My soft top has always leaked a little - the usual place just above the door handle. If I got a hardtop would I have the same leak or do you think this might help?

 

you can try putting a light dusting of baby powder or talc powder on the gaskets where you think it's leaking and hose it until it leaks. Then look for the water trail in the gasket. It might make it easier to find and fix the problem.

 

I'm assuming that your talking about the door handle on the rear gate. I had a huge gap there I could look and see light through. I noticed it when bunch of water got in when I washed my Jeep. There was a good amount of trapped down by the jack before I pulled the drain plug. If it's in this location then a hardtop will not help.

I might have solved the gap problem. I bed lined my Jeep and removed the stock door seal foam on the rear gate. The stock stuff is way to thin to be effective. I ended up running some door seal from a hardware store all the way down the door (vs the stock about 5") and on the top and bottom. I cannot say that it is waterproof because I haven't tested it. It's defiantly a better seal. I think the vertical side closest to the hinges will need to be reapplied about every 6 months because closing the door is wanting to twist it off.

 

No. I was talking about the front doors I've tried adding weather stripping with no luck. I don't know if it's stock or the dealer did it before I bought it, but the soft molding on the door surrounds actually absorb water. When they get saturated they appear to be part of my problem. The other parts appear to be a gap and loose surrounds. I'm going to replace the bolts on the surrounds and try to find some weather insulation that is wide enough.

I'll let you know what works. I know it's a common problem. Lots of rain right now in Florida to test it on.

 

The hardtop on my 07 has never leaked. I know the problems with both tops is hit or miss

 

That's why I think mine can be fixed.

 

No leaks on mine either and I have an 08. Hard top was nice and tight, and my Trektop (non nx) is nice and tight. Survived many heavy rains and not a drop of water inside. Little bit of wind noise on the top corners of the header but I put a bit of expanding foam in there and it helped quite it down. That was about a year ago.

 

I got the dual top option on my 12. The hardtop was on for about 4 hours until I switched to the soft top, which I plan on keeping on until it starts to get colder. I've had no leaks on the soft top so far except when I didn't completely zipper the back window and hosed the dust out of the area between the window and the top overhang.

I do have an 11 JKU with a hardtop, though. The only leak on that one was on the day I picked it up. It rained in the afternoon, and the prep crew apparently didn't tighten the thumbscrews on the freedom panels completely (or installed them in the wrong order or something) and left a couple of the latches un-latched. It started to drip from between the two tops at the front, right into the dash cubby. I removed the tops, installed them in the proper sequence, made sure all the latches were properly closed and cranked down on the thumbscrews. Hasn't leaked a drop since.

 

Just replaced the 4 bolts that hold the door surrounds on - 2 per side. The surrounds are now very secure where as before they were loose. I think that was 75% of my problem. I now think if I adjust that terrible foam trim that is on the upper forward section. I hosed the front section with a pretty good stream and can live with this. However, I know there a lot of you with the same problems with leaks. Once I get my leak fix dialed in I'll post pix and materials or adjustments that I made. Hopefully it will help other sufferers. I still love my JEEP.

 

This sounds so hokey that I almost didn't post it, but I stopped the leaking over the door handles with my soft top by changing how I put the top up on the last two steps.

I make sure to put the plastic tabs over the doors in as the very last step. Before that, I double pump the latches closed. If I don't do that, I get the door handle drips.

Don't ask me why it makes a difference, but it does.


I told you it was hokey.


Jason