Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Probably depends on where it's mounted in the original vehicle and what your definition of "easy" is, but in general, the Homelink units are designed to be easy for the vehicle manufacturer to add to the vehicle without requiring significant tooling changes to the interior components, so yes, almost all of them should be "easy". The one I installed in the JK came from a Land Rover Discovery II and if I remember correctly, snapped out by depressing a tab. The one I got at the U-Pull the other day came from a Mercedes E-Class and it was mounted in the driver's sun visor. It was easy to remove once I cut the stitching of the visor with a utility knife. There are also units that are part of the rear-view mirror, in that case you'd swap the entire mirror for the one in the Jeep.
All they require is power and ground, so they're easy to connect in your vehicle. Instructions can be found online for wiping the original programming from them and for reprogramming them to your garage doors, although most of the instructions describe a procedure where you use your existing remote to program the Homelink and I wasn't successful with that - what I did was push the "program" button on the opener unit in the garage and while it was blinking I pushed the button on the remote. Programming done.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
As I was walking around Overland Expo yesterday, I was thinking about the tilt-up camper tops I was seeing, like this Land Rover:
The thing that I wouldn't like about owning a pop top like the LR above or the Ursa Minor that it's pretty much always a camper. The Ursa Minor, for example, is an excellent and very popular product, but I haven't heard of anyone who swaps the camper top on and off just for their camping trips - it's pretty much a full-time conversion. Yes, it is a removable hardtop, but does anyone do that? I'd want my Jeep to be reconfigurable for different uses, which means a camper top that's removable without too much trouble.
This photo shows the Safari Cab roof being installed, I hang it from the garage rails, drive the Jeep under it, and drop the roof in place.
And in this concept drawing, a pop-top camper roof is being dropped in place:
The canvas would be something like what I sewed for my Jeep-tub trailer.
For me anyway, this would be the best way to have a pop-up camper top on my Jeep - most of the year it could be a standard hardtop, and for camping trips I could swap the tops pretty quickly.
The camper top would also be able to take advantage of some of the other modular features of the Safari Cab, for example the removable hard side panels/roll up soft sides.
The thing that I wouldn't like about owning a pop top like the LR above or the Ursa Minor that it's pretty much always a camper. The Ursa Minor, for example, is an excellent and very popular product, but I haven't heard of anyone who swaps the camper top on and off just for their camping trips - it's pretty much a full-time conversion. Yes, it is a removable hardtop, but does anyone do that? I'd want my Jeep to be reconfigurable for different uses, which means a camper top that's removable without too much trouble.
This photo shows the Safari Cab roof being installed, I hang it from the garage rails, drive the Jeep under it, and drop the roof in place.
And in this concept drawing, a pop-top camper roof is being dropped in place:
The canvas would be something like what I sewed for my Jeep-tub trailer.
For me anyway, this would be the best way to have a pop-up camper top on my Jeep - most of the year it could be a standard hardtop, and for camping trips I could swap the tops pretty quickly.
The camper top would also be able to take advantage of some of the other modular features of the Safari Cab, for example the removable hard side panels/roll up soft sides.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
Owning a J30, and now having driven it about 10k miles and slept in it for over 100 nights, I can give you some input.
The J30 adds so little weight, and so little height, there is really no downside to having it on there.
Interior cargo space is not changed in any way from stock.
When the top is on, my Jeep is virtually identical to what it was with a stock hardtop, the only difference being that if I happen to get somewhere remote, or have a beer and decide to stay at someone's house, I can pop the roof and in 30 seconds my Jeep is now a house.
It's absolutely the best of both worlds.
In my opinion, there is no benefit to an easy to remove camper, unless you want to run completely topless, in which case the J30 comes off just like a normal hardtop.
-Dan
Jurfie
Adventurer
I can dig that, but I can see the benefit of Jeff's idea as well. Removable side and back panels for a quick fresh air drive, modular for easier storage and removal (unless you've got a high ceiling and lots of garage space for a hoist). It's a pain in the rear to remove the stock hardtop on a whim, I can only imagine the J30 would be even more so. Don't get me wrong, I love the J30 (and I'd seriously consider getting one if I had a JKU), but a modular J30 (or similar pop top) would be the cat's meow.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
The modularity of the Safari Cab can be replicated in the J30 by a DIY-er (albeit one brave enough to make that first cut in the expensive J30 fiberglass
) - the techniques in this thread can be applied to the J30 to provide for removable side and rear panels, and roll-up soft sides: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/160775-Converting-a-factory-JK-JKU-hardtop-to-modular. And the JK Safari barn door is 100% compatible with the J30 (and with the factory hardtop BTW), so it's not out of the question that the barn door could be used with the J30 as well.The one thing I'm proposing that would be a bit harder is alternate panels - my concept drawing shows an alternate roof with a pop-up camper which can be swapped with the standard roof. Turning a J30 into a modular top wouldn't get you the extra roof panel, but if all you cared about was the modularity for ease of installation/removal, ease of storage, and removable panels for a more open-air experience, then the J30 can be modified to do that.
And just so there's no misunderstanding - the J30 is an excellent product, and nothing I have said or will say should be interpreted otherwise.
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
I like the idea of the modular pop top. Would be cool if instead of a tilt up, it opened straight up for additional room
One other cool top idea would be a removable section over the front half (like the freedom tops, only without the leaks...).
One other cool top idea would be a removable section over the front half (like the freedom tops, only without the leaks...
).
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I like the idea of the modular pop top. Would be cool if instead of a tilt up, it opened straight up for additional room
One idea I've always liked which would provide more room is the Dormobile conversion for the Land Rover. I took these photos this weekend at Overland Expo:
A "Dormobile" Safari Cab could look something like this concept drawing...
One other cool top idea would be a removable section over the front half (like the freedom tops, only without the leaks...
So far the Safari Cab has proven completely weatherproof, and it's been driven about 8 hours so far in heavy rain. Of course it doesn't have Freedom panels (because the roof is sloped it can't support factory Freedom panels). I did design the capability for alternate roof ideas into the basic Safari Cab, for example this photo shows a test fit of a factory soft top header with the Safari top door jambs, one idea being that a canvas front roof section could be used with a partial hard roof.
A different roof with removable hard panels could be done, and I have ideas that could make the panels more weathertight than the factory Freedom panels, but since I'm not a fan of Freedom panels myself, I don't plan to implement something like that.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've been thinking a lot about the JK as a camping vehicle, perhaps with an Ursa Minor tilt-up camper top or one of my camper top design ideas for the Safari Cab. In those campers, there's access between the "upstairs" bedroom and the inside of the Jeep. The camper top has screens to allow ventilation while keeping insects out, but the Jeep does not. So why not equip the Jeep with screens?
How about magnetic screens that attach to the doors of the Jeep? They go on the outside and cover the entire window area, and allow the window to be opened/closed to provide ventilation, and screen the entire opening.
Since I had most of the materials on hand to make one, I did.
From the inside:
They can be rolled up for storage:
The magnetic strips do a good job at holding them in place - I ran around town this morning with the window open and the screen in place, topping out at around 50mph and had no problem with the screen staying in place, although screens do make some wind noise at speed. They'd probably stay in place at highway speeds, although that's not really what they're intended for.
For a camper top where the Jeep is open to the bed area, I would think these would be very handy. I'm not sure what other uses they'd have, although if you're running slowly on a bug-infested swamp trail they could be used to allow air but not bugs into the Jeep.
Useful idea, useless idea or dumb idea?
How about magnetic screens that attach to the doors of the Jeep? They go on the outside and cover the entire window area, and allow the window to be opened/closed to provide ventilation, and screen the entire opening.
Since I had most of the materials on hand to make one, I did.
From the inside:
They can be rolled up for storage:
The magnetic strips do a good job at holding them in place - I ran around town this morning with the window open and the screen in place, topping out at around 50mph and had no problem with the screen staying in place, although screens do make some wind noise at speed. They'd probably stay in place at highway speeds, although that's not really what they're intended for.
For a camper top where the Jeep is open to the bed area, I would think these would be very handy. I'm not sure what other uses they'd have, although if you're running slowly on a bug-infested swamp trail they could be used to allow air but not bugs into the Jeep.
Useful idea, useless idea or dumb idea?
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
Great idea. :beer:
Had them for the VW Eurovan Camper (using Velcro), and they worked awesome. :victory:
Am planning something similar for the Jeep to include the tailgate area, since we sleep in it. But mounted on the inside of the doors instead of outside.
Had them for the VW Eurovan Camper (using Velcro), and they worked awesome. :victory:
Am planning something similar for the Jeep to include the tailgate area, since we sleep in it. But mounted on the inside of the doors instead of outside.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
To do the tailgate area, velcro on the inside would be the way to go - that way you could open the tailgate and liftgate without disturbing the screens, and just move a corner of the screen to get access. Could even do a zip-in door in the panel that could be large enough to provide entry/exit. You'd have to use velcro there in any case since magnets don't stick to fiberglass
.
rubicon91
Explorer
Jeff there was a j30 in the main campground with screens on. I actually took a pic of it. Here it is.I've been thinking a lot about the JK as a camping vehicle, perhaps with an Ursa Minor tilt-up camper top or one of my camper top design ideas for the Safari Cab. In those campers, there's access between the "upstairs" bedroom and the inside of the Jeep. The camper top has screens to allow ventilation while keeping insects out, but the Jeep does not. So why not equip the Jeep with screens?
How about magnetic screens that attach to the doors of the Jeep? They go on the outside and cover the entire window area, and allow the window to be opened/closed to provide ventilation, and screen the entire opening.
Since I had most of the materials on hand to make one, I did.
From the inside:
They can be rolled up for storage:
The magnetic strips do a good job at holding them in place - I ran around town this morning with the window open and the screen in place, topping out at around 50mph and had no problem with the screen staying in place, although screens do make some wind noise at speed. They'd probably stay in place at highway speeds, although that's not really what they're intended for.
For a camper top where the Jeep is open to the bed area, I would think these would be very handy. I'm not sure what other uses they'd have, although if you're running slowly on a bug-infested swamp trail they could be used to allow air but not bugs into the Jeep.
Useful idea, useless idea or dumb idea?
You can see the screena on the windows. Not sure of brand or homemade.
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rubicon91
Explorer
BTW I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jeff at expo and seeing the safari cab in person. Man that top is a thing of beauty. Looks awesome. I wish he could have had it closer to event for more to see. It was in day parking way off site from Event. I loved it. Great work Jeff.
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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
jgaz
Adventurer
"Useful idea, useless idea or dumb idea?"
Useful as heck IMHO. I used the same idea on the inside of the front, and rear doors on my 75 dodge van. I slept in the van all the time when I racing dirt bikes in Michigan in my younger days. The mosquitos in Michigan would make it difficult to sleep most nights without screens. Never tried to drive with them installed.
Useful as heck IMHO. I used the same idea on the inside of the front, and rear doors on my 75 dodge van. I slept in the van all the time when I racing dirt bikes in Michigan in my younger days. The mosquitos in Michigan would make it difficult to sleep most nights without screens. Never tried to drive with them installed.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Jeff there was a j30 in the main campground with screens on. I actually took a pic of it. Here it is.
You can see the screens on the windows. Not sure of brand or homemade.
Very interesting - I missed that one at the event. I guess I should have wandered through the campground area, I wish I had seen it. I actually bought the magnetic strips for the one I made on the way to the show; I do my best thinking while driving - I finalized the design details while driving and stopped at a place in Harrisburg to pick up the strips.
I've never seen these as a commercial product for the Jeep - if anyone knows if they're commercial please post a link. If they're not commercial, it would be very easy to get them manufactured to be a commercial product. All that would be needed is a company that wants to market them, I've got contacts at manufacturers that could to make them.