Originally Posted by MikekiM

This will absolutely happen if you install the Freedom panels without the rest of the hard top and don't flip the little feet things down.. The Freedom panels sit up on the lip of the hard top and without the feet things extended the panels sit much lower.

Originally Posted by NCC-2893

This mod is so simple that it should make the list, and I don't think it's been mentioned on this thread yet. For folks tired of hand screwing for an eternity to get the freedom top hard panels off, you might want to shorten the length of screw by cutting it down in size.

Use a cutoff disk like a Dremel to cut 5/8 inch off the end.

<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=297516"/>

Here's a comparison with the unaltered screw.

<img src="https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=297518"/>

I know that some will post that the simple answer would be to ditch the screws altogether. This is for those who want peace of mind, or need the screws for a better water seal. I use a single shortened screw on the right panel only, because the left panel latch holds that one down with the right. Now the panels come off fast and remain secure when reattached.

Other notes: I could go shorter, but cutting off 5/8 inch seemed to be the sweet spot for me. 1/2 was not enough and still involved too much hand screwing. I looked for aftermarket solutions to this problem and found none. I also read on another thread that Chrysler purposely designed the long screw so that there would be no doubt as to whether or not it was threaded in place. I figure about 6-8 rotations would be enough to thread through most nuts. Anyone worried about security with a shorter screw, then just cut off less of the screw. Lastly, you'll be cutting off the tapered section of the screw head which may make it a little harder to thread, not an issue for me though. Enjoy.