Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
the floor.

The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
My questions are:

1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...

Best regards,
-Ajb

 

If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
lately?

If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

ajb wrote:
>
> Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
> developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
> braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
> the floor.
>
> The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
> wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
> news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
> My questions are:
>
> 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
> Best regards,
> -Ajb

 

If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
lately?

If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

ajb wrote:
>
> Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
> developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
> braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
> the floor.
>
> The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
> wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
> news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
> My questions are:
>
> 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
> Best regards,
> -Ajb

 

If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
lately?

If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

ajb wrote:
>
> Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
> developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
> braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
> the floor.
>
> The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
> wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
> news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
> My questions are:
>
> 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
> Best regards,
> -Ajb

 

No, not normal at all IMO. I'm still running the original top on my
'99 and it doesn't leak anyway.

Dave

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:10:13 GMT, "ajb" <ajb@somewhere.net> wrote:

>Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
>developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
>through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
>braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
>the floor.
>
>The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
>wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
>news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
>My questions are:
>
>1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
>2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
>3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
>Best regards,
>-Ajb
>

 

No, not normal at all IMO. I'm still running the original top on my
'99 and it doesn't leak anyway.

Dave

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:10:13 GMT, "ajb" <ajb@somewhere.net> wrote:

>Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
>developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
>through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
>braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
>the floor.
>
>The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
>wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
>news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
>My questions are:
>
>1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
>2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
>3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
>Best regards,
>-Ajb
>

 

No, not normal at all IMO. I'm still running the original top on my
'99 and it doesn't leak anyway.

Dave

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 15:10:13 GMT, "ajb" <ajb@somewhere.net> wrote:

>Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that has
>developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
>through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down the
>braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down to
>the floor.
>
>The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but the
>wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through the
>news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm seeing...
>My questions are:
>
>1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
>2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
>3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
>
>Best regards,
>-Ajb
>

 

Mike,

Thanks for the feedback! I've been off the trails for a while, and have
always been careful to keep away from low branches when on them anyway.
I'll be calling the dealer on Monday!

Best Regards,
-Ajb

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:419E14AB.3F49F2C7@sympatico.ca...
> If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
> sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
> lately?
>
> If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
> compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
> be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>
> ajb wrote:
> >
> > Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that
has
> > developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> > through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down
the
> > braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down
to
> > the floor.
> >
> > The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but
the
> > wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through
the
> > news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm
seeing...
> > My questions are:
> >
> > 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> > 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> > 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
> >
> > Best regards,
> > -Ajb

 

Mike,

Thanks for the feedback! I've been off the trails for a while, and have
always been careful to keep away from low branches when on them anyway.
I'll be calling the dealer on Monday!

Best Regards,
-Ajb

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:419E14AB.3F49F2C7@sympatico.ca...
> If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
> sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
> lately?
>
> If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
> compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
> be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>
> ajb wrote:
> >
> > Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that
has
> > developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> > through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down
the
> > braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down
to
> > the floor.
> >
> > The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but
the
> > wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through
the
> > news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm
seeing...
> > My questions are:
> >
> > 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> > 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> > 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
> >
> > Best regards,
> > -Ajb

 

Mike,

Thanks for the feedback! I've been off the trails for a while, and have
always been careful to keep away from low branches when on them anyway.
I'll be calling the dealer on Monday!

Best Regards,
-Ajb

"Mike Romain" <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:419E14AB.3F49F2C7@sympatico.ca...
> If it's under warranty I would sure take it in for a replacement. It
> sounds like the stitches have let go. Hit or scrape by any trees
> lately?
>
> If it shows scratches, well... Tent makers sell some seam sealer
> compound that might help but if the threads have snapped I think I would
> be gluing them to hold them before seam sealing.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>
> ajb wrote:
> >
> > Howdy folks! I've got an '03 Wrangler (daily driver, ~20k miles) that
has
> > developed leaks in the soft top in the rain. It appears to be coming
> > through the soft top at the rear corners of the top, and running down
the
> > braces to drop onto the front of the rear wheel wells, then running down
to
> > the floor.
> >
> > The top hasn't leaked for the first year and a half I've owned it, but
the
> > wonderful new mildew smell isn't too appealing. I've searched through
the
> > news group archives, and haven't found anything exactly like I'm
seeing...
> > My questions are:
> >
> > 1. Is this a "normal" degradation for soft tops?
> > 2. If yes, then is there any way to repair?
> > 3. If no, then I'll be off to the dealer...
> >
> > Best regards,
> > -Ajb