Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

[JDaPP]

Any thought on the capability to attach posts to the corners of the J30 and a means of lifting the camper/top off and being able to drive the Jeep out from under? Something akin to the old campers that fit in pickup beds?

The JK Pulse by Phoenix has this. I asked the owner of phoenix how he does that and he said he embed the hardware in the fiberglass during the build. I took that info and asked John about it and if I recall correctly, the issue for the J30 is the fenders / mount for the forward part. On both the pulse and a truck the camper hangs out over the bed rails so clearance is less of an issue.

If you figure it out I am game as that is my one and only complaint is not being able to take it off by myself (garage is not tall enough for a hoist).

 

[rustypayne]

Just finished a 42 day 9626 mile trip from our home in Michigan to the Outer Banks, across on the Trans America Trail to Oregon and back home again. Picked up our top July 13 and we have already slept in it for 50 nights! It was a game changer.

 

[shays4me]

View attachment 474792

Out camping with my oldest son Ethan. Fast setup allowes for mountain biking during the day and camping at night. I love this camper.

Justin,
I have to admit that the walkaround that Chris Shontz put on youtube of your Jeep is what really made me want a j30 again. I had a 13 JKUR that unfortunately had to be sold for family reasons. I wanted a J30 for it but I never made it that far. I was prematurely chasing a dream, since I still had four kids at home and we weren't able to travel in it together as a family. I reluctantly traded it for a Cummins Ram pickup that we used with a popup camper. I don't regret that decision since family comes first and we had some good trips but I did miss my JK. The seperation would have been easier if a friend from work hadn't gone down and purchsed my Jeep from the dealer the day after I traded it in, so I've had to look at it in the parking lot for three years now! I was not going to buy another JK for financial reasons but two of my kids are now out of the house and the bug bit me.....again. This time there's nothing stopping me from an Ursa Minor but funds. The build is going a little slower and I'm a little more conservative about mods the older I get, but I feel I'll be succesful in fulfilling my dream this time. For now, I've purchased a Casita travel trailer and were going to do some family campouts in it and make a few memories. I have a two daughters still at home, but time flies so I need to make the most of it! Anyway, you have an awesome Jeep sir and I will be building mine very similarly. Cheers

 

[JB30]

After many days / weeks / months of obsessing, I finally took the plunge. Add another JK-J30 to the ever growing register. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to detail their thought / install process. And special thanks to @ventura911 for showing me his rig in person.

Now.. all I need to do is buy a Jeep and I'll be sorted. (and bumpers... and suspension... and fridge... and lights... and... aw hell, just keep an open tab running bartender.)

The plan is to find one of the last JKUs made (in black or granite), and have it's maiden voyage a trip down to San Diego to get the top installed. Can't wait to get out there and start exploring!

 

[goin camping]

After many days / weeks / months of obsessing, I finally took the plunge. Add another JK-J30 to the ever growing register. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to detail their thought / install process. And special thanks to @ventura911 for showing me his rig in person.

Now.. all I need to do is buy a Jeep and I'll be sorted. (and bumpers... and suspension... and fridge... and lights... and... aw hell, just keep an open tab running bartender.)

The plan is to find one of the last JKUs made (in black or granite), and have it's maiden voyage a trip down to San Diego to get the top installed. Can't wait to get out there and start exploring!

If you are buying your jeep in America. Hunter jeep in the Antelope Valley (Southern California near L.A.) still has some on the lot. Good luck they are going quick.

 

[JB30]

If you are buying your jeep in America. Hunter jeep in the Antelope Valley (Southern California near L.A.) still has some on the lot. Good luck they are going quick.

Thanks @goin camping. Will have a gander!

 

[ventura911]

After many days / weeks / months of obsessing, I finally took the plunge. Add another JK-J30 to the ever growing register. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to detail their thought / install process. And special thanks to @ventura911 for showing me his rig in person.

Now.. all I need to do is buy a Jeep and I'll be sorted. (and bumpers... and suspension... and fridge... and lights... and... aw hell, just keep an open tab running bartender.)

The plan is to find one of the last JKUs made (in black or granite), and have it's maiden voyage a trip down to San Diego to get the top installed. Can't wait to get out there and start exploring!

Congrats, Jesse!

 

[ExploringJeeps]

Has anyone with a J30 reconfigured the rear latches so that they include a handle for closing the top? I'm thinking that since there are two bolts there for the latches that you could put a handle to make closing the top easier. I am finding that when I close it and there is frost or snow on the top, one, I freeze my hand off, and two, I just have a hard time grabbing the top. Seems like a couple of small handles would really help a lot. I am afraid that removing the bolts will require adjusting the latches. That seems like it might prove difficult. Anyone go down this path?

Welcome to the club JB_TJ!

 

[Dan Grec]

Has anyone with a J30 reconfigured the rear latches so that they include a handle for closing the top? I'm thinking that since there are two bolts there for the latches that you could put a handle to make closing the top easier. I am finding that when I close it and there is frost or snow on the top, one, I freeze my hand off, and two, I just have a hard time grabbing the top. Seems like a couple of small handles would really help a lot. I am afraid that removing the bolts will require adjusting the latches. That seems like it might prove difficult. Anyone go down this path?

Welcome to the club JB_TJ!

I've had to tighten the bolts that hold those latches on, and then wound up adjusting the latches somewhat.
I found it's a bit of trail and error - ie you can make the latches so you have to use *a lot* of force to close them, and the top is super snug, or you can use less force and the top can "bounce" up and down a bit, which mine tends to do with the heavy solar panels mounted the way they are.

I like your idea, and I wouldn't be afraid of having to adjust those latches once you've removed the bolts.

-Dan

 

[Dan Grec]

For anyone that uses their J30 as much as me, and has to deal with all the harsh sun like me, you might find the canvas slowly losing it's waterproofness after many hundreds of nights use (I'm somewhere over 800 now)

Especially at the back corners I found water slowly seeps through the fabric where my pillows always rub on it.

John recommended this "303" stuff, and it's fantastic. It's the spray recommended by Sunbrella (the brand of fabric on the J30)

Wash your fabric down with warm soapy water to get off all the dust, then let it dry. Spray the 303 on thick. I wanted to use up the entire bottle so I kept letting it dry then put more on. One bottle was enough to do the back corners *really* thick, and the front corners and a lot of the sides nearer the bottom.

Now the rain beads right off, looks like it's sitting on glass. Perfect!

-Dan

 

[ExploringJeeps]

Dan,
Thank you for the information from both of your posts! I will give it a go with the handles and post some photos when I'm done.

Tom

 

[rustypayne]

Has anyone tried using a heater in the top? I know I read back through and a lot of folks say you don't need it but most of those replies were a single person and could remove a panel to let heat come up. That's not always an option since my wife and I are both up there. We spent several nights in the 20's on our TAT trip last month, I think the lowest was 22 degrees and we didn't freeze but it wasn't necessarily comfortable all night either, especially when you got up to pee and let all the cold back in. We'd like to do some camping in the UP of Michigan this winter where it can dip below zero and want to figure out some sort of heat setup. Neither one of us can sleep in a fabric coffin... aka mummy bag.

 

[ratled]

I know in RTT many use the over kill of a Mr Heater on a cookie sheet (in case it over turns) but that will over heat it in minutes

 

[sbly]

Fellow J30 owners, I could use some advice if you have a second. In August we upgraded to a Ursa Minor J30 after 9 years of running an ARB Simpson 3. Unfortunately this weekend, after about 5 hours of rain we noticed that water had worked it's way through the lower stitching and zippers of the J30. By the morning, the wife's pillow and head area of the mattress was soaked.
I talked to John and he's going to send out some seam tape and see if that solves the problem. So my questions is has anyone else had this issue and if so how did you solve it?

 

[goin camping]

Fellow J30 owners, I could use some advice if you have a second. In August we upgraded to a Ursa Minor J30 after 9 years of running an ARB Simpson 3. Unfortunately this weekend, after about 5 hours of rain we noticed that water had worked it's way through the lower stitching and zippers of the J30. By the morning, the wife's pillow and head area of the mattress was soaked.
I talked to John and he's going to send out some seam tape and see if that solves the problem. So my questions is has anyone else had this issue and if so how did you solve it?

Haven't had that problem but like many I'm pretty concerned about water intrusion. Please let us know if the seam tape works or not. Thanks.