Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

[JDaPP]

That's interesting. Are you able to provide a pic of exactly what you did?

As requested, what you are seeing is the two panels with foam in between the two panels and then foam stuffed into the corners. Not very elegant but it helps. The strip in between the two panels is sticky so it stays there permanently, the pieces in the corners I have to stuff in there each time I move the panels.

 

[aam1023]

Thanks. Are your panels wood-faced, or is that just textured plastic?

 

[aam1023]

Has anyone added velcro to the underside of the cushion/mattress segments? Mine slide all over, and I'm thinking this will be necessary.

 

[JDaPP]

Thanks. Are your panels wood-faced, or is that just textured plastic?

Top is wood, bottom and sides are fiberglass. I have never had the cushions sliding around so no Velcro.

 

[aam1023]

Interesting. On current models, all surfaces are fiberglass. Is the floor of your J30 also wood surfaced?

 

[hardwickj]

One thought - isn't this just diagnosing the symptom rather than the root problem? Shouldn't the top be sealed off enough that we need not worry about the panels? I'm wondering if that's why it's not a problem for me most days. E.g., if the top is left alone long enough or some such thing than the rubber seal lining it can make a better seal, and hence air never even gets to the panels.

Just a hypothesis as it seems every time I notice air coming through the panels is just after I've had the top popped...

 

[SLOfizz]

Can you post some pics/commentary of how you dealt with leaks on your newest generation J30? Mine leaks like a sieve (nothing minor about it, unfortunately) in only modest rain and I seem to be one of the few (if not only) "new" J30 owners to have this issue. John has not been forthcoming with possible solutions; the top was installed in early November by UMV and experienced rain for the first time on Thanksgiving eve. I emailed John immediately with pictures and a detailed explanation and even followed up with a midweek phone call. As of today, a full business week has elapsed and he has only sent me one email asking for more pics. I provided those immediately, and am still waiting for a follow up email or phone call. I certainly didn't expect a response over the holiday weekend, but this indifferent response to a paid customer's problem has been disheartening.

Thanks in advance for any help that you can provide.

You getting leaks with the top up or down?
With it down the only place water should be able to sneak in is in the hardware penetrating the shell. This is the one thing I dislike about the camper, because these rely on gaskets/fasteners and sealant.... and are behind a beauty panel on the inside that will make them accessing the fasteners for repair when they fail difficult. If this is where water is coming from, you need to have UM address it.

If you are getting leaks with the top up, there are some thru bolts on top that attached the top to the roll bars what have silicon caulking on them. If they are leaking, tighten them up a little (not very much) and apply more sealant.

Also inspect the top for a crack in the mold. Something might have cracked post install. Post the pics of the leak, see if someone here can diagnose it.

 

[JDaPP]

One thought - isn't this just diagnosing the symptom rather than the root problem? Shouldn't the top be sealed off enough that we need not worry about the panels? I'm wondering if that's why it's not a problem for me most days. E.g., if the top is left alone long enough or some such thing than the rubber seal lining it can make a better seal, and hence air never even gets to the panels.

Just a hypothesis as it seems every time I notice air coming through the panels is just after I've had the top popped...

I get air through the panels based on speed and wind direction. In general anything over 70 mph. I will sometimes get it at speeds less than 70 that goes away with a change in direction. I haven't quite figured out what wind direction causes it under those conditions. I have tightened the top latches and I have loosened the top latches doesn't seem to matter. How flat the panels are (IE foam density underneath) has some effect to how much, but it is never completely gone without me stuffing the gaps. My top is older so perhaps my seals are breaking down but I have always had some air leakage through the gaps in the panels. Don't get me wrong, I get it, it is a removable top built on a vehicle that can have doors, tops and windshields removed so it is not going to ride like a luxury car. I fight this battle to keep the Mrs. happy as unfortunately most of my expeditions involve more time on the interstate.

I completely agree though that if the top is sealed correctly this should not be an issue. Not sure why mine does it.

 

[aam1023]

@SLOfizz, thank you for the response.

The leaks are with the top down. I don't know if leaks with the top up as I haven't tested that yet. So far, John has asked me to release the tensioning bolts that anchor the front of the J30 to the rollbar. This will allow the top to rise so that I can inspect the mold, and (theoretically) when I retighten the bolts then the J30 gasket will reseat itself in a better position. Based on pictures that I sent him, John thought that my gasket appeared more compressed than the gasket on UMV's Jeep. This is apparently his first step in troubleshooting the issue.
@JDaPP has been very helpful in sharing his experience as an early adopter. His leak issues were caused by water infiltrating the top via the perimeter of the hinge mechanism and along the tensioning bolts. He was able to remedy this by applying silicone to those areas. If John's idea doesn't fully solve my problem, that's what I'll try next.

My main problem is that I can only work on this during the weekend, so progress will be slow. I'll keep the board posted.

 

[SLOfizz]

OK, so it sounds like the cushions are dry, so it isn't leaking through the top (the white shell if not custom painted) I would put the top up and cover the fasteners holding the arms and locks with silicon then let it cure (before you put the top down). Blast it with a hose the next day see if the leak is gone. Should only take 10/20 minutes. If that fixes it, your are done. If it doesn't, you can peel the silicon right back off. Won't take any time.

The top is installed in Sunny SoCal so you can't test these things here. Being in a drought, water testing is not an option. We would get fines here.

If it still leaks, then it is in the seal to the body and I would do what John suggests.

 

[Trailfrog]

Has anyone added velcro to the underside of the cushion/mattress segments? Mine slide all over, and I'm thinking this will be necessary.

I considered velcro but went with some shelf/drawer liner material that seemed like it had a rubberized coating of some kind. I think I got it at walmart and just gut a square for the top of each panel. It seems ti keep the pad from slipping.

 

[PTO]

Another night, night 7 out of the past 9.

 

[PTO]

:victory:

Here is one just a short way from you, Sheeps Bridge. Off to Moab in the morning.

 

[PTO]

No the only other people out there that night were camped right next to it, next time though. I realized I should have put the snorkel on before the trip, the river was at the right height dropping in I didn't want to chance being there by myself.

 

[Espo78]

I'm so jealous of wide open spaces where you can just pick a spot and deploy camp. There's nothing like that here, its all private property or a campground.