UMV Q and A Continued...
I assumed UM was buying OEM tops and then converting them to accommodate the J30 camper top. Is there a UM rep that can address this concern?
Hi Wiant,
The J30 is a complete replacement top designed and manufactured in house by Ursa Minor, it is not a modified OEM top. We use some OEM parts in the camper, such as the rear hatch glass, because we can't economically tool up for that and it's much easier if you should break a window get a replacement.
If UM is NOT using OEM tops I'm significantly worried about the consistency of fit from an aftermarket top with the JKU frame. How many stories have we all read or heard about aftermarket tops leaking like crazy? $500 is a hefty additional charge to get the J30 to minimum OEM specs and does not compensate us for the risk of ending up with a leaky roof for 3x the price.
All vehicles experience frame twist in hard use, and variance in assembly. With the Jeep Wrangler, the top is designed to be removed, swapped for soft tops and re-installed. In the process, gaskets can compress and become set, bolts are over tightened or under tightened, parts shift or get misaligned. For a brand new Jeep, a top may be installed by the factory, the dealer, or a retail owner. You might guess that Jeep has a few more engineers in house than we do, but even so, the freedom tops from both Jeep suppliers have had documented leakage issues. As mentioned, there's a 50 page booklet (google will find it for you) to help Jeep dealers chase leaks down. Unfortunately, there's some chance you might have a leak in your Jeep top. It might be due to a design issue, a manufacturing issue or an installation issue. This holds for any top, from Jeep, Ursa Minor, or other aftermarket companies.
Buying from a small manufacturer such as Ursa Minor, the difference is that if a leak (or any issue) should occur, a customer calls us (or emails) and we get on it. For the very few times we have had issues (as noted even in this thread), we were able to guide the owner to a fix (such as installing a missing part, or resealing a fastener, etc) in fairly short order. We also modify things as we find improvements. The 2014 J30 has a number of improvements, based on customer feedback and our experience - and this version is currently shipping.
You can get a nice AEV rack and a RTT for $2000 and have more room in the tent plus an annex.
For discussion, a basic comparison of a J30 to a hard shell RTT. Shipping, resale price of OEM top, taxes, and installation may sway the numbers more in one direction or the other.
| | UMV J30 | Roof Top Tent |
| Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport with Soft Top | $26,000 | $26,000 |
| Upgrade to Hard Top with Jeep Purchase | +$ 900 | +$ 900 |
| Sell OEM Hardtop | - $1500 | - $0 |
| AEV Rack | n/a | +$1000 |
| AutoHome – Airland Medium (57 x 83) | n/a | +$2900 |
| J30 Hard Top + Quarter Windows | +$6250 | n/a |
| TOTAL | $31,650 | $30,800 |
A fold over RTT (or J180!) will have more room, but the soft top limits rack use. I don't know of any other RTT option for the Jeep that offers standing room in the Jeep or open/close from inside the Jeep. As mentioned, the profile is much lower - your mileage may vary but it'll be better with a J30! Here's a rough visual comparison of a J30, the ARB Simpson and a Maggiolina.
Just tell John at UMV…Some of us have been very patient...
I hear you bigfish, patience noted and much appreciated. Couple key parts I needed fell into place at SEMA for that project. You're on the first to know list don't worry…
I'm thinking painting the sides of the top portion is the way I'd go about it. It'd be cool to see a picture of how it looks.
If I get a photo of one painted like this, I'll post it. We have not painted one on the edges in-house for a Jeep, but have for ECamper customers.
cheers,
John
