AndrewMcFarland

Alright, first spring / summer coming up owning a Jeep. It's a hard top, which I absolutely love and was what I was looking for when shopping around. The problem is that me and the Mrs. aren't strong enough together to get the top off very easily, yet alone put it back on. What is everyone's experience with owning a soft and a hard top, are there any preferences? Also, has anyone come up with some sort of home project (maybe a pulley system?) that helps lift the top off, I've seen them for the doors but that's not a problem..

Any insight into bikini tops etc. would be greatly appreciated, if it helps I'm in NJ . The problem for me is I have to park the Jeep at a train station 5 days a week and I'm not comfortable leaving the top off for fear that someone is going to snag my parking pass straight off the rear-view mirror. Funds aren't exactly in abundance at the moment so I'm more so looking for some background information, not necessarily going out to buy another top.

wittys-jk

If you have a garage you can make hoist for your top. There's a thread dedicated to a home brew in the write up section if you are intrested in seeing some. I can also help if you have any questions as I have made my own and I get my hard top off in less than 10 mins.

These are some old pictures but you will get the idea.

AndrewMcFarland

10 minutes is pretty quick, those pictures are definitely helpful in some pre-planning stages of how to lift it up and store it without having the fear of it falling onto the car that's going to park underneath it (only have a one car garage that another family members uses). Thanks for the pics, might have to circle back with you when I come up with a legitimate plan.

AndrewMcFarland

Hate to cross-forum here but I found this on the wrangler forum website

DIY Hardtop Hoist and Dolly - Jeep Wrangler Forum

To back track the way my driveway works is a single lane that eventually widens off to the right while the rest of it continues to the garage. I have the spot off to the right, so with something like this I could build some sort of dolly (would need bigger wheels because it's all paver stone) just to raise the top and I could slowly lower it down and wheel it into my spot and throw a tarp over the top. Not the fastest or most efficient, but I can definitely put something together that's cost efficient AND effective for taking off a four door hard top solo.

This is all just in case anyone else is in a similar bind, hopefully this is something I can get working on and post some pictures along the way.

Morris4x4Center

Have you checked out SpiderWebShade? Or mainly set on bikini tops?

zedteamk2

I had both and sold the hardtop. I liked it, but i was always wanting to take it off when the weather was nice.

GeneralPatton

I have both hard and soft top and love them both. In Canada we get some snow so the hard top is pretty handy. The soft top is great in the warmer months. I picked up a harken hoist and absolutely love it. In the winter it holds my soft top, and in the summer my hard top is held up in the rafters. It's really easy to use and gives me piece of mind. I just got my new spiderweb trailmesh today and I can't wait for the warm weather.

ColinWright

Just got my SpiderWebShade last week, and love, love, love it! Easy to install, and being able to keep it on while the soft top is up just makes it that much better.

Scrappi

I had hard top and sold for soft top and havent looked back. I also have the spiderweb shade and love it. It can stay on under the hard or soft top so that makes it even better. Good luck

amick218

My spiderwebshade is the best investment I've made!