Your Jeep is ready for the new top. You have taken off the old one and now your Rugged Ridge 4-door JK Bowless soft top has just arrived, so your are chomping at the bit to get it onto your Jeep Wrangler. It does include instructions, but wouldn't it be a lot easier if you had some extra help, hints and pictures to help you along and speed up the installation? Read on then, because that is exactly what you will find bellow. Let's get that top on.
Materials Needed
Open the box and internal boxes, being very careful if you are using a box cutter because you do not want to damage your new top. Place a couple blankets down or a large tarp on the ground, so you can place your new top on them and keep the windows from getting scratched. Roll out the top and windows onto your tarp or blankets.
Figure 1. The top rolled out on blankets.
Figure 2. Storage space on the top.
Pro Tip
If possible, install on a warm and humid day because this will make the top more pliable and easier to install.
Step 2 – Install the header bar
Keeping the top flat on the blanket, insert the header bar into the front of the top. The top must be over the header channel with the snaps aligned. Fasten the snaps on the underside of the header.
Figure 3. Header bar inserted into top.
Step 3 – Install the top onto the JK
Slide the top onto the front of the JK, making sure that it's laying over the roll bars and the header along the frame of the windshield.
Figure 4. Sliding the top on.
Step 4 – Center header over windshield frame and attach
Making sure that the header is centered over the windshield frame, go inside of the JK and unclip the visors. Once you are sure that the header is centered, tighten down the plastics knobs on both sides of the header.
Figure 5. Tighten knobs on header.
Step 5 – Attach top to the rest of frame
There are grooves over each door. Slide the plastic retainer clips on the soft top into them. Moving to the back seat, grab the strap attached to the top near the front of the sport bar. Pull the strap towards the front and clip the strap onto the lip of the circular cutout in the sport bar. Repeat the same process with the other side. Remaining in the back seat, turn around and grab the rear straps above the rear sport bars. There are two of these. Run one strap through a buckle and repeat for the other side. Now tighten the straps.
Figure 6. Straps through front sport bar cutouts.
Figure 7. Clip into the window frame grooves.
Figure 8. Attach rear straps.
Step 6 – Tighten down straps
Locate the rear side strap and pull around outside of sport bar towards the inside, looping it around the seat belt anchor and around to the (outside) back towards the outside of the JK. Loop through the buckle and then tighten. Tuck in the loose ends. Repeat for the other side, as well.
Figure 9. Tighten the rear straps.
Step 7 – Position support bows
Slide both of the support bows from the front inside of the JK, over the center roll bar. The poles consist of two pieces connected together. In the front seat, find the pocket in the front, which will be next to the mesh corner pocket. Insert the bow into the pocket. Do the same for the other side. From the rear seat, locate the small pocket above the back of rear seat. Now slide the opposite end of bar into pocket. Repeat on other side.
Figure 10. Poles in the pocket.
Step 8 – Install windows and tailgate bar
Starting with the driver's side window, insert the plastic retainer around the front of the side window and around the rear door frame, hooking into the grooves to ensure a tight fit. Now, zip up the top side of the window. Repeat for passenger's side. Now pull down the side window and place the retainer into the groove of the body tub. Repeat the same for the other side. Finish zipping down the rear windows. Make sure the the corner straps are secured. Tighten the Velcro around the rear window, making sure that it is tight. Perform the same for the other side. Next, slide the tailgate bar into the bottom of the rear window, making sure that it is properly orientated, and then attach into the tailgate receivers on both sides. Attach all remaining side window retainers into the grooves in the hub. That's it, you're done—dig your revamped ride.
Figure 11. Window install.
Figure 12. Zip it up.
Figure 13. Pull down side windows.
Figure 14. Insert the tailgate bar.
Materials Needed
- Flat head screwdriver
- Small flat head screwdriver
Open the box and internal boxes, being very careful if you are using a box cutter because you do not want to damage your new top. Place a couple blankets down or a large tarp on the ground, so you can place your new top on them and keep the windows from getting scratched. Roll out the top and windows onto your tarp or blankets.
Figure 1. The top rolled out on blankets.
Figure 2. Storage space on the top.
Pro Tip
If possible, install on a warm and humid day because this will make the top more pliable and easier to install.
Step 2 – Install the header bar
Keeping the top flat on the blanket, insert the header bar into the front of the top. The top must be over the header channel with the snaps aligned. Fasten the snaps on the underside of the header.
Figure 3. Header bar inserted into top.
Step 3 – Install the top onto the JK
Slide the top onto the front of the JK, making sure that it's laying over the roll bars and the header along the frame of the windshield.
Figure 4. Sliding the top on.
Step 4 – Center header over windshield frame and attach
Making sure that the header is centered over the windshield frame, go inside of the JK and unclip the visors. Once you are sure that the header is centered, tighten down the plastics knobs on both sides of the header.
Figure 5. Tighten knobs on header.
Step 5 – Attach top to the rest of frame
There are grooves over each door. Slide the plastic retainer clips on the soft top into them. Moving to the back seat, grab the strap attached to the top near the front of the sport bar. Pull the strap towards the front and clip the strap onto the lip of the circular cutout in the sport bar. Repeat the same process with the other side. Remaining in the back seat, turn around and grab the rear straps above the rear sport bars. There are two of these. Run one strap through a buckle and repeat for the other side. Now tighten the straps.
Figure 6. Straps through front sport bar cutouts.
Figure 7. Clip into the window frame grooves.
Figure 8. Attach rear straps.
Step 6 – Tighten down straps
Locate the rear side strap and pull around outside of sport bar towards the inside, looping it around the seat belt anchor and around to the (outside) back towards the outside of the JK. Loop through the buckle and then tighten. Tuck in the loose ends. Repeat for the other side, as well.
Figure 9. Tighten the rear straps.
Step 7 – Position support bows
Slide both of the support bows from the front inside of the JK, over the center roll bar. The poles consist of two pieces connected together. In the front seat, find the pocket in the front, which will be next to the mesh corner pocket. Insert the bow into the pocket. Do the same for the other side. From the rear seat, locate the small pocket above the back of rear seat. Now slide the opposite end of bar into pocket. Repeat on other side.
Figure 10. Poles in the pocket.
Step 8 – Install windows and tailgate bar
Starting with the driver's side window, insert the plastic retainer around the front of the side window and around the rear door frame, hooking into the grooves to ensure a tight fit. Now, zip up the top side of the window. Repeat for passenger's side. Now pull down the side window and place the retainer into the groove of the body tub. Repeat the same for the other side. Finish zipping down the rear windows. Make sure the the corner straps are secured. Tighten the Velcro around the rear window, making sure that it is tight. Perform the same for the other side. Next, slide the tailgate bar into the bottom of the rear window, making sure that it is properly orientated, and then attach into the tailgate receivers on both sides. Attach all remaining side window retainers into the grooves in the hub. That's it, you're done—dig your revamped ride.
Figure 11. Window install.
Figure 12. Zip it up.
Figure 13. Pull down side windows.
Figure 14. Insert the tailgate bar.