pipe insulation on the frames in my fabric doors. It helps a lot with the noise if the fabric can't slap against the frames. I've tried using tubing to connect the upper weatherstripping to the lower, it helps keep water out of the lower weatherstripping, I don't know about out of the jeep. Like I said, I use them for a few weeks or a month each year, to make up the time between hard top and permanent convertible. In that role they are excellent.
Good:
They keep the rain out
They keep the heat in
They keep bugs and animals out when parked
You can pull the uppers only and have awesome fabric half doors. The uppers fit in a 2 door trunk
You can pull the lowers when it warms up, they fit in a 2 door trunk with the uppers
You will look super cool sitting at a red light when you pop your lower door off and toss it in the back seat
Bad:
They are loud, no matter what. Some noise can be mitigated but at their best, they are still loud
The zipper windows are a pain (for me, I rarely bother)
Mine don't seal perfectly, Yours might with enough effort, but mine don't
Visibility out of the plastic windows is ok, but not great
You will need a mirror solution, possibly more than one depending on your preferences for full, fabric, and no doors
Water collects in the lower door weatherstripping. It tends to come out when it's most funny that you look like you peed in your pants. Always empty your doors regularly
A couple years ago I put on RRs mirror movers and they are awesome. One mirror for any door case. I used some pipe insulation on the frames in my fabric doors. It helps a lot with the noise if the fabric can't slap against the frames. I've tried using tubing to connect the upper weatherstripping to the lower, it helps keep water out of the lower weatherstripping, I don't know about out of the jeep. Like I said, I use them for a few weeks or a month each year, to make up the time between hard top and permanent convertible. In that role they are excellent.
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 440
Likes: 1
From: Kilauea, HI
Great info. Thanks so much.
On Kaua'i we don't have any freeways so road noise won't be too bad, all slow roads. How do they do when its parked outside and its raining? Thats my biggest concern, over night rains.
On Kaua'i we don't have any freeways so road noise won't be too bad, all slow roads. How do they do when its parked outside and its raining? Thats my biggest concern, over night rains.
I've had a set of fabric doors for a bunch of years now. I use them in between full-door and no-door weather, on the days that it's chilly in the morning but warm enough in the afternoon that I'd hate myself for having doors on. They are definitely a tool to accomplish a goal, and not a luxury. They are fully adjustable, and it may take some time and effort to get them to "seal" to your door hole. If you just slap them on right from the box, you will have gaps and they will flap in the wind. If you take the time to adjust them and bend the upper to lower mounting studs just right, the top corners will press tightly enough against the jamb to stay in place. As far as watertightness while parked, it depends how well they are fit to the openings. I have the tub bedlined, no carpet at all, so I don't mind a little puddle if it happens. I put enough effort into mine to get them not to flap, but not to make a good seal all the way around. I don't need them to do that so I never bothered. As far as the rest of the experience:
Good:
They keep the rain out
They keep the heat in
They keep bugs and animals out when parked
You can pull the uppers only and have awesome fabric half doors. The uppers fit in a 2 door trunk
You can pull the lowers when it warms up, they fit in a 2 door trunk with the uppers
You will look super cool sitting at a red light when you pop your lower door off and toss it in the back seat
Bad:
They are loud, no matter what. Some noise can be mitigated but at their best, they are still loud
The zipper windows are a pain (for me, I rarely bother)
Mine don't seal perfectly, Yours might with enough effort, but mine don't
Visibility out of the plastic windows is ok, but not great
You will need a mirror solution, possibly more than one depending on your preferences for full, fabric, and no doors
Water collects in the lower door weatherstripping. It tends to come out when it's most funny that you look like you peed in your pants. Always empty your doors regularly
A couple years ago I put on RRs mirror movers and they are awesome. One mirror for any door case. I used some pipe insulation on the frames in my fabric doors. It helps a lot with the noise if the fabric can't slap against the frames. I've tried using tubing to connect the upper weatherstripping to the lower, it helps keep water out of the lower weatherstripping, I don't know about out of the jeep. Like I said, I use them for a few weeks or a month each year, to make up the time between hard top and permanent convertible. In that role they are excellent.
Good:
They keep the rain out
They keep the heat in
They keep bugs and animals out when parked
You can pull the uppers only and have awesome fabric half doors. The uppers fit in a 2 door trunk
You can pull the lowers when it warms up, they fit in a 2 door trunk with the uppers
You will look super cool sitting at a red light when you pop your lower door off and toss it in the back seat
Bad:
They are loud, no matter what. Some noise can be mitigated but at their best, they are still loud
The zipper windows are a pain (for me, I rarely bother)
Mine don't seal perfectly, Yours might with enough effort, but mine don't
Visibility out of the plastic windows is ok, but not great
You will need a mirror solution, possibly more than one depending on your preferences for full, fabric, and no doors
Water collects in the lower door weatherstripping. It tends to come out when it's most funny that you look like you peed in your pants. Always empty your doors regularly
A couple years ago I put on RRs mirror movers and they are awesome. One mirror for any door case. I used some pipe insulation on the frames in my fabric doors. It helps a lot with the noise if the fabric can't slap against the frames. I've tried using tubing to connect the upper weatherstripping to the lower, it helps keep water out of the lower weatherstripping, I don't know about out of the jeep. Like I said, I use them for a few weeks or a month each year, to make up the time between hard top and permanent convertible. In that role they are excellent.
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 440
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From: Kilauea, HI
That seems like a great overnight solution. Thanks. Now I just need to pull the trigger. I was hoping to find someone on here who had a set that they hate and want to part with for a killer deal. haha
It really comes down to how well you get them adjusted. Mine have little gaps in the corners so I'll get a little water in overnight if the wind drives the rain at a certain angle. I'm sure I could minimize that with some adjustments, but I don't know that they'll ever be a 100% water tight solution. After my roof comes off for the summer I use a Bestop trail cover, it keeps the water out completely.
JK Junkie
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,499
Likes: 162
From: brick, nj
I just got a set of bestop doors for my 2014 jk. Local seller, and they were new for $250. Wow, are they noisy and flappy. I hope they get better when I have the time to adjust them. I don't quite understand the need for so much adjustability. I figure with CAD modeling these days, they could have done a better job mailing the shaped needed.
Super Moderator
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 145
From: NJ
I just got a set of bestop doors for my 2014 jk. Local seller, and they were new for $250. Wow, are they noisy and flappy. I hope they get better when I have the time to adjust them. I don't quite understand the need for so much adjustability. I figure with CAD modeling these days, they could have done a better job mailing the shaped needed.