wrangler soft top on a cj7

wrangler soft top on a cj7
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andreww97

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akron, ohio
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1976 cj7
Hey everyone,
My CJ7 soft top is getting pretty destroyed and I was looking around on some forums and saw that some people put wrangler tops on their CJ7's.
I have a few questions for anyone that has done this/looked into this.
1) what are the benefits of putting a wrangler top on a cj? Cons?
2) any modifications necessary?
3) what are the differences between the CJ7 and wrangler tops?
If anyone could help me out it would be appreciated. Also if someone has done this before I'd like to see pictures. Thanks:)
 
I have not done it but if you have full steel doors. Make sure you get the top that is made for the round upper corners. The stock YJ top had square corners for the doors.

Also I know the hard tops have issues at the rear due to the way the YJ tailgate opens luke a door rather than tailgate. So the bar on the back window may be different. I am not sure.


Dain
 
andreww97 said:
Hey everyone,
My CJ7 soft top is getting pretty destroyed and I was looking around on some forums and saw that some people put wrangler tops on their CJ7's.
I have a few questions for anyone that has done this/looked into this.
1) what are the benefits of putting a wrangler top on a cj? Cons?
2) any modifications necessary?
3) what are the differences between the CJ7 and wrangler tops?
If anyone could help me out it would be appreciated. Also if someone has done this before I'd like to see pictures. Thanks:)
Click to expand...

1) Personal preference. I feel that the wrangler soft top is more "sealed" up and also makes less noise. A benefit is also that there are a lot of options out there plus bestop makes a sailcloth top that is thick and quiet. It has door surrounds to stiffen up the contact area between the doors and the top and most tj tops were made to work with hard doors.

2) You will need to mod the corners of the lip on the windshield to accomodate the bar as well as cut and reincforce holes by the visors to accomodate the clamps that the bar uses to secure to the TJ windsheild.

You will also need to either modify your roll bar or use a tj roll bar as the tj bar mounts to the roll bar. This is what has kept me from leaping into this. I sure dont want to use a family cage and I really would prefer to keep the roll bar pad on my bar. Adding the mounts would mean cutting the pad.

Oh and I forgot the spreader bars are a structural part to the soft top as well so the best bet is to actually just go with a tj roll bar as I believe the YJ sport cage does not have the spreaders in the same spot.

Also some modification will have to me made to the rails that the CJ/yj top uses to secure the top along the bedrails but this seems way easy.

3) One major difference is the clamp style header bar, It makes removal much easier and gets even pressure. IMO the TJ tops fit really well and they seem to be sealed up pretty good. The majority of the tops work with hard doors and that door surrounds promotes a might better weather seal for rainy or cold weather.

I looked into this very strongly and even came really close to purchasing a tj top but I ultimately decided that I couldn't do it without significantly modifying the look of the CJ (IE the best way I can figure it is to use the TJ family cage which looks....wranglery) If I were going to go through the trouble of a family cage I would just go with a bowless top.
 
I just installed the Wrangler BestTop Super Top with Wrangler soilid 1/2 doors on my 86 CJ7. The installation was very simple and straight forward. I had no problems with my padded roll bar. The only issue is the rear window has a "bar" with weather stripping that installs to seal it and that was a challenge to get to work.
I'm sorry I don't have any pics but I'm very pleased with the top.
 
thirstybob said:
I just installed the Wrangler BestTop Super Top with Wrangler soilid 1/2 doors on my 86 CJ7. The installation was very simple and straight forward. I had no problems with my padded roll bar. The only issue is the rear window has a "bar" with weather stripping that installs to seal it and that was a challenge to get to work.
I'm sorry I don't have any pics but I'm very pleased with the top.
Click to expand...

I'd like to see your pictures! I did a lot of looking into the top from the 96+ tjs and it seemed like way more mod work than it was work. But maybe it was the factory tops. Everything I saw showed the top hardware using the roll bar. if the bestop is easier maybe I too will get back on this project.

Edit:

Oh boy, I am a little embarrassed, I guess I didnt read the ops post too thoroughly. A YJ wrangler top will fit no issues on a CJ7
 
ThisGuyUKnow said:
<snip>
Oh boy, I am a little embarrassed, I guess I didnt read the ops post too thoroughly. A YJ wrangler top will fit no issues on a CJ7
Click to expand...

That's why I posted a Bestop part number that will fit CJ7s 76 - 86 and YJs 87-95. :)

-Jon
 
ThisGuyUKnow said:
I'd like to see your pictures! I did a lot of looking into the top from the 96+ tjs and it seemed like way more mod work than it was work. But maybe it was the factory tops. Everything I saw showed the top hardware using the roll bar. if the bestop is easier maybe I too will get back on this project.

Edit:

Oh boy, I am a little embarrassed, I guess I didnt read the ops post too thoroughly. A YJ wrangler top will fit no issues on a CJ7
Click to expand...

That's ok. Actually it has a bow that extends about 1-2" taller directly above the roll bar.
The fit is tight but i would prefer a tight fit :D rather than the alternative. I'll try to take a few pics and see if I can figure out how to post them.
 
thirstybob said:
That's ok. Actually it has a bow that extends about 1-2" taller directly above the roll bar.
The fit is tight but i would prefer a tight fit :D rather than the alternative. I'll try to take a few pics and see if I can figure out how to post them.
Click to expand...

if yours is a YJ top I have one as well. I just thought the OP meant the TJ one, I forgot that not everyone knows that the YJ top is compatible..... Unless its a yj bowless top
 
ThisGuyUKnow said:
if yours is a YJ top I have one as well. I just thought the OP meant the TJ one, I forgot that not everyone knows that the YJ top is compatible..... Unless its a yj bowless top
Click to expand...

Mine is the YJ top. :chug:
 
andreww97 said:
Could anyone show me some pictures of their yj tops and how well they seal? I'd like to see :)
Click to expand...
Just look for a picture of a YJ with a top and thats what it looks like. They both have the same exact dimensions in regards to the fitament of the soft top the part number is the same for both on bestop's website.

Attached below is a pic of a mopar soft top I picked up from craigslist, its very similar to the bestop in the outer shape but is different in the bow system.

It fits my jeep well, the only exception being the corners where the top meets the windshield. there are rather large gaps.

I eventually will convert to a TJ soft top as the design seals up better than the YJ/CJ ones.
 
hI.

I have a Mopar soft top for YJ, can i fit on my CJ 1980?, anyone modify to fit it?.

Master7
 
Sorry, my half doors is round corner.

Master7
 
Master7 said:
hI.

I have a Mopar soft top for YJ, can i fit on my CJ 1980?, anyone modify to fit it?.

Master7
Click to expand...

A mopar YJ soft top should not require any modifications to fit. Except drilling the holes for the windshield channel and the brackets for the door frames.
 
Thank for your answer.

Another question;

the holes for the windshield channel, is not the same to the Bestop windshield channel? change the distance from hole to hole?

And the brackets for the doors, what are them?

Thank, Master7
 
Master7 said:
Thank for your answer.

Another question;

the holes for the windshield channel, is not the same to the Bestop windshield channel? change the distance from hole to hole?

And the brackets for the doors, what are them?

Thank, Master7
Click to expand...

You can use your bestop channel.

Brackets im referring to lock the door surround to the windshield.
 
Those Garnet door panels look awesome. :poke:

ThisGuyUKnow said:
Just look for a picture of a YJ with a top and thats what it looks like. They both have the same exact dimensions in regards to the fitament of the soft top the part number is the same for both on bestop's website.

Attached below is a pic of a mopar soft top I picked up from craigslist, its very similar to the bestop in the outer shape but is different in the bow system.

It fits my jeep well, the only exception being the corners where the top meets the windshield. there are rather large gaps.

I eventually will convert to a TJ soft top as the design seals up better than the YJ/CJ ones.
Click to expand...
 
Brackets im referring to lock the door surround to the windshield.

I understand about them.

Thank very much.

I will fit a Mopar soft top and i will sell my Bestop Supertop.

Master7
​
 
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