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Questions about taking off soft top and replacing with hard top for Winter.

2K views 26 replies 10 participants last post by  the_ox 
#1 ·
2016 2 door Sport. First time Jeep owner

I just bought a new/used takeoff top from the local dealership. I am in the process of removing my soft top and realized I might be missing some hardware. I was told it was all here, but I'm confused if it is. I think I'm missing pieces where I screw into the body. I'm not sure exactly which part I need. Right now there's just holes. I also need some help with the soft top hinge. I don't want to take out the wrong screws, although it looks like any of them would do the job. What's the proper way? And am I missing anything on the top bar? I just have two holes. And finally, the brackets on the rear. Do they need to come off before putting the hard top on?

Note: I know I'm incapable of using the rear wiper and defrost for now. That will be fixed sometime in the future.







 
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#2 ·
You need to remove the tailgate bar retainers at the rear.

You are missing the bolt retainers which fit under the upper frame rails (the first picture)

These slide back and forth about for alignments sake and are what the hex bolts seat into when they go through the hardtop, through the frame,

 
#5 ·
Great. Thanks. I still need advice on taking the hinges off. It looks like they will come off just by removing the Phillips-head screws in the shafts, but I'm wondering if that's the proper way. It seems unlikely that a semi-often removable part would be Phillips.
 
#13 ·
On four doors you use three bolts per side of door sorrounds, two long ones front and back and the short one in the middle. No idea if the 2 door uses the short bolt
 
#14 ·
You'll only use the two Freedom Panel screws on the left for the hard top, you'll need to buy 8 of the hard top bolts. 6 for the rear, 2 for the front top corners into the roll bar (I think the 2 and 4 door are the same). As for the soft top, there should be 2 hex head bolts that come out of the soft top brackets each side. Take them out then slide the soft top up and then off. The torx bolts that attach the brackets to the roll bar stay in.
 
#16 ·
Obviously they gave you the wrong bolts and you're missing the clip bolt retainer that goes underneath the tub flange
 
#17 ·
Obviously
I wish it was obvious, but these are proprietary parts that I've never used before. I assumed the Parts department at the dealership would have known these weren't the bolts I need and/or that I would need retaining clips since my Wrangler came with a soft top. I'm pretty frustrated at this whole situation now because I removed my soft top and had to put it all back together.

Thanks everyone for the help.
 
#20 ·
Are you forgetting the two bolts at the top front corners near the freedom panels? If you have 6 clips then you need 6 bolts plus the two at the front corners into the rollbars. Right?
 
#21 ·
So, I bought my rig used, so it's possible I'm missing those. However, I'm looking at my hard top right now and don't see anything that looks like what you are describing. You don't mean the 2 hand turns retention bolts for the freedom panels, so now I'm confused.

Those 2 bolts you are describing are either missing from my setup or don't exist on a 2 door.

Just watched a video on JKU hardtop removal. Those bolts don't exist in 2 door.

Soooo, for the OP, it's six bolts plus 2 hand turn retainers for freedom panels.
 
#23 ·
Thanks. I just purchased a set.

Update: The dealership decided they'd order the parts for free since they had told me it came with all the hardware. This was after they said it was $9 a screw and whatever else for the clips and me getting a little angry.
 
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