# SQ in a Jeep Wrangler - Should I bother?



## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

I bought a 2000 TJ with 25k miles on it from my dad last week.
Eventaully I am going to soun ddeaden the entire thing and put the video up on our site. That might take some time though.

So I have been driving it around, thinking about what I could do to it, and I gotta say, NOT MUCH.
I am sure I can do lots of custom fab to get it to where I want it to be, but part of me says screw it! I'll just put in a nice systems and be done with it. Afterall, it is a weekend 4x4 cruiser. Not my DD. WIth the top down, SQ goes out the window anyway (literally), so I may as well just buy some nice equipment and make it as basic and functional as I can.

The other side of me says go for it and do somthing that very few people would be willing to do.

I think however, I want to keep things to a minimum with this one. Loud, clean, warm and bright. 

Any suggestions for a Jeep owner?

ANT


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## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

as long as all the drivers are close to you (doors/floor) with lots of power, no reason it couldnt sound great even with the roof down @ 70 mph.


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## tommyd (Nov 7, 2007)

If it was a soft top, I personally wouldn't bother with expensive things. I would look for durability and water resistance for any equipment that would be installed. I mean otherwise it kinda ruins the purpose of the jeep, for me anyway. I wouldn't want to lose the ability to hose the thing out. Especially if you are going to be doing off roading with it.


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## rhinodog00 (Jul 1, 2007)

I just finished an install on my jeep wrangler. alpine 9813 ,phoenix gold rsd 6.5's active off of an older punch 4 channel and an oz matrix 12 off an old school kicker dx700. Sounds great,but sq yah right. Just go for loud and clean. At 50mph with mud terrains you are not going to have sq. One thing that I have noticed is that I need more bass since I am loosing cabin gain. Two 12's should do it.


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## 330CK (Mar 4, 2008)

You might try using marine audio components, especially if you're doing any sort of off roading. i know there are several reputable companies that produce marine audio, but i don't know how the SQ would be. they should at least be more durable that autosound drivers, though.


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## W8 a minute (Aug 16, 2007)

As a former Wrangler owner I can tell you that any, and I mean ANY, sound deadener you apply is a waste of money. 

Sound quality? You must be joking. No good location for drivers, seating position, lack of sound deadening, open top, tire noise, engine noise, transmission noise. The best you can hope for is LOUD. Blaring loud.

You"ll have the same problem I had: I could drive down the street with the volume at full tilt and people on the sidewalk would say "Damn that's loud as hell" and meanwhile I was driving, thinking to myself "Man, I can't hear **** over this wind and tire noise."

On the other hand I think my best investment was a Bestop Sailcloth top. With the top up the noise was at least "tolerable"

Don't get me wrong, I love Jeeps. In fact I'm looking for another one. But auto sound is not their arena. Take the top off, hit the trails, and enjoy it for what it is.


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## braves6117 (Feb 13, 2008)

W8 a minute said:


> As a former Wrangler owner I can tell you that any, and I mean ANY, sound deadener you apply is a waste of money.
> 
> Sound quality? You must be joking. No good location for drivers, seating position, lack of sound deadening, open top, tire noise, engine noise, transmission noise. The best you can hope for is LOUD. Blaring loud.
> 
> ...



Agreed 100% percent, but you could always try to rewrite the book...


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## WLDock (Sep 27, 2005)

Well, I will say this...

A few years back I rode in a co-workers new Rubicon. It had been years since I rode in a Jeep. Well.....I found it to be the most noisy, bumpy, bouncy ride that I have ever had in a modern car, suv, cuv, truck, van, etc. The noise from the tires was just ridiculous. We were damn near shouting during a conversation. I don't see how anyone would want to drive one everyday? 

I would not put too much time and money in the project....just drop something in over the weekend and be done with it.


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## txbonds (Mar 10, 2008)

Dang, that nice jeep pic makes me miss my trail rig, but it was enclosed.......... 


















That's not my trash in the second pic, just so you know. LOL


Regarding the jeep though, I used to have a CJ7 that basically had some small coax locations up front, and that was it. Put in a new head unit, new coax, and some pioneer surface mount 3 way boxed speakers and mounted them to the rear wheel wells............. and boy was that heaven............. LOL But that was high end for a jeep back in 1985. LOL


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## AUr6 (Apr 10, 2007)

I had a '98 TJ, and chances are yours will have the heavier duty sailcloth top W8 was referring to. Jeep put them on standard at some point after '98. I can say for sure that once I got the sailcloth installed, it made a huge difference in noise. It'd be worth looking into. 

Instead of sound deadener, I'd look into rhino-lining the entire interior. That will help block more road noise, is more durable, custom color if you ditch the carpet, but still fine if you leave the carpet in too. 

I had the same goal when I had my Jeep: Hear the music clearly and enjoy it at 70mph. Sadly, I never got there, but I didn't have as much knowledge as I do now, and I also know a single ported 10 doesn't give you enough. I had two 10's at one point sealed, but would say they weren't implemented well. I also simpley replaced the stock speakers with Infinity kappas... talk about bright as can be with speakers right by your head... 

Honestly, I'd like to see you put enough into it to make it loud enough to enjoy and keep it relatively clean, but honestly, you might want to just go for loud enough and enjoy reviewing some of the cheaper equipment that most pass over the first time 

That was the one vehicle I wanted to learn to weld so I could fab something up to hide and secure some fun audio... like a false floor under the rear seat, but instead of raising the seat, lower the tub underneath... (there's room after a body lift and a little fab work with the gas tank mounts.)

ok, i'll shut up... i think it'd be a fun project considering you don't have to worry about keeping it too clean... you wouldn't hear the difference. But definitely PLAN for the system with the top down... good luck!!


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## unpredictableacts (Aug 16, 2006)

....invest in a nice pair of headphones and call it a day?


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## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

W8 a minute said:


>


if yours is like this ant, id make the doors a speaker, angle the chosen drivers at your ears, lots of power.

or hang them from that bar behind your head?

(id use 6x9s)

http://www.theloudest.co.uk/?sectionid=2&page=view_product&product_id=80


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

sure, your not gonna be winning any big competitions with it, but you can make it sound damn good, especially in a tj. 

Obviously, you know how to sound deaden, but one of the most important areas are the kick panels and doors. Hopefully you have the full doors, that will help tremendously.

I can send you some pictures if you'd like of different setups I have done that sounded very good.

In fact, at two local competitions, judges scored my vehicle, and I would have placed in the lower classes, but I was disqualified for an open vehicle. (forgot to bring the top). 

Make sure to ditch the soundbar, and the dash speakers. 

Or, just send your jeep up my way, and we can do it any way you would like, including off road setups... 












That one has now won every local offroad competition it has been in, making it 5/5. 3/3 in rock climbing..


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## AUr6 (Apr 10, 2007)

that's an idea, actually... if you don't plan to remove the doors when you take the top down, then you could deaden the doors and set them up to hold speakers. They would definitely hold something more than 4x6's up front...


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

AUr6 said:


> that's an idea, actually... if you don't plan to remove the doors when you take the top down, then you could deaden the doors and set them up to hold speakers. They would definitely hold something more than 4x6's up front...


 
don't do doors...you'll eventually want to remove them...

Kick panels are wonderful locations, and VERY easy to work with in a wrangler...


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

I wouldn't say that you can't have SQ in a Wrangler. But I will say that if you do have it, then the Wrangler will not longer be able to do what it was designed to do. (Go off road!!)

Back in the late 90's I had the pleasure of being around an INCREDIBLE SQ Wrangler. The owner competed in IASCA SQ comps back then. It had a hard top on it to start. Here's the list of gear from what I remember:
6 JL 15W6's in a custom 2 tier fiberglass box running off of a HiFonics Colossus VIII
a pair of JL 8" midbasses in the floors under the floor mats running off of a Thor VIII
then he was running a pair of 5.25" mids in each kick off one half off of an Olympus VIII and the other half was powering the tweets. 

I can't remember what kind of midranges or tweets it was running or what kind of hu it was. But I do remember it sounding incredible. The install was done by a guy named Jim. I can't remember his last name, but from the early 90's until about 2000 he ran a killer shop in Charlotte, NC and was a HUGE Phoenix Gold dealer. He's the guy that originally got me away from being a bass head and showed me just how great SQ was.

Take all of that blabbering for what you will Ant. But at least you know that it is 100% possible to use a Wrangler as an SQ rig. But IMHO, you take all the fun out of owning a Wrangler if you do so.

Zach


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## Fellippe (Sep 15, 2006)

I think horn loaded compression drivers are a necessity here....

Dual midbass drivers up front would be nice...

And a few subs...


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## bigabe (May 1, 2007)

Image Dynamics XS Components??

Just a smple door install should do, and throw a couple IDQ12s in the back and call it good. Those speakers a good and loud, and they're a simple and easy mounting job due to the smaller magnet and the fact that you can coaxially mount the tweeter.


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## rhinodog00 (Jul 1, 2007)

Another thing that I didn't mention is that you probably don't want to spend to much on a system because at least part of it will get stolen. Top off, you go to home depot for 5 minutes come back and your **** is gone. Happened to me I am trying to come up with a way to put metal bars around my sub enclosure and lock it.


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

rhinodog00 said:


> Another thing that I didn't mention is that you probably don't want to spend to much on a system because at least part of it will get stolen. Top off, you go to home depot for 5 minutes come back and your **** is gone. Happened to me I am trying to come up with a way to put metal bars around my sub enclosure and lock it.


 
bandpass box with lag bolts holding it to the body works just fine, recessed amps using heavy mdf on the back of the bandpass also helps.

and make sure to invest in a prox alarm.


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## vroomy (May 11, 2008)

backwoods said:


> sure, your not gonna be winning any big competitions with it, but you can make it sound damn good, especially in a tj.
> 
> Obviously, you know how to sound deaden, but one of the most important areas are the kick panels and doors. Hopefully you have the full doors, that will help tremendously.
> 
> ...


hey any chance you can send me some pics of your installs? im doing a wrangler at the moment and could use a few different ideas. Im going to be installing a RF POWER T30001 and T15004 with some IDMAX 12's, iv just put 5.25 MB Quart QSD's in the sound bar and am thinking of making some pods for the doors to fit 6.5 QSD's but any other ideas id love to hear


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

That is a good looking jeep
Looks pretty capable too.

The first thing I am going to do is have a custom cage built for it. Was going to go with the Poison Spider cage (as seen in the pic above this post) but I decided to use the sound bar in the rear, and a set of pods up front.










Usually these are used in the back, so they wont fit the cage the way it is now. The guy that is going to build the cage is going to have to make it based on these special criterium:
Rear sound bar
Front Sound pods
Hard top must fit
Soft top must function/fit
Connect through sheet metal in to frame

Imaging will be off, but at least I will have some sound up front.
The way it is now, all I have is the 4x6 up front and they hardly do anything with the sound bar right at the back of my head..

ANT


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

Definitely post pics of your process. My wife just bought a 2001 Sport as a second vehicle. It's got both tops so I know she's going to want something tolerable for winter months. I don't want to hack anything up though, or put alot of money into it...so she may have to suffer with stock for a while.


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

I wanna keep an eye on this. I'm doing an 88 YJ from the frame up, so I get to start from scratch with the custom stuff. Prove 'em wrong, Ant! I'm thinking kicks, HLCD's, console sub. (and don't forget the POWA)


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

HLCDs seems like a good approach...but I was able to hit the dash with my leg when I pushed the clutch in (seat was all the way back). I doubt there's room down there for horns and my long legs.


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

I guess so. In the older YJ, I have a TON of room under the dash.


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

I would like to use a set of horns in the dash. If only I could find the room..
Mini horns maybe?


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

I think you should be able to _make_ the room...depending on how much you like this particular piece of trim...


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

I wouldnt put anything in my 2006 jeep wrangler just because of probable thefts. everyone likes to break into jeeps is what i've heard. But she does have a hard top which we have never removed. she doesnt off road.


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## AudioOutlaw (Jun 16, 2008)

my brother had a 93 yj and all i did in that was put some 6.5s in the doors and replace the 4x6s in the dash,(that sucks big time by the way) off of a 4 ch. and a new deck, and it was fairly loud, there was nothing in there to draw attention to it, the amp was put under the rear seat. just my .02


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## placenta (Feb 2, 2008)

her jeep has the subwoofer thing too, which isnt too bad for a stock system. But the main problem with the stock jeep setup is the rear bar speakers are way louder than the front dash speakers at middle fader. but with a clean CD and all windows closed, that system can sound pretty good. I have oem sirius I added also, so its all about the oem look.


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

I just picked up a bottom of the line Sony Deck for my wife's 2001 TJ. $129 from Crutchfield and it comes with iPod support built-in. Can't beat that price, especially since Crutchfield gives you the harness and kit for free. I would have picked another brand (Sony isnt my fav) but of the $129-150 models it had the right options w/o extras we won't use. Once I get that installed I'll wait until my wife blows the stock speakers before upgrading anything else.


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## AudioOutlaw (Jun 16, 2008)

im trying to figure out what do to in my brothers 06 rubi unlimited, now that will be fun! ill probably do some zapco comp 4" twt in the dash and some comp 6.5"s and twt in the pods off a 1000.4 and leave the stock amp and sub alone. . .


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## machinehead (Nov 6, 2005)

You should go with horns, they will get loud with the top off.


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

Going with all Zapco gear.
Not too sure they make horns. I will have to look in to it.


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## AudioOutlaw (Jun 16, 2008)

Zapco doesnt make horns. 

they do have some pretty nice tweeters


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## benny (Apr 7, 2008)

If I had the wedge, I'd go with ID horns, big midbass in the kicks, (8's if I could get away with it), tough, solid headunit, and DC Zapco amps (200.2 horns; 750.2 MB; 1100.1 sub). Sub driver? Sealed 15 of some sort. Just off the top of my head. Unfortunately, I am not so endowed with dollahs


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

Zapco gear in a Jeep? It'll be a sad day when someone breaks in and steals your ****. I wasn't aware that their speaker line was any good.


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

I just got the gear ordered today.
2 1000.1 for each cw-12
1 1000.4 foa pair of RB-13.2

Theft is always a concern. 
The pager alarm will help ease my nerves, but really, we are going to have to build this thing like a monster.. Make it impossible to steal..
I drive mostly with my hard top on as well.

ANT

Wish I was going to be at the BBQ to see this car in person...

ANT


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## jstn (Jul 30, 2008)

I've got an '05 rubi build I'm starting. I am planning the following: 

* eclipse cd7200
* Boston Acoustic sa746s up front
* JL VR525CXi's overhead
* JL G1300 4-channel (4x75)
* JL 500/1 mono
* JL 10" W6v2 sealed

I'm going to gut the interior carpet and seats and then sound deaden the tub and doors. I also have moved away from the Mud-terrain tires and now have All-Terrains so road noise is waaaay down. I typically run the factory soft-top so I'm not expecting amazing results. Just *something* better than stock! 

-j


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

Pretty sure the deadening will be a waste of time. Road noise will pass through the soft top negating any benefits from deadening the floor...but to each his own.


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

I Just deadend my TJ over the weekend. Filmed it for a local TV show too.
We used a gallon of Spectrum in the wheel wells.
60 sq feet of Damplifier Pro inthe tub.
4 Sheets Luxury Liner Pro on top of that

Still have to do the hood though.

I noticed a good amount of noise reduction, but I Have a hard top.
I'll go back to the soft top next spring and see how much it helped then.

ANT


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## Beeblebrox (Nov 9, 2007)

So why not do the 08 rubicon thing? They gots power windows and locks but are still removable using a basic connector. Hell, if you wanna go even easier how bout bullet connectors? Deaden them doors, throw a set of components in. If you worried about security, how bout a Viper 5900? 1 mile range, triggers galore, and if you need it a proximity sensor will keep you secure even without the top on. Just a suggestion....


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## jstn (Jul 30, 2008)

DIYMA said:


> I Just deadend my TJ over the weekend. Filmed it for a local TV show too.
> We used a gallon of Spectrum in the wheel wells.
> 60 sq feet of Damplifier Pro inthe tub.
> 4 Sheets Luxury Liner Pro on top of that
> ...


Damn, may I ask what that cost you? 

Can you throw the soft-top up this weekend so I don't have to wait until next spring to hear back from you if the deadening worked or not? 

- j


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## 02bluesuperroo (Oct 31, 2006)

You definitely won't notice any noise reduction with the soft top on. It may be there, but you won't notice because the soft top is so loud. I would deaden just the doors to help with mid-bass response (assuming your mid/mid-bass will be going there).


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## JMachan (Jul 3, 2008)

How about tactile transducers in the seat to supplement a modest sub? (or try without). I'd like to see someone steal those that hasn't sat in the seat. I've never used them in a car or SQ environment, but I installed one in my hard-of-hearing father in law's recliner and I have to say that, when it's not overdone you're fooled and it creates a very good impression of bass. Some of the more expensive ones are supposed to do well even up into midrange.

Also...and I know this is a little ridiculous, maybe dangerous, and SQ probably sucks...but the question is empirical. There's a technology based on ultrasound speakers which is highly directional. Essentially, when the ultrasound distorts as it hits something (like your head), the lower harmonics are audible. It's used in kiosks. A foot away, you hear nothing. Walk into the beam and you hear voices in your head. I wonder what it would sound like with an ultrasound center speaker supplementing a standard install. Would it ruin the stage? ...or would the stuff from outside pull it in front again? ...and would your head explode? ...ear bones slowly turn to dust? ...give you a splitting headache?

Oh...and there are cool military applications, too:
There are basically 2 competing companies that I know of:
Woody's (HyperSonic Sound):
http://web.mit.edu/invent/a-winners/a-norris.html
http://www.atcsd.com/site/ (Check out the LRAD...mmwhoohaahah)
and Joe Pomppei's (Audio Spotlight):
http://www.holosonics.com/index.html


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## ANT (Oct 15, 2005)

jstn said:


> Damn, may I ask what that cost you?
> 
> Can you throw the soft-top up this weekend so I don't have to wait until next spring to hear back from you if the deadening worked or not?
> 
> - j


I owe Second Skin Audio LLC. 
So I get the hookup.
Overall though it would be around $450 or so if you bought everything on our website, even with the roller, blade, gun, and foil tape..


This weekend I will be in CHicago. 
Taking off the hard top and putting in the Soft Top is a bit of a chore.
Takes about an hour or so and is nothing fun.
ANT


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

02bluesuperroo said:


> You definitely won't notice any noise reduction with the soft top on. It may be there, but you won't notice because the soft top is so loud. I would deaden just the doors to help with mid-bass response (assuming your mid/mid-bass will be going there).


I have to disagree. Jeeps are very noisy vehicles mechanically as well. It will still make quite a difference, even on the highways.


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## backwoods (Feb 22, 2006)

DIYMA said:


> Taking off the hard top and putting in the Soft Top is a bit of a chore.
> Takes about an hour or so and is nothing fun.
> ANT


 
noob....


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## chuyler1 (Apr 10, 2006)

Hard top comes off in 10 minutes tops (as long as you have someone else to help lift it. 4 bolts, two clips on the front, and the wiring harness for the wiper. Bam done...

...and besides, it's almost August, why isn't the soft top on now?


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## jstn (Jul 30, 2008)

backwoods said:


> noob....


You beat me to it! The soft-top comes down in literally 5 minutes and you then remove 4 T5 screws from the bow hinges (I think they're T5) and the soft-top is off altogether.

Taking the doors off is a chore... 

I put my hard-top on the first winter I had the Jeep. It's a PITA and looks fugly so I've had the soft-top on ever since. I'm up in Boston and people always ask if I'm cold in the winter... Hell no, I sweat my @#$% ASS off in that thing during the winter!

- j


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