Cride

Hey guys.

Looking at buying a used soft top and not sure if this is a factory top or aftermarket. The seller says it is for a 2014 JKU, but it is definitely a little different than the older tops that I am familiar with. I can tell by the pics that it has the larger rear window and it does not appear to have the plastic that along the edge that slips into the door surround channels that the older tops have. Can anybody provide any info base on these pics?

Thanks in advance.

Lashway4x4

My guess is that the top is aftermarket.
I only have 2 reasons why I believe so. The 2012 and newer Jeeps had a different rear pivot system and this one has the standard pivots that the older models or aftermarket tops would have.
Also since it has the older style pivots can it be a older top then? I dont believe so because the 2011 and older tops had a smaller rear window and this one, as you said, has a larger rear window.

I would have the owner of this top send you pictures of the bottom corners of the rear window and bottom corners of the two side windows. Typically any brand will have their name and age of the softop stamped into the vinyl window. Also if this is a Bestop softop then the door surrounds should have a big "B" on them. So till him to flip those door surrounds around so you can see if it says "B" or not.

Also no matter what if you buy this top then you need to purchase this top with all the hardware. That means all the mounting hardware. If you have everything for this top than there should be no reason why you cant make it work.

So again my guess is that this top is an aftermarket top. But again it is just a guess, of course if any of us saw the top in person it might make it easier to identify.

karls10jk

It's a factory top. Stickers on the rear window and tailgate bar are factory part numbers.

The difference you're talking about is the 07-09 clip in style vs the 10+ cable style. The 10+ is absolutely preferred all day, every day. It is not the premium top and it is not the "easy fold" model that is available for ~15+ (potentially 14's as well).

What hardware do you currently have and do you have any other concerns on the top? With it being the standard material, you shouldn't be paying but $200......$300 tops. That standard fabric can dry out and you'll be replacing it again in a few years. It is also rather easy to stain if you're not diligent with the upkeep. If you can find a gently used premium top then you'll be in better shape, provided the price is right.

Cride

That is exactly what I thought it was, but was not sure because I have not dealt with the newer tops. The only issue I see right now is in the attached picture. I can't tell if it is a rip or if it is designed that way. It is hard to see, but it looks like both sides are the same. I have the all of the screws needed for installation so that is not an issue. If is uses the same brackets for the roll bar, I am good there as well. He is asking $300 for it, but I am sure I can get it a little cheaper.

Thanks for the response.

crzyamerican

Looks like a rip to me.

karls10jk

I can't speak to the 4dr but on the 2dr in that same spot there is a second layer of fabric that ends there for the cable to run through. I just went out and lifted the corner of mine to check.

$300 would be pretty high but I guess if that's the market, but man....that's seriously approaching some premium prices I've seen.

Cride

Man, I wish I could find a premium in that price range. Everybody around here is looking for $800 to $1100 for the premium tops. Most of those are basically new. Everything Jeep in the Midwest seems to be high. People wanting $200 for stock bumpers and $600 for factory wheels. Drives me nuts.

I think if I could get it for $200 it would be a decent deal. I will only be using during the summer months. I have a hard top for winter.

Phantasm

I think that piece of fabric mentioned above was added a little while after the cable top first came out because it was a wear-out location. So this is probably V1.0 of the second Gen soft top. Yes, that does look like a tear along a seam to me. I'd be wary of that top. Of course, you can replace the material later and hang on to the hardware. Be sure you do have all of the screws. At a minimum there are what 4 Alan or Torx headed bolts to hold the rear frame to the roll bar bracket and 6 hand screws that secure the window frames on, two have short stems and 4 have long stems as I recall. I haven't seen my Jeep in 3 years as I've been living in Europe but will have her back in July so my memory is a little fuzzy. The rear window bar supports just clip on, but you'll need those too.
Like the others I agree the Second Gen Cable top is much faster to operate then the Gen 1. I upgraded to the Gen 2 V2.0 in 2011-12 or so and was always satisfied with the choice as it has less rigid parts and slips by my Roof Rack with ease.