You're right... you can roll the window up on itself as long as it's squeaky clean, and the dust doesn't abrade the surface of the vinyl like little grains of sandpaper. If you roll it up dirty, it's going to get tiny scratches pretty quick.

I make sure my windows are clean, even when rolled in the burrito bag.

Good tip about the 303. I've got to do that.

 

Yeah, it's hard to explain exactly what I'm talking about and it's dark outside now so I can't get any good pics. Mine aren't tinted, but milky would be a good word I guess. It just looks like the other windows do when they get dirty, but with those you can just wipe them and the "milky/hazy" stuff wipes away....this doesn't happen with my plastic windows. There are smudges too, but I'll try that plastic cleaner and see if that works.

 

WHAT? Then why are there so many products for rolling them up. From the SOft Top Boot to the CloverPatch to the straps that come from DC to roll up the rear window. Aren't they designed to be rolled up.

 

That's correct no windex..... I use the Mopar product for cleaning the vinyl windows. I'm sure there are other aftermarket products that would also work....

 

Windex (the blue, glass-cleaning varietyl) has ammonia in it. Ammonia is not good for plastic/vinyl surfaces as it is a harsh chemical and over time can break it down (read: make the vinyl brittle and can cause cracking) along with scratching.

My friend used to use Windex on his vinyl panels on his 03 TJ and after a while they were so scratched that you couldn't even see through them, it was almost like frosted plastic. He ended up having to get them replaced.

As the vinyl panels are, they are rather delicate and can scratch easily if not handled carefully. I have had my soft top installed for about a month and a half now, and almost every time I remove the panels, I place them on a flat surface, typically the carpet in my apartment and then I clean them with a microfiber cloth and the 303 protectant as has been mentioned. Not only does the 303 make the windows very clear, it also has SPF 40 which will make the panels resistant to the damage of the sun over several years. I've had the top off at least 10 times now, and my panels still look like new. The 303 also helps repel the rain -- the water just beads and rolls right off the windows.

If you keep your panels clean and don't fold/roll them they should provide you with many years of service without looking dull and cracked/faded. There are safe ways of rolling them, i.e. the bags with padded soft inserts and the rolling tubes that have dividers so the vinyl does not touch and scratch. Another tip I have observed is that if you find your panels have become wrinkled or have "bumps" on them, carefully hang them outside in the sun on a warm day, and the vinyl will stretch and the wrinkles will go away.

Hope that info helps ...

 

cool, thanks everyone. I'm gonna order some of that 303 stuff later this week when I get paid.

 

The tinted ones look hazy from the inside!

 

x2 to to above.
And the side the sun is shining on directly will seem more hazey than the other side.

 

are you guys using the 303 protectant or the fabric/vinyl cleaner?

also what can I use on the black door handles and mirrors to keep them looking nice and black, not faded?

 

I have been using this on my soft tops for 13 years now and they always looked good as new. My '93 YJ was my first car at 17yrs old, moved up to a TJ and now best of all the JK...you guys should check it out.

http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-clear-p...astic-Detailer