Wanting a soft top (do I need the frame?)

BigArlie8

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Jan 3, 2021
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Enon, Ohio
We just bought a 2014 wrangler 4 dr with a hardtop, wife wants a soft top for when we go south for the summer. Do I need to buy the soft top frame for an extra $800 or can I just buy the $300 soft top?
 
Which one are you looking at? There are frameless soft tops but I haven't seen them as cheap as $300. There are also replacement soft tops that require the hardware that are in that price range, though.

Post up what you're looking at so we can give better input. Sometimes you can find them on FB marketplace or through a club where you get a used, better quality one in that price range.....
 
I may have been looking at a replacement top from rough country I guess. Do you know who makes the frameless soft tops?
 
I've only had Bestop tops, so I can't give an opinion, but check out the selection from Quadratec (just for comparison). Maybe someone with personal experience can chime in.
 
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Frameless soft tops aren't an awful option, I had one on my old TJ. I got a new frameless top for a little over $300, but I'd recommend spending a little more to get a nicer one. It's just personal preference too, the frameless tops are also called slant back tops if you want to look them up.
 
I found the frameless tops but haven’t seen many good reviews. We would mainly use it to drive to Florida and take it off, I guess easier than a hardtop removal and storage while in Florida. Wish they had better reviews online than I have seen.
 
If you are driving from Ohio to Florida in a soft top, I would strongly recommend spending the money a quality Bestop top. A poorly fitting soft top for that distance would absolutely drive you nuts.

I've had several types of soft tops and driven cross-country with them. Trust me.
 
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If you are driving from Ohio to Florida in a soft top, I would strongly recommend spending the money a quality Bestop top. A poorly fitting soft top for that distance would absolutely drive you nuts.

I've had several types of soft tops and driven cross-country with them. Trust me.
I second this. I’ve had a framed soft too and the frameless bestop twill black now and you’ll wanna spend the right amount of cash for comfort.
 
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Honestly cold weather with the soft top isn’t an issue if that’s what you’re saying.
I was sometimes hotter in my soft top with heater on than in my hardtop.
Temperature never was a factor.
Well, I have cracked the windows when it was brutally cold once. But otherwise, yeah... the JK heater keeps the cabin plenty warm.
 
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