No Top/Soft Top Overland Trip

[lloydrage]

Has anyone went on a trip without a top or just a soft top? I usually never keep my top off and I have half doors but am planning a trip with my soft top down and soft uppers in back. I was wondering if there is anything special I need to plan around or tips.

thanks

Lloyd

 

[Yarjammer]

I've done it. In fact almost all of my spring and summer trips are soft top trips. I think it comes down to how long you're going to be in "peoplely" places and how much you trust them with gear strapped down. When fully loaded and things are somewhat accessible in known crappy area or I have a bad feeling, I am fine leaving my vehicle alone for a short time out of view (15 min or so for running into convenience store or using bathroom); anything longer than that and I have someone stay behind to keep an eye out.

 

[dmoo]

back when I had my LJ, I did most summer camping with the soft top. I did about a 10 hour trip and it got pretty annoying with the wind noise/flap. I cant speak to the JK tops. Also security was a huge concern loaded up with all my camp/mountain bike gear. literally anyone can just unzip the back and get in. but top off in the summer is about the best thing ever.

good luck. get locks for everything!

 

[Mass_Mopar]

All the time

If someone wants your stuff, a hardtop won’t stop them

 

[PhulesAU]

There's NO reason not top run the Soft top.

 

[squint]

Agreed. Soft tops work just as well as hard tops and are more versatile in most cases. Hard tops are not as easy to slice into though but any vehicle left unattended is a target for thieves.

 

[lloydrage]

I believe I'll be going topless with just a tarp. No balls no baby.

 

[OhioWrangler]

I agree with all the recommendations, I take the top off in April and put it back on in October. A friend and I drove from Ohio to Colorado with our soft tops on. I have the luxury of secure storage in the rear of my jeep, Good luck, Ron

 

[spartancrating1]

Has anyone went on a trip without a top or just a soft top? I usually never keep my top off and I have half doors but am planning a trip with my soft top down and soft uppers in back. I was wondering if there is anything special I need to plan around or tips.

thanks

Lloyd

I'd recommend running the hardtop or soft top with full zip doors. Nature is a ********** and pretty unforgiving. It can take a good trip from zero to 100 real quick.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[karlmagnum]

With soft top. Even though it produces noise at highway speeds, it is still tolerable.

 

[MOguy]

I run with a soft top (up and down) and steel doors when I am out on an "adventure". Often I will have the rear windows out and the top comes down. Even then I want doors. I usually travel in thicker overgrown woods with lots of things that will snap back at you and many of the have thorns.

Running around town and short trips on clearer trails I will have no doors or half doors and top down, weather permitting.

 

[Dr. Marneaus]

In the 3 years that I owned my TJ, I think it had a hard top for about 3 months. Numerous trips, long and short, city living, never had any problems. Why would there need to be any special considerations?

 

[MOguy]

I see allot of the JKs and JKUs with hard tops and more TJs and YJs with soft tops. Not sure if they are being setup more than when purchased or if new Jeep people want a quieter ride?

 

[SOLAMF]

I only own a soft top! I have a YJ though. When I had my JK, I only had a soft top as well. If someone is going to steal your stuff, it doesn't matter if you have a hard or soft top, they're going to steal it. Is it easier with a soft top? Marginally, and only if they are carrying a knife and know how to look for a zipper pull. My YJ doesn't even have door locks, so it really doesn't matter. I ran no top or doors for about 8 months a year in the JK when I was living in California, so I never kept anything in it unless we were going on a trip. If you are worried about it, don't use the soft top.

 

[krick3tt]

I had a Pinzgauer 710M for 13 years. It has a soft top. A bit of noise but it rarely went over 50 MPH so I would class it a tolerable as the entire vehicle was noisy. It did get a lot of looking anywhere I went so having people being around it constantly was a given. I once came out of a store and noticed a pair of shoes under it (attached to a body) and asked what was going on under there. He said he wanted to see how it looked under the pinz. Good that I noticed him there cause if I had driven off without seeing him it might have been awkward.
Having a soft top vehicle has its own set of challenges and one being possible loss of items from inside as nothing can be strapped to the roof anyway. I did have a bit of trepidation at times being away from it for long periods and would attempt to park it where I could watch it when inside a restaurant. I made bolt in expanded metal panels (sides and roof) to alleviate my concerns.
The sides could be rolled up and secured and it was great for that open feeling. The top was also removable but a real pain to store so it could be put back on when needed.