Hard Top ceiling panel removal for rear wiper and defroster wire harness

darylbl

New Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
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Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Does anyone know how the ceiling panels are removed from a JK Sport? I am replacing the wire harness to the wiper motor and rear defroster wires.

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Sitting in the driver seat there are 2 screws with big black handles up behind your head, remove.
Then twist all the black L shaped holders and push up a little to verify you found them all.
 
Your first picture showed that panel, so I thought that was the question.
What is the problem with the existing wires.
Hey,
The buttons on the defroster wires are elongated and keep falling of the tabs on the rear window. The dealer replaced the backlite twice and the rear window defroster tabs keep falling off because their cold solder joint.
 
I would cut the existing wires between the vehicle and hatch and solder new wires with new endcaps.
If you don't feel comfortable soldering this product might come in handy

When I bought my jeep, there was a wire loose from the back window. The dealer said they couldn't fix it and instead installed a replacement rear window.

I have never used the following product, but it also might be of use for wire to window repair
 
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If you are talking about the inner white part of the hardtop, the answer is you can't. It is bonded to the fiberglass outer shell at the factory.

The tabs that connect to the rear window are major source of annoyance to me. Like @xackley said, the info dealers have is that to repair this the back window needs to be replaced. I've done the DIY version linked above (got kits from local shop) a couple times with pretty poor success rate. One worked for a few weeks, the other didn't really work at all.

Might be easier if you have a heated garage, which I don't. So as soon as it gets cold enough for me to know if it was a success, I can't redo it. I've mostly given up at this point.
 
If you are talking about the inner white part of the hardtop, the answer is you can't. It is bonded to the fiberglass outer shell at the factory.

The tabs that connect to the rear window are major source of annoyance to me. Like @xackley said, the info dealers have is that to repair this the back window needs to be replaced. I've done the DIY version linked above (got kits from local shop) a couple times with pretty poor success rate. One worked for a few weeks, the other didn't really work at all.

Might be easier if you have a heated garage, which I don't. So as soon as it gets cold enough for me to know if it was a success, I can't redo it. I've mostly given up at this point.
Yeah, thanks for your input.I purchased the frostfighter kit. Bonded the buttons with their silver solder and they also sold a wire kit that I just spliced in and for now seems to be working fine. The product I used first was made by permatex and a waste of money. The defroster tabs are a well known issue. They have done a poor job addressing that. I figured those panels were bonded. Only other way is maybe fish the harness through the opening.
 
I've ran wires through it, it's not too bad. If you get the top side plugs out (careful you don't break the connecting thingy) it is much easier to run stuff. Been a number of years, but I got things pushed through, and I don't remember it being a big pain.

Frostfighter eh? Permatex is a waste of money for that stuff, I'll have to try the other stuff next time. So you replaced the tabs and all? Or just used the stuff on the existing things?
 
I've ran wires through it, it's not too bad. If you get the top side plugs out (careful you don't break the connecting thingy) it is much easier to run stuff. Been a number of years, but I got things pushed through, and I don't remember it being a big pain.

Frostfighter eh? Permatex is a waste of money for that stuff, I'll have to try the other stuff next time. So you replaced the tabs and all? Or just used the stuff on the existing things?
 
Yeah I replaced everything. Buttons on the window and connections from wiring harness to the button tabs. Realized the copper grid shouldn't have ANY damage for the best chance of success. Frostfighters tech support did a good job getting me there
 
Sitting in the driver seat there are 2 screws with big black handles up behind your head, remove.
Then twist all the black L shaped holders and push up a little to verify you found them all.
Tell me a little about your plow set-up in your photo? Brand, cost, do you recommend? Thanks!
 
Snowbear or Winter Wolf.

Thats a TJ with plow.
For this year I will mount it to my JK using a front bumper receiver.
Light Duty but has plowed my 400' with few problems several times a year.
Best was successfully moving 8" of very wet heavy snow.
 
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