I have been thinking about replacing my Jeep's Soft Top with the Freedom Top. Anyone here done it? The Soft Top is OK, but I would prefer the Hard Top. I have read the numerous issues on Leeking, and from what I can tell, those problems may have been resolved. Anyway, the Dealer told me that other than buying the Top, I will need the Equipment Package, which contains the Electrical items to run the Wiper/Washer/Defroster/ ETC. Can anyone basically install? If anyone here has done this, any problems encountered? Also, I was advised that the Top come's with a 12 month Warranty. Would it be best if the Service Dept. install the Top? So if it starts leaking, they would be required to fix, or would it be OK, if I did, assuming if it's a fairly straight forward task in doing so?

 

You should be able to do it on yourself. I haven't thrown one on yet, but I would assume it is similar to a tj, just throw it on. Hope you are made of money, it aint going to be cheap.

 

Bestop sells a hard top for the JK, its a two peice instead of three... the front two panels are basically one big panel. Looks real nice... and i assume that since its two pieces it doesn leak like the three. plus, i'm pretty sure its cheaper than one from the dealer, i would imagine its got at least a one year warranty on it too. good luck

 

If you get the one from the dealer, they have to flash your CPU since it has a harness that plugs in. I think I read that in another post on the site.

 

True, you will have to go to the dealer for the flash.

Also, you will have to pull the dash apart to put in the control for the Rear Defroster. If this is something you are comfortable doing then you could do the install yourself and just get them to do the flash, if not, then let them do it all.

 

At this point, they are only advertising the one for the unlimited, not one for the 2dr, if that matters to you.

I wish i would have gotten the hardtop on mine, for the winter months. It has been fine with the soft top, but the hard top would have worked better for me in the ice & snow as i could run it through the auto-wash at work every day.

 

I looked into the Bestop Hardtop a short while back. Initial price at first was around $1900.00 Now there advertising at about $2500.00. The Stock 3-Piece Freedom Top lists at $2200.00 plus $250.00 shipping through my Jeep Dealer, and an additional 8.9% for Sale's Tax, plus $160.00 for the Hardware Kit, and $325.00 for Assembly. Though I like the Bestop Design better, I did email them a few questions, just haven't received a response back yet. From what I have heard, they do make some good products. I'm not concerned about the Rear Wiper should I go with the Bestop, as I'll be installing a new Rear Bumper with Jerry Can Holders, Larger Spare Tire, Jack, Etc, so I probably won't be able to see much out of the Rear Window to warrant a Wiper anyway, in my case.

 

You'll be sorry if you don't get the rear wiper.

 

I have a hard top.

I would say that I've used the rear wiper 2 times. I rarely look in the rear view because the spare covers most of the rear window so I've become acustom to not relying on the view.

It's a jeep - Large spare - no good view out the rear window - Who cares if it's a little dirty.

 

I dont care about the dirt.

I just like to keep all the road salt off it as much as possible.