Question for any JL owner with a hardtop.

Viking Jeeper · Mar 13, 2022

I know this is not a 392 specific question but everyone here is very helpful so I will ask. Can I install the freedom panels without the rest of the hardtop? I know it might look goofy but in FL I need shade in the summer. My other Jeep is a 2006 LJ and most of the year it has a bikini top and no doors and I love that setup. I want to take the top off the 392 but the Mopar sun bonnet is OOS. Can I take the hard top off and put the freedom panels back in for front seat shade?

byhumba · Mar 13, 2022

Hmm. Good question. Looks like you should be able to. The hard top provides one of the four anchor points for each panel. I'm not sure though. I'll see if I try that when I decide to remove the top off in a few weeks.

Idaho392 · Mar 13, 2022

Best thing you can buy for sun shade. I've had mine for 2 years (previously on a Gladiator and before that on a JLU)... works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFVTQRW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rscx4 · Mar 13, 2022

I’ve heard that you can. If you look at the attachment points, they are not against the back top but rather a hard mount.

hardhat · Mar 13, 2022

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/can-i-drive-with-top-off-and-freedom-panels-on.22227/#:~:text=Yes...you%20can%20drive,ve%20done%20it%20a%20lot.

These folks say 'Yes, you can." Couple have done it a lot.

Spiderwebshade for the JL is a very nice piece. I got the 1 piece for the 4 door and I like it. It can stay on with the soft or hard top and is stretchy (attachments are anyway) so you can reach under to get to the soft top and freedom panel handles. It is MUCH nicer than the one I had on my JK.

Viking Jeeper · Mar 13, 2022

Idaho392 said:
Best thing you can buy for sun shade. I've had mine for 2 years (previously on a Gladiator and before that on a JLU)... works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DFVTQRW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought one of these from Craigslist. I'm not exceptionally tall at 6" but found the head room to be unacceptable

hardhat · Mar 13, 2022

Viking Jeeper said:
I bought one of these from Craigslist. I'm not exceptionally tall at 6" but found the head room to be unacceptable

May watch out with spiderwebshade too then. Head clearance looked about like the above shade

Viking Jeeper · Mar 13, 2022

hardhat said:
May watch out with spiderwebshade too then. Head clearance looked about like the above shade

Yeah, thats part of why I wondering if I can just have the freedom panels in and have a non-flapping bikini top. But I do love bikinis flapping in the wind.

hardhat · Mar 14, 2022

Viking Jeeper said:
Yeah, thats part of why I wondering if I can just have the freedom panels in and have a non-flapping bikini top. But I do love bikinis flapping in the wind.

I've only ridden a little bit with the spiderwebshade so far. Mine is the 1 piece. It does not flap much (almost none), but does make a whistling sound. I prefer the noise to full sun in my eyes and sunburns. It really does not reduce head clearance much but I'm 5'9".

Speaking of head clearance, I discovered that the lever on the side of the seat on JL's jacks the seat up and down. I think that same lever did lumbar on the JK's. So if you are coming from a JK and haven't noticed that lever.......

Viking Jeeper · Mar 14, 2022

hardhat said:
Speaking of head clearance, I discovered that the lever on the side of the seat on JL's jacks the seat up and down. I think that same lever did lumbar on the JK's. So if you are coming from a JK and haven't noticed that lever.......

I found that the first time I drove my JL. I have it set at the bottom. Thanks.

hardhat · Mar 14, 2022

Viking Jeeper said:
I want to take the top off the 392 but the Mopar sun bonnet is OOS.

I have a Mopar mesh sunbonnet that came with my jeep if anyone is interested. I'll sell it for retail price and free shipping if anyone wants it. Just PM me. I ended up going with spiderwebshade. The drawback for the mopar one is that it attaches with snaps and apparently you can't leave it on with either the hardtop or soft top. Too much of a PITA for me. The spiderwebshade attaches with bungee cords so you can leave it on all the time and the bungees have enough stretch that you can still reach the latches. Works great with soft top. Will see how it does with hard top. On the JK, it was a PITA to get to the freedom panel latches. Looks like it will be easier on the JL, but I'll report back when winter gets here. Probably November or so.

Viking Jeeper · Mar 14, 2022

hardhat said:
I have a Mopar mesh sunbonnet that came with my jeep if anyone is interested. I'll sell it for retail price and free shipping if anyone wants it. Just PM me. I ended up going with spiderwebshade. The drawback for the mopar one is that it attaches with snaps and apparently you can't leave it on with either the hardtop or soft top. Too much of a PITA for me. The spiderwebshade attaches with bungee cords so you can leave it on all the time and the bungees have enough stretch that you can still reach the latches. Works great with soft top. Will see how it does with hard top. On the JK, it was a PITA to get to the freedom panel latches. Looks like it will be easier on the JL, but I'll report back when winter gets here. Probably November or so.

If you had the solid sunbonnet I would definitely take you up on that. Good luck.