Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

[goin camping]

Don't any of you with the J30 miss your ability of open air tops (freedom top/soft top)? Which some consider one of the stronger features of a wrangler. I'm sure the sleep ability outweighs, but still.

To answer, no.

I've had jeeps with no top and jeeps that I could take the top on and off. The Ursa decision was based on a fast, easy and comfy bed when the wind was howling out in the desert or it was monsoon season. I've played the tent game under those conditions enough times.

So the open air was traded. I can still get my open air jones sated on my motorcycles.

As always when it comes to these types of decisions. It's all what someone prefers.

 

[ihatemybike]

The JKU and J30 offer me the chance to buy "new, off the shelf" which appeals to me more now than it used to.

Maybe MB will be smart and bring over the AWD/4x4 version of the Metris/Vito soon after they start selling them in the US.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Don't any of you with the J30 miss your ability of open air tops (freedom top/soft top)? Which some consider one of the stronger features of a wrangler. I'm sure the sleep ability outweighs, but still.

This is the one "big" question I still have.
Thank you goin camping for a great answer. :beer:

Another related question if I may;

Do any of you regularly take the J30 top off?
My concern is stress fractures on the J30 from doing this 10 or so times a year.

 

[HRPINDC]

You just described a Chevy Astro AWD.

He said reliable........

 

[Dan Grec]

Has anyone mounted a short awning on the back of the J30, to cover the rear tailgate area?
I'd like to get something that's shorter than the J30 is wide, and would be above the rear glass when it's open.
I plan on having the rear of my Jeep be my main sitting/cooking area, not the side, so I don't need anything that wraps right around the side.

I'm thinking of an ARB 1250, which should fit width-wise.

Thanks!

-Dan

 

[drivethruecp]

Maybe MB will be smart and bring over the AWD/4x4 version of the Metris/Vito soon after they start selling them in the US.

I've been singing the same tune! Although it will be hard to judge reliability on a new vehicle only out for a couple years. Know they are made for a long time as vito but different plant now for US..

 

[drivethruecp]

He said reliable........

Right. If I wanted trouble I'd stick with VW and get an old pop top Eurovan or Vanagon.

 

[ventura911]

I went with the liner material on the sides with the very top being the white gelcoat purely aesthetic reasons since my Jeep is fire engine red with black accents I thought the white would look like crap

I did the same for the same reason and love it!

 

[ihatemybike]

You just described a Chevy Astro AWD.

He said reliable........

Right. If I wanted trouble I'd stick with VW and get an old pop top Eurovan or Vanagon.

You obviously don't have much experience with Astros. I've had seven, every one that I drove on a regular basis went well over 200k miles. My current daily driver is almost at 270k.

It's sad to say the the vans have been much more reliable than our Jeep, but hopefully I've got that taken care of with the last cylinder head rebuild with extra tight valve seats.

 

[bigfish]

I did the same for the same reason and love it!

View attachment 301864

I saw your rig first on American Adventurist's instagram and googled around to find your AA build thread here.

I realize you are the founder of a competing forum. I've subscribed to your AA forum and build thread to follow along, but if you don't mind sharing with the established J30 community here...

A few questions:

1) Did you request the headliner in black or is that something Ursa Minor is just doing now? If so why?
2) Your solar setup interests me greatly. Looks a lot leaner than my setup. My rigid panel setup totals 45 lbs of top heavy mass and I've been considering changing out the panels to the flexible type you have to lighten things up.
a) Are they removable, or permanently mounted? Could you elaborate (with pics of course) on your mounting method and thoughts behind your design?
b) Do you drive around with the panels on? Are they affected by the wind?
c) What are your wattage specs and/or panel brand and part numbers?
3) Your interior center light is not the standard that Ursa has used in the past? Can you elaborate on that?
4) The base interior is white. Custom? Reasons?
5) What is on the sides of the headliner? Switch pod or something? This has been a minor problem area for me, so details would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance. :beer:

@expedition4x4 - This is what your rig will look like very soon.

 

[expedition4x4]

yeah 2 ursa minors in same work parking lot haha!

 

[ventura911]

First off, a correction: I'm not the founder of American Adventurist, just a satisfied member! :sombrero:

I answered most of your questions on that site, but will post up here, too, within the next few days. Have to head back to work now.

 

[goin camping]

I don't know what you all will be what to this weekend. But I'll be somewhere north of Yucca Valley off Old Woman Springs road. If you see this jeep. Stop and say high.

 

[ventura911]

I saw your rig on the instagram feed and had to check it out.

A few questions:

1) Did you request the headliner in black or is that something Ursa Minor is just doing now? If so why?

I didn't ask for it and was happily surprised by it. I think it looks really good! Maybe John has certain colors for certain vehicle paint colors?

2) Your solar setup interests me greatly. Looks a lot leaner than my setup. My rigid panel setup totals 45 lbs of top heavy mass and I've been considering changing out the panels to the flexible type you have to lighten things up.
a) Are they removable, or permanently mounted? Could you elaborate (with pics of course) on your mounting method and thoughts behind your design?
b) Do you drive around with the panels on? Are they affected by the wind?
c) What are your wattage specs and/or panel brand and part numbers?

The panel is a Renogy RNG-100DB 100w flexible panel. I had found a thread where a Westfalia owner had mounted two flexible panels on his top's rails. He simply added aluminum strips to provide solid mounting points and used bolts, slid upside down in the rails, to attach to the roof. (See photos below)

Westfalia:



J30:



The panel is on all the time, but easily removable. UMV added foam rubber to the aluminum strips in case of fluttering, but I have not heard anything thumping around up there.

3) Your interior center light is not the standard that Ursa has used in the past? Can you elaborate on that?

In one of the J30 threads on ExPo, there was mention of using the Rigid A-series light for a more-natural and warm LED color. I had UMV use it, instead, along with an angle mount from Rigid that allows the light to be pointed down when the top is up.

4) The base interior is white. Custom? Reasons?

The standard Jeep hardtop's interior is white, but UMV uses black carpeting on their tops.

5) What is on the sides of the headliner? Switch pod or something? This has been a minor problem area for me, so details would be appreciated.

I'm not quite sure what you're referring to?

 

[ventura911]

Some additional pics: