Sponsored

Are roof leaks common on these types of cars?

jaruss01

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Threads
149
Messages
2,925
Reaction score
5,331
Location
NJ
Vehicle(s)
2021 XC90 T6 R-Design / 2020 S60 T6 AWD
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
Maybe some wrangler owners care to chime in?

Planning on getting a mod hard top, owning for 10 years. We do NOT have a garage or covered parking. Will be parked in a shaded driveway all year round...for 10 years. Minimal sun, but definitely will have snow sitting on the roof in the winters.
Sponsored

 

kodiakisland

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2020
Threads
29
Messages
5,750
Reaction score
16,306
Location
Arkansas
Vehicle(s)
12 Tacoma, 18 Indian, 23 GV70
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
Clubs
 
Mine won't be garage kept either. Probably will leak eventually. All depends on how much you take it off and on, but even if you never take it off the seals will eventually shrink, crack, go bad, etc. Shouldn't be a big deal to fix and I wouldn't let that deter you from purchasing.
 

EvlNvrDys

Banned
Big Bend
Banned
Banned
Joined
May 29, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
4,274
Reaction score
14,061
Location
Hunterdon County, NJ
Vehicle(s)
'84 Bronco, '93 Bronco, '94 Bronco, 2012 Mustang
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
In my experience... For Wranglers.... Absolutely.

I also owned 3 FSB's and never had one leak.
 

jimmy234

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
136
Reaction score
253
Location
PA
Vehicle(s)
'18 JLU Sport S
Your Bronco Model
Undecided
Yea, it does happen. I have the premium soft top on my JL and haven't had any issues (almost 3 years), but I can definitely see the material aging and, more importantly, the door surrounds and weather stripping getting more and more beat up.
 

Sponsored

BlueBronco

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Threads
19
Messages
5,743
Reaction score
20,367
Location
DFW
Vehicle(s)
'16 F150 KR - '21 BL - 23' OBX
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I have had my current JKU hardtop for about 5 years now. I constantly take off the top and/or freedom panels (2 pieces over the driver and front passenger) and I have never had a leak.
 

MNbronco

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
RC
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Threads
5
Messages
249
Reaction score
899
Location
SE MN
Vehicle(s)
2021 F150 Tremor, 2021 Bronco sport
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 
303 protectant every couple months on seals and molded plastic will keep it in great shape
 

tyrobronco

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
CC
Joined
Apr 5, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
1,014
Reaction score
2,337
Location
Central Florida
Vehicle(s)
2021 Bronco,2017 Ford Fusion Energi
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
My brother owns a 2018 Rubicon. The model he had beforehand - I think it was a 2016 or 2017, it did leak. The 2018 has had no such problems.
 

Chadillac

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
Chad
Joined
Mar 26, 2016
Threads
3
Messages
295
Reaction score
539
Location
Between the Hedges, Georgia
Vehicle(s)
‘21 Bronco
Your Bronco Model
Base
Had a 2012 JKU hardtop that leaked since day one. I’m sure the leaks will be minimal if even at all. Just the possibility you’ve gotta accept with convertibles
 

cmb

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Chad
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Threads
1
Messages
199
Reaction score
379
Location
Appleton WI
Vehicle(s)
2018 JL Rubi, 2020 Toyota Tacoma
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
Clubs
 
My 2012 was the only Jeep I had with a hard top. Leaked back side of the freedom panels when ever we had heavy rain. All my other Jeeps were soft tops, never an issue with any of them.
 

Sponsored

Philly

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Threads
15
Messages
1,187
Reaction score
3,884
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicle(s)
2022 JL Rubicon
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
I have a 2010 JKU and I have only had one leak and it was my fault. I took the entire top off and was too lazy to tighten all the bolts down when I put them back on and went mudding so things shifted a bit and I got some water to come in where all three panels meet.

My Jeep has never been kept in a garage since I have owned it beginning spring 2013. When I put my soft top on (early spring), the hardtop also sits outside on the side of my house (until late fall). I have only had my soft top for three years and it has never leaked either. Soft top is a Bestop Trektop Glide with the standard black textile if that matters to you. It is the same company that makes the OEM soft tops.

Being from Michigan, it also sees its fair share of heavy snow and sleet as well as constant freezing and thawing over the course of the winter. I truly don't see how some people's leak so badly. Some of my friends' do but it's usually the way they put it on. My lack of leaks is probably a bit of luck and the rest is probably that I am pretty careful to make sure I push the panels together tightly and bolt them down so the seals line up correctly.

I don't see leaks being an issue with the Bronco unless you manage to twist the body, wreck a seal on the top, or are careless on reassembly which is easily fixed by adjusting bolts or clamps.

Also, even though my Jeep stays outside all winter, I don't really feel like I need a hard top. I just use it because I have it. The real benefit is that I don't have to wipe fresh snow off of it to make sure it isn't ruined under the weight and the rear window defroster. Defroster issue would be solved with the backup camera though. The new textiles on the higher end tops are definitely top notch and it is doable to use them year round. You just have to be careful with wiping snow off the vinyl windows! They are SUPER easy to scratch! Also salt will dry them out and cause them to be foggy if you do not rinse or clean them regularly.

You can find plenty of hard top/soft top year round use debates on Jeep forums. Bottom line is, do what is comfortable and works best for you. I have not noticed a difference in heat retention between my uninsulated hard top and my soft top in the winter, but I don't doubt there is a slight change.

Sorry to be long winded. Just trying to cover everything!
 

elfshadow

Black Diamond
Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeffrey
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Threads
0
Messages
57
Reaction score
87
Location
Ohio
Vehicle(s)
Jeep Liberty
Your Bronco Model
Black Diamond
I had a YJ in Arizona (so not a lot of rain, but some), I never really had a problem with the hardtop leaking. With that said, I ran up to a year at a time with no hard top and just bikini top (through monsoons and snow).

So I might have been biased - as the hardtop always protected me more form the elements than the bikini setup!
 

Richtor

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Threads
13
Messages
843
Reaction score
1,084
Location
Sonoma County
Vehicle(s)
20 Tremor 7.3, 21 Badlands Sasquatch Stick(order)
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
My 12 JKR never leaked. I had the tops on and off as much as possible.
 

pat86323

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Patric
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
168
Reaction score
230
Location
Flagstaff az
Vehicle(s)
1994 bronco xlt
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
My 94 bronco doesnt leak at all. To the best of my knowledge, the top has never been off
Sponsored

 
 


Top