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The Sunrider is worth it's weight in gold!!

6K views 59 replies 28 participants last post by  LOinAZ 
#1 ·
We haven't really taken the new Jeep out with the top down, except for a few neighborhood errands. It rained all weekend so we were forced to leave the top up.

This evening we jumped in, threw the Sunrider back in about 10.2 seconds and off to downtown Houston we went. Had a nice dinner, went and had a drink, and then drove home.

It was SO nice and SOOO easy to just have that small part open. Totally makes it well worth it for me!! The full top is nice when it's down, but I find the new top cumbersome to lower/raise.

I'm SO happy that the Sunrider is there. It wasn't even a feature we were aware of a week ago when we were going through the buying process. It was a surprise after we got it home.
 
#2 ·
Ya, it is probably one of the nicest things about the new soft top. I can open close in 9.8 seconds!!
 
#6 ·
If you are gong to be traveling over 40mph, it's recommended that you at least take the rear window out.

We unzipped it halfway and let it fold over into the trunk area. We left the side windows in, and we did not use the tie down straps. Drove it at 70mph down the interstate without any issues!
 
#8 ·
The Sunrider feature is the ONLY reason I have a soft top. If it wasn't for that, I'd ditch this thing like a hot potato...because access to the cargo area is a total P I T A with the soft top. The hard top is superior in every imagineable way...except for those quick open air experiences that the Sunrider feature gives you.
 
#51 ·
And.. then the freedom panels have to be stored somewhere. And they are heavy.
My gripe with the Freedom top panels is that they're too big to store in a 2-door if you still have the back seat in.

There is a bag accessory for them that is supposed to store them behind the back seat, but (a) this doesn't work if you remove the rear headrests to improve visibility, (b) it doesn't hold the panels in place very securely, so they still rattle or squeak together, and (c) the panels are taller than the seat, which means not only to you lose visibility out the back due to needing the headrests, but you also lose some mroe at the bottom because the panels obscure more.

This leads to needing to fold the rear seat or something if you remove the panels and need to take them with you. Not optimal.
 
#14 ·
I love my sunrider, so easy to put down for those quick moments...

Only thing i have noitced when I have my sunrider open and all the window panels still in at high speed (70mph) you will somtimes see the vacuum affect in the back (windows get sucked in, and sometimes a noise) but nothing that affects the driver or your experience. Another issue I have noticed is when i have the sunrider open and its not over 70º the hinges around the door sometimes pop out, making the soft top no longer flush around the door frame. If it does pop out and you are doing 70mph, the whole back window side panel will begin to bend backwards up to the zipper part starts... Doesnt really affect the panel as much as looks awful until you stop, open the door, and shove the hinge back into the door...

Sorry if I made no sense trying to explain the only issue I've found...
 
#16 ·
I love my sunrider, so easy to put down for those quick moments...

Only thing i have noitced when I have my sunrider open and all the window panels still in at high speed (70mph) you will somtimes see the vacuum affect in the back (windows get sucked in, and sometimes a noise) but nothing that affects the driver or your experience. Another issue I have noticed is when i have the sunrider open and its not over 70º the hinges around the door sometimes pop out, making the soft top no longer flush around the door frame. If it does pop out and you are doing 70mph, the whole back window side panel will begin to bend backwards up to the zipper part starts... Doesnt really affect the panel as much as looks awful until you stop, open the door, and shove the hinge back into the door...

Sorry if I made no sense trying to explain the only issue I've found...
I've noticed the same thing about the 90* rubber hinge popping out slightly. I agree that it is annoying visually.

I love my sunrider feature. I used it a lot in the first 2 days of having my Jeep so far. I did find out that I can have it open and pull into or out of my garage. :redface: It adds just enough height and since I've lifted my Jeep it will not clear my garage door.
 
#17 ·
Is the sunrider feature on the standard soft top or is it on the new premium only?
 
#19 ·
I love my freedom hard top. I take those off and on all the time with no problem. who cares if the roof is scratched? Stand them up in the cargo area interior to interior, no regrets. To each his own, but I love the hard top feature. 9 seconds vs 10 seconds?, this isn't the 100 yd dash folks.
 
#24 ·
If I'll be going over 50mph with the sunrider open, I just unzip the side windows about 1/3 to 1/4 of the way (just the vertical part of the zipper in the rear) so that air can get out. They're a lot easier to unzip than the rear window.

At high speeds everything still holds up if you have all the windows in, but you do feel the vacuum and all the windows getting sucked in. Under 45mph, it's a non issue though.
 
#29 ·
Oh wait, now that I think about it, those are clipped in... they unclip when you put the top all the way down... the side will still come out though (the wind gets in enough that it will separate the velcro up until the zipper starts, which allows it enough to pull the seem out of the door hinge)... if it happens again I will take a picture

Sorry about the confusion :banghead:
 
#31 ·
When I put my top back in the Sunrider position and drove 25 miles down the highway at 70mph I never had my back windows open or pop out like that. Too cold here now so the hard top goes on this weekend. As for the soft vs hard top debate. The Sunrider gpes further back exposing the back seat to open air where as the Freedom tops only does the front seats.
Rob ....
 
#37 ·
I never unzip any of the windows with the Sunrider and have never had it happen. My wife drives home with it open almost every day during the summer and it's been solid.

From your pic, it looks like your not fully wrapping the sides around the frame. When I first did mine, I was just inserting it like a L- shape instead of a square U- shape. Which caused it to come out and look bad. After rolling it around the door surround, presto!! Made a huge diff. on looks and snugness. Good luck to ya'....:thumb:
After seeing the pic I agree with this.
 
#34 ·
From your pic, it looks like your not fully wrapping the sides around the frame. When I first did mine, I was just inserting it like a L- shape instead of a square U- shape. Which caused it to come out and look bad. After rolling it around the door surround, presto!! Made a huge diff. on looks and snugness. Good luck to ya'....:thumb:
 
#36 ·
I think you're right. Looks like the sides of the soft top that go in right behind the doors aren't being rotated in toward the interior enough and aren't secure.
 
#38 ·
In the owners manual it does say to remove the back window when going over 40 mph, but that is just the manual.
 
#42 ·
Taking the windows off gets easier and quicker every time you do it...I used to avoid it, now I take them off almost every day...all three go back on in ~5 min once you get used to doing it....Add some Safari Straps to the back and you're good to go... and the dog loves it! :)
 
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