Converting a factory JK/JKU hardtop to modular

[jscherb]

Two weeks ago I picked up a tilt-out RV window when I was in Indiana for a meeting with a window company. It's not the exact size and shape to fit the hardtop window opening, but it installed just fine with a custom retrofit kit I made for it and I don't think it looks too out of place.

Closed:

Open:

Interior view showing the window open, also showing the pop-up Freedom panel skylight open and showing the main hardtop skylights...

I picked up this window because I wanted to see how it might work out if you're using the Jeep as a camper. You'd probably close a slider window in the rain, but because of the way this one opens it most cases it could probably be left open when parked/camping in inclement weather to provide ventilation. I only picked up one to try out, but if I decide I need one for the other side there are more where this one came from.

 

[jscherb]

Today I received a preproduction sample of the 2-door factory hardtop slider window retrofit kit. The fit is perfect so I signed off on it. Now the RV window company will use this to make the preproduction windows - the hardware company sent a retrofit kit to the window company for them to use as a gauge for the size and shape of the windows. Rather than having the company make windows from a drawing, they'll use the retrofit kit so there's no interpretation involved - if the window fits properly in the retrofit kit, it's sized correctly. I'd expect them to have the window sized for production within a few days.

 

[jscherb]

In the process of making up the prototype 2-dr factory hardtop slider window retrofit kit, I also made up a "blank" one just to see what ideas might come out of it.

One use for a blank kit would be to turn the Jeep into a panel truck, but really the idea would be to provide a "blank canvas" for DIY-built hardtop mods. Like the slider window retrofit kits, the blank kit would provide a flat mounting surface is an easy-to-use base for whatever the DIY-er wanted to build.

A blank retrofit kit installed to make "panel truck":

Some of the things a blank retrofit kit could be used for...

- Building a Rotopax mount (oh wait, someone's done that http://jeep.rebeloffroad.com/product-p/ror-jk-bok-v2-2dr-barebones.htm) But a DIY version using a blank retrofit hit would almost certainly work out to be way less than the $659.98 of the one in the link .

- Building your own cargo hatch/storage compartment using a standard RV hatch

- Installing standard RV-style windows

I'm working on coming up with other uses for a blank kit to see if it's worth going any further with it - any ideas?

 

[Comanche Scott]

There is a company that makes one recessed to mount a Rotopax. You could do something similar for a Rubican.
I like the idea of the door panel opening up to a recessed bar cabinet. Keep some Growlers, and mount a couple of taps for a Kegerator made with that new fridge you have. :beer:
Pretty sure whomever did this would be voted Most Popular on the trail...

Another great use would be if the panel was recessed, and setup to hold recovery gear with quick fists, etc.. So basically no outer door for fast grab-n-go access.

 

[jscherb]

There is a company that makes one recessed to mount a Rotopax. You could do something similar for a Rubican.
I like the idea of the door panel opening up to a recessed bar cabinet. Keep some Growlers, and mount a couple of taps for a Kegerator made with that new fridge you have. :beer:
Pretty sure whomever did this would be voted Most Popular on the trail...

Another great use would be if the panel was recessed, and setup to hold recovery gear with quick fists, etc.. So basically no outer door for fast grab-n-go access.

I didn't draw the bar, I'll leave that drawing to someone else, but I did do a quick edit of your grab-n-go recovery gear idea. Forgive the inaccuracy, it's a very quick edit job just to show the concept...

 

[TrailBadger]

Scherb, let's take this modular top in a different direction.. remove the glass side and rear windows and parts of the fiberglass molded sides. Then incorp fabric roll up windows on the sides and rear window.

or why was this part of the puzzle abandoned..

 

[jscherb]

Scherb, let's take this modular top in a different direction.. remove the glass side and rear windows and parts of the fiberglass molded sides. Then incorp fabric roll up windows on the sides and rear window.

or why was this part of the puzzle abandoned..

My reason for having this top is to provide a platform for experimenting with new ideas and options for modular hardtops. Roll-up soft sides are not a new idea or option, I've done them already for the LJ and they work perfectly, so the concept and detailed design is well proven - I've been using them in the summers for years, on the road and on the trail. The design and construction of soft sides for a modular factory JK/JKU top is almost identical to the design and construction of the LJ Safari Cab soft sides, so for people converting their own hardtop to modular I covered the construction of the soft sides in detail starting on page 5: http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...-JKU-hardtop-to-modular?p=2125421#post2125421.

 

[unkamonkey]

Jsherb, I'm not too sure I would go with the lack of windows in the rear. Old motorcycle rider here so I turn on the turn signal and look over my shoulder for a vehicle in my blind spot. I can barely see anything out of the rear windows of the Koenig hard top on my 3B so I do use my mirrors a lot. WTH, I used to drive a semi as well so I know about mirrors and the chance that a vehicle can still be where you can't see them. I've had little road lice cars pull in so close behind my motor home that I couldn't see them in either mirror so I would have to sort of do a swerve so I could see if they were still stuck to my rear bumper.

 

[TrailBadger]

Agreed @unkamonkey I've never liked the sides of the hard top's design and we've talked about this (wife and I) before the purchase of the rag top unlimited. This is one reason we like the actual hard top roof with fabric sides/windows.

 

[jscherb]

Definitely true that blanking out the passenger side window turns the hardtop into a panel truck, with panel truck visibility out the back on that side. Installing one on the driver's side wouldn't have the same effect though, since that window isn't really used for rearward visibility, so if someone had an application that made sense for only one side (ComancheScott's bar? ), you could keep the window in the passenger side and do the mod to the driver's side.

Seems like Rebel Offroad sells a pretty good number of their window-replacement Rotopax holders, so using the window opening in one side or the other for something other than a window isn't that uncommon. I'm just thinking that something that made DIY options for using the window opening for some other purpose might be useful to some people, but maybe not.

 

[TrailBadger]

Scherb, the issue with rebel off road window rotopax setup is that it will not support a roto with fuel in it. In rebel off road's words.. this was merely for athletics and used for the placement of a medical kit. So unless rebels design is amended as to support added fuel to the rotos.. I see this gear in set window as being useless.

 

[jscherb]

Scherb, the issue with rebel off road window rotopax setup is that it will not support a roto with fuel in it. In rebel off road's words.. this was merely for athletics and used for the placement of a medical kit. So unless rebels design is amended as to support added fuel to the rotos.. I see this gear in set window as being useless.

Well somebody is misinformed because on their web site you can buy their blackout kit bundled with a 2-gallon fuel container: http://jeep.rebeloffroad.com/product-p/ror-jk-bok-v2-2dr-loaded.htm.

I've seen many of them on the trails with fuel in them, like this one I saw in April in Moab and based on how it looks in the hot sun, it obviously has fuel in it

But the current topic of this thread isn't about Rebel's products, it's about whether a blank retrofit kit for DIY mods makes sense to anyone. A kit, BTW, which would have no problem supporting a full Rotopax or Rubican.

 

[rubicon91]

Scherb, the issue with rebel off road window rotopax setup is that it will not support a roto with fuel in it. In rebel off road's words.. this was merely for athletics and used for the placement of a medical kit. So unless rebels design is amended as to support added fuel to the rotos.. I see this gear in set window as being useless.

Not true at all. They most definitely can utilize gas rotopax.

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[rubicon91]

Scherb, let's take this modular top in a different direction.. remove the glass side and rear windows and parts of the fiberglass molded sides. Then incorp fabric roll up windows on the sides and rear window.

or why was this part of the puzzle abandoned..

Btw you do realize the picture on the left is Jeff's LJ right?

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[TrailBadger]

Interesting Scherb, Odd how when I sent rebel off road an email about this and that was the excuse I got from them. Claiming its was nothing more then for athletics and couldn't withstand the weight of a fuel roto.. So yes I WAS misinformed by the manufacture.