Soft Half Doors and Hard top?

**Reloader1** · 09-18-2009, 08:01 PM

Hi again guys....I just sold my full doors, relocated my mirrors, and am going to go with the soft half doors...so..I guess I just worked my self out of a future hard top?...LOL. Also, can I get 'Zip Up' windows with the soft doors like I had for my CJ? Sliders?...Anybody got pics for Ideas?...New to the TJ...a lot to learn!

Thanks for your help!

**roadking** · 09-18-2009, 08:53 PM

Not sure I fully understand your question, but here goes...

If You are asking if you can use soft uppers with the hard top, yes.

Welcome to the forum!

**Reloader1** · 10-02-2009, 06:25 AM

Yes, That's the question...Has anybody got pics of this?...Do the soft doors have a radius on top to match the Hard top radius?

Thanks!

**mrblaine** · 10-02-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reloader1

Yes, That's the question...Has anybody got pics of this?...Do the soft doors have a radius on top to match the Hard top radius?

Thanks!

No they don't match. You have to take a bungee cord and go over the hardtop to the other side and pull the tops of the two doors together or the wind noise is terrible. Then to get in and out of the vehicle, you have to go in through the tailgate.

DoGood · 10-02-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reloader1

Yes, That's the question...Has anybody got pics of this?...Do the soft doors have a radius on top to match the Hard top radius?

Thanks!

factory soft doors have a radius at the top to match the hard top. Some after market doors may not.

BillyV65 · 10-02-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrblaine

No they don't match. You have to take a bungee cord and go over the hardtop to the other side and pull the tops of the two doors together or the wind noise is terrible. Then to get in and out of the vehicle, you have to go in through the tailgate.

I prefer just to cut a hole in the floorboard and crawl in that way. Helps getting the 4cyl up to speed also

**daveshan** · 10-02-2009, 09:05 AM

I've never taken a pic of the doors with the hard top on but here's a side pic from a couple of years ago where you can see the radius at the back of the doors. They fit the hard top just as well as they fit the soft top, i.e. not as good as full doors but good enough to keep the weather out and heat/AC in.

The 2 piece soft doors take some adjustment to fit right but IMO they are well worth it. I also have a set of metal half doors but never put them on, for winter it's full doors and hard top..

One thing to look out for, if you're planning on buying the soft half doors then adding uppers later don't, you have to buy the 2 piece full soft door set, the soft half doors Bestop sells have no provision for adding uppers. The 2 piece soft doors have zippers on the windows, there are no sliders that fit the soft doors.

The advantages of the soft doors far outweigh the disadvantages, they are very pricy and from what I've seen there are no re-skining options like with the soft uppers so once they're trashed it's buy a new set or get out the duct tape.

**Reloader1** · 10-05-2009, 08:33 PM

Dave...is that a full door/window set from Bestop??

**daveshan** · 10-05-2009, 09:23 PM

Yes, those and the safari top are on most of spring/fall and all summer. Heck if I was still living in San Diego they'd be on all year 'round.

**Kenbo-Slice** · 10-05-2009, 09:27 PM

I run soft doors with a hard top on occasion. They will fit, not perfect but they work well enough. I don't think I have any pictures though.

**MisfitSeven** · 10-05-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveshan

The advantages of the soft doors far outweigh the disadvantages, they are very pricy and from what I've seen there are no re-skining options like with the soft uppers so once they're trashed it's buy a new set or get out the duct tape.

poison spyder customs used to make a "door skin" or "trail door" i forget. all it was was some 3/16" plate steel in the shape of a half door that you welded on to the bestop lower frames. you throw the canvas away, move the latch to outside of the plate, then weld together. i have a set for my CJ, and in two weeks i am going to get a template measured out to make some for my TJ.

stay tuned for a build thread for my doors...maybe, if i remember.

**Reloader1** · 10-16-2009, 09:12 PM

Hey guys...Got a set of soft doors/uppers (Bestop Matched set) off of E-Bay for $200...pretty good shape...cloth starting to wear at the hinges...noticed a set of washer grommets on the hinge pins...don't know what they are for yet...fit pretty good...Dave...you mentioned adjustment for fit...tweak the hinges, or adjust in other ways...

Thanks!

**daveshan** · 10-17-2009, 07:39 AM

There are some mechanical adjustments. The lower hinge pin adjusts in and out, 2 nuts hold it in place. New doors come with some spacers with setscrews that fit on the hinge pins, probably the washers you see. And the latches move back and forth to adjust for proper fit against the latch loop.

Other than that you may have to bend the frames in at the top to get a tight fit, expect the wind to pull them away from the top of the door surround no matter what you do.

Sounds like a good deal.

**Unlimited04** · 10-17-2009, 08:04 AM

Soft doors and soft uppers will work with a hard top, but only if you have mismatched colors

**durango-bob** · 10-17-2009, 09:11 AM

The TJ was designed so that the soft top and hard top interface to the door are the same. This is why you can get dual tops. So since the interface at the door is the same, whatever door works with the soft top will work with the hard top and viseversa. Feel free to mix and match as you want.