First time Jeeper on Long Island...2017 Rubicon Unlimited Hard Rock
 

Just picked up my first Jeep, a 2017 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock. After moving from NYC to the Eastern End of Long Island in 2002, we've been saying that we should get a beach car. 15 years later, we finally made it happen :)
Not planning to go too crazy on mods...We got the Hard Rock because we really liked the look of it as is, especially the bumpers :) I did have them swap out the rock rails to the flat step side rails, which are much more useful. I do a lot of Standup Paddleboarding, so I need to be able to get my board up and on the roof easily. And that's my next step...Figuring out how best to mount my boards with the soft top on, and down.

Welcome to the forum! :standing wave: Nice looking Jeep you got there! :rock: Getting you paddleboard up on top with the top off/down should be pretty easy. Just strap it to the cage rails.

Around these parts, the Hard Rock model is about the only thing dealers won't budge on price with. It's hard to pay up for most people that are gonna turn around and mod it with bumpers and such. It sounds like the perfect marriage for you in stock form, and that's a beautiful thing! Great lookin' jeep that will bring years of enjoyment!

That should be a great choice of new ride, congratulations! Good luck with your future mods and keep us posted on the progress.

Thanks! So, I'm taking the hardtop off this week, and I was planning to strap the board to the cage rails...But quick question, the front rail (the speaker bar rail) looks like it might be pretty hard on top, especially right in the middle where the board will go. Should I just throw a pad on there, or a towel?

Thanks! I LOVE the look of the Hard Rock, especially the bumpers, which made it my first choice. We were also looking at the Smokey Mountain for a more price-conscious option. I got bottom line pricing on the Hard Rock from the three dealers within 75 miles that had the exact configuration I wanted, and one of them was $2k below the others, and had no dealer fees. So...Sold! And I know myself, I don't have a ton of time to get into re-building/modding (and I don't even have a garage!), so I was OK going for stuff I wanted up-front, rather doing it myself (or most likely NOT doing it!) down the line.

I presume you're worried about protecting the board, and not the paint job or what not on the bar itself. I think the problem with a towel might be it's gonna blow/flap around at speed. Maybe a better option would be finding a cheap piece of egg crate foam and cutting a good size strip that you could maybe bungee to the board right where the contact would be on both the front and rear bars. Although that rear bar has a cover on it......I don't think I'd want a board rubbing on it necessarily. Not sure how you're strapping it down, but the foam might also make it grip a bit better whereas a towel might allow it to shift just a bit. Just thinking out loud....

Thanks...Yes, to cushion the board...I tried the towel, it worked OK, but it's not a great permanent solution. I rolled it, so it didn't flap, it just doesn't look great. Also, it didn't raise the board enough to stop it from rubbing against the top of the windshield. What would be amazing is if someone made a foam/neoprene pad that bolted through the sounds bar and attached with those bolts that go through there for the Freedom Tops...I've been looking, but no luck yet. I may have to make something :)

Oh, and as for straps, I'm just using standard board straps that go over the board, wrap under the bars and then back over the board.

I'd bet a 2x4 covered in something would be enough height off the front rollbar/sound bar to clear the windshield. Maybe wrap egg crate foam or some neoprene pad like you mentioned around it. The easiest thing to me would be run a screw (with a washer) up from the underside of the bar where the freedom panel bolts would go....to secure the 2x4 from below. That would take just a couple seconds assuming you have an electric drill/driver. If not, you could get some really long bolts that would probably clear the whole 2x4 and allow for a nut/washer on top. I'd bet there is a fancier product out there, but that seems like a simple solution. Could probably rig up something similar for the rear bar. Only problem with this idea is would have to be uninstalled when throwing the top back on......just a bit of a hassle.

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