Ursa Minor Pop-Top Jeep JK

[SGNellett]

Looks like a Prius with a pompadour.

:jump:

 

[cshontz]

And mine doesn't need extra struts either. The first night I used it I lowered the post inside, just because I thought that's what I had to do. Ever since then I haven't even bothered with that because the top stays up on its own.

Just be wary of snow accumulation and really heavy birds. That's my worst fear. Waking up in the morning to find my ceiling in my face.

 

[unkamonkey]

Just be wary of snow accumulation and really heavy birds. That's my worst fear. Waking up in the morning to find my ceiling in my face.

I've woken up in a few tents that have collapsed on me overnight due to a snow load and had the awning hanging down enough to drag on the top of my door in my Mitsu. WTH, it was only out about 2 feet. I was really just going out to clear the snow out of the satellite dish so I could watch the morning news. You need your entertainment when you spend months on a jobsite Many miles from town and other people.

 

[SGNellett]

I did not run a RTT on my JK, but I did run one on my KJ. I can tell you I like the J30 much better. I don't even know it is there most of the time, I saw very little change going from soft top to hard top weight/handling wise, but did lose some MPG (~1 mpg). I like that I don't have to load and unload the RTT before a trip, and that I can pretty much just throw a change of clothes in the car and go. The only negatives I have is I can't sit straight up in the J30 and I could in the RTT and I like my KJ because it is a little quieter on the road and has a diesel so I get almost twice the MPG. In a perfect world I would create a KJ30, but I am neither smart enough or handsome enough to pull something like that off so I will continue to use my J30 and highly recommend it to others.

Also I used all of your money justifications to buy the J30, so I think you are pretty spot on with those assessments.

I don't imagine the market for such a thing is huge, but I wonder if it would be possible to talk the company into building a prototype on your KJ? If it's sold already, they are only out the development costs, and I can't imagine they would need to sell more than a handful to recoup most of that...

 

[SGNellett]

Wow, fantastic looking country.

SO,
if the wife and I were to want to come over to the US for 6 months to a year of touring, what would a reasonable Jeep and one of these pop top rigs cost me.

Also what would the resale be like. I figure that if I want to travel around, it might be cheaper to not try and hire a big Winebago but just buy a second hand Jeep and something like the Ursa Minor top. Use it for six months to a year and sell it before we go home. Might be much better than trying to get my right-hand drive vehicle over there.

I wonder if you could rent one from Ursa Minor? Or from an existing owner?

 

[Espo78]

6 months of daily use will be a LOT of wear and tear. I would not expect any sort of "rental" arrangement.

 

[JDaPP]

Used jeep prices are pretty close to buying new so resale shouldn't hurt you too much. Would imagine if you ended tour on east coast you would probably do okay on j30 resale as there are not many on the east coast.

 

[JDaPP]

I don't imagine the market for such a thing is huge, but I wonder if it would be possible to talk the company into building a prototype on your KJ? If it's sold already, they are only out the development costs, and I can't imagine they would need to sell more than a handful to recoup most of that...

Already asked, he is focussing on element and jku for now

 

[ventura911]

Mine doesn't require hardly any "tucking". I just lower it most of the way and then make one walk around the Jeep pushing it in.

And mine doesn't need extra struts either. The first night I used it I lowered the post inside, just because I thought that's what I had to do. Ever since then I haven't even bothered with that because the top stays up on its own.

The weight of the solar panel on mine requires a bit more effort to raise, and practically no effort to close, the roof, and I'm thinking the bungees could help inadvertent pinching of the tent before I can check all sides.

 

[Presto88]

Ah! Solar panels on the roof! That all makes sense now.

Good luck.

 

[jktowhere]

Speaking of the weight, do you think the roof rack add on could support a Yakima or Thule case loaded with things in it? My only hold up is losing my rhino rack platform that I tend to use

 

[cshontz]

Speaking of the weight, do you think the roof rack add on could support a Yakima or Thule case loaded with things in it? My only hold up is losing my rhino rack platform that I tend to use

Gas spring upgrades are available from Ursa Minor. The J30 comes with 100lb (x2) springs by default. I plan to carry my 45lb kayak for much of the time this season, so I upgraded to the middle option: 120lb springs. At the upper end, they have 140lb springs available, which should help accommodate a relatively heavy load on the roof, but they might (speculation) make it difficult to lower the lid when unladen.

The 100lb springs were completely inadequate for my 45lb kayak. The prop rod was absolutely necessary to keep the lid elevated. I've completed the spring upgrade to 120lb springs, but I have yet to install my kayak and test.

 

[SGNellett]

I have been following for a while, and am about ready to pull the trigger. I have been hoping to locate a used Ursa Minor first to made my initial prototype mods, but since I have not located one, I guess I need to order a new one. I don't need/want the rear doors and seating area so I am thinking about the following mod to provide more interior space. I have reached out to Eric at ActionTruck and am trying to purchase the rear door delete panels he has developed. With those, the rest of the mods will be to the Ursa Minor itself.

View attachment 280477

My first reaction is to wonder if the rear door delete is a weld in thing or something remove-able? Just thinking that will certainly hurt your resale down the road if it cant be easily un-done.?

 

[SGNellett]

Thank you for the information. I was worried that the heat in a garage might cause damage if not stored properly. I have a homemade top dolly, basically is an oversized furniture dolly, that I store my factory hardtop on. It stands up on the back end similar to many of the top dollies you can purchase. Would something such as this be feasible?

I see 2 issues with this. One, you will need a very tall space as the top is full length, not the 2/3rds of a freedom top. Second, rotating that thing thru space manually will be no small task, IIRC, it weighs about 150 pounds... I store my TJ top this way, cant imagine trying to manhandle a J30 that way!

 

[ventura911]

Gas spring upgrades are available from Ursa Minor. The J30 comes with 100lb (x2) springs by default. I plan to carry my 45lb kayak for much of the time this season, so I upgraded to the middle option: 120lb springs. At the upper end, they have 140lb springs available, which should help accommodate a relatively heavy load on the roof, but they might (speculation) make it difficult to lower the lid when unladen.

The 100lb springs were completely inadequate for my 45lb kayak. The prop rod was absolutely necessary to keep the lid elevated. I've completed the spring upgrade to 120lb springs, but I have yet to install my kayak and test.

Cool! Do you know when they started offering them? I don't recall them being available at all back when I got mine, but will check with John about adding them. What did they run?