Following is a video we made as a how-to guide for removing your Jeep soft top…
Our Jeep Soft Tops
We’ve owned 2 Jeep Wranglers — one a 1990 YJ, and one a 2004 TJ.
On the YJ, we simply used:
- The Bestop Supertop (for the front seats)
- The Bestop Duster (for the cargo area)
…during the warmer months of the year.
And in the winter, we’d put the hard top on.
These days, with the 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (our daily driver), we don’t have a hard top. So we ride around with the soft top — either up, or down, or completely off.
We really like the fact that a Jeep soft top is so flexible.
Here’s our video showing how to remove a Jeep soft top:
Taking off and putting on a Jeep Wrangler soft top can be done by one person, but it’s definitely easier with a helper.
Here’s an overview of the basic steps involved…
Taking Off The Soft Top:
- Unlatch the Top: There are latches on the windshield header and along the roll bar that secure the soft top. Locate and release them.
- Fold the Top Down: Depending on your Jeep Wrangler model year, you might have a sunrider feature that allows you to partially fold back the front section. For a full removal, fold the entire top back and release the latches.
- Disconnect the Frame: Look for Torx screws or other fasteners that connect the soft top to the frame at the sides and rear. Unscrew these to detach the soft top from the vehicle.
- Lift and Remove: Carefully lift the soft top up and off the Jeep. (This is much easier to do when you have a helper.)
Putting On The Soft Top:
- Position the Top: Align the soft top with the frame and guide it back into place.
- Reconnect the Frame: Reattach the Torx screws or fasteners you removed earlier, securing the top to the frame at the sides and rear.
- Unfold the Top: Unfold the soft top and secure it in place.
- Latch the Top: Close and latch all the latches on the windshield header and roll bar.
READ NEXT: 5 Jeep Wrangler Rear Window Tips Every Jeeper Should Know
Since we’ve been married, my husband and I have owned 5 Jeeps (3 Wranglers and 2 Grand Cherokees). And when we’re not driving our own Jeep, we’re usually renting one (a 4×4 Wrangler on vacation). We keep a Jeep Bucket List of places that we’d like to go next, and we're always crossing more states off our list of 'Places That We’ve Jeeped in the USA'. As our daily driver, we keep the soft top on our Jeep Wrangler year round (and the back window permanently rolled up) so the dogs can enjoy the ride. Yep… even in the winter! I've been sharing my best Jeep ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998. When I’m not Jeeping or writing about Jeeps, you'll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
