how to install TJ uppers on 1/2 doors w/ hard top

**texas_yj** · 01-10-2010, 06:17 PM

I have seen allot of questions about fitting soft uppers on your YJ with a hard top. with full doors going for around $800 in some places, and tops for $5-800, using some ebay uppers and frames is very economical. I sourced my uppers&frames from this complany for $169.99 shipped, but they have gone up a little

97-06 Jeep Wrangler BLACK Upper Doors Soft Top W FRAMES:eBay Motors (item 190361956336 end time Jan-10-10 17:35:59 PST)
pictures of the jeep with both sets of doors side by side

The new skins and frames arrived unassembled and in good order, I put one together.

You can see here how the last pin does not align properly, and needs to be cut and welded

after cutting, make sure you protect your door while tacking it together!!!

**UltimatE** · 01-10-2010, 06:26 PM

Pretty straight forward modification, its great to see with the pictures you posted how easy it really is. This really opens up possibilities for us YJ guys that have, for the most part, been soft top or hard doors with no options.

**texas_yj** · 01-10-2010, 06:29 PM

I discovered that some doors may hit the fiberglass of the top, mine just nicked it, so I filed it to clean it up and repainted it

You will need to remove the YJ belt rail, the TJ doesn't use it and has a nice seal on the bottom instead

I had to trim off the tail on the rear part of the seal, tapper cut it so that it seals to the door nicely.

You will have to play with the pins alittle to get everything to align right, but one you get it right, it seals up nicely, Mine is as quite going down the road as my full doors, it has no leaks anywhere, and you cant see light from anywere around the door. I had to shorten the middle and last pin so they would sit lower on the door, and tweeked the front pin to hold it higher.

**texas_yj** · 01-11-2010, 08:27 AM

This pic didn't make the writeup, but does a real good job of showing how well the frames fit the hard top so I'm throwing it out there

**Burlbook48** · 01-11-2010, 08:59 AM

Very cool! Seeing the pic makes it clear exactly how the pin needs to be modified.

Looks good, too. Wonder if anybody makes white uppers to match my white hardtop? My Bestop soft uppers are spice to match my Supertop.

impboy65 · 01-11-2010, 10:04 AM

Dang, you beat me to it. Looks great, I just got my uppers last night.

**rustywrangler** · 01-11-2010, 11:01 AM

Added to the FAQ.

**2GPS4ME** · 02-09-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustywrangler

Added to the FAQ.

Thanks, I wish I could get the Cherokee moderators to do that once or twice in a decade....

**UltimatE** · 02-09-2010, 10:22 AM

You might be able to adjust the spreader bars on the roll bar to pull the windshield back ever so slightly. This will move the hard top back as well and clear the doors properly.

**sebastian22** · 02-09-2010, 10:46 AM

Great write-up and excellent pictures.

I have seen the question a million times, and its always been one of those subjects where someone thinks it might work. Thanks for clearing it up with so much detail.

**2GPS4ME** · 02-09-2010, 03:37 PM

Does anyone have some pictures of how the YJ soft upper does (not) fit on the hardtop? I am having troubles seeing why it would not fit.

**UltimatE** · 02-09-2010, 03:52 PM

There are no companies that make YJ soft uppers to fit hardtops. The only one that does is BesTop for their Supertop soft top, and the Supertop corners are a different radius and angle from the stock hard top. Why ? No idea.

**2GPS4ME** · 02-09-2010, 07:42 PM

I guess I'll go see for myself.

The radius of the top corner must be very close, because looking at pictures there is not much difference.

**SimonTuffGuy** · 02-09-2010, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimatE

There are no companies that make YJ soft uppers to fit hardtops. The only one that does is BesTop for their Supertop soft top, and the Supertop corners are a different radius and angle from the stock hard top. Why ? No idea.

Wrong... There is a company. I purchased a set of them prior to giving in and buying my Bestop Hard uppers a few years back. The only problem is that they didn't fit as promised and the quality was nowhere near that of Bestop. Can't remember the brand anymore... I posted it several years back if you feel like searching my posts a bit.

CLIMBaMTN · 02-09-2010, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tirefryer93

I guess I'll go see for myself.

The radius of the top corner must be very close, because looking at pictures there is not much difference.

not much difference? LOL...TJ has ROUNDED corner, YJ is SQUARE....if you don't believe me you can check my classifieds and see the YJ ones im selling...you can use them with a hard top, but you will have to SLAM the door to get it to close, and it will overlap and look like ****.

01-11-2010, 11:01 AM	#7
rustywrangler Got my eye on you..... Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 18,657 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Added to the FAQ. __________________ http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...k_banner-1.gif Congenital Heart Disease is a reality for me, BOTH of my children have it. Please read up and become aware for future generations Lydia Ann-Acquired 08/05/05 Open Heart surgery 08/10/05 Jacob Patrick-Acquired 01/17/08 Open Heart surgery 02/15/08