SmittybiltREPL TOP W TINT BLK DIA - SB9970235

I was so intimidated after reading other reviews, I had a hard time committing to getting this done. As a petite (aka weak) female, I was concerned about having to abandon the project midway through until someone could come bail me out. Turns out, these fears were completely unfounded. It was very straightforward and easy to do. I laid the pieces in the hot sun as recommended; this was an important step. I also studied my old softtop and where and how it was connected to the frame. This was pretty important, as was understanding to start out with the top laid out upside down inside the Jeep. That part isn't immediately intuitive. I was concerned about the header screws, but they released fine. I did not have all of them as it turned out, but completed the job anyway, using some similar screws I found in a jar in the basement (see, sometimes it's good to hoard). The one problem I did run into was that the softtop's holes for receiving the header screws were not well-aligned with those on my header bar, and I had to reinstall them when I found I was totally misaligned by the time I got to the last screw. I was able to make it work by inserting each screw into the far righthand edge of each hole, and I still barely got the last rightmost screw installed. It's worth visually checking this out in advance. That part was the most time-consuming, and the rest of the install went quite easily. I did find the driver's side substantially looser than the passenger side, but I think things will shift around and settle over time. There were tiny tolerance problems, such as the lower hard corner of the driver's side window did not fit perfectly into the slot, and contacted the door during opening and closing. This seems to have rectified itself over time though (particularly after I tugged and coaxed it multiple times). The first time I lowered the new top, I had help so it went quite smoothly. I raised it again alone, and had to tug and adjust here and there, but no real problems. Overall, it's a fine fit, and the price was great. The black top and darkened windows are very slick, and totally updates an older Jeep. However, from the inside looking out, I found the dark windows a bit too dark, although I will probably get used to that. It's worth mentioning that my old top had split in the upper passenger side corner along the windshield, and the new top seems very, very tight on that same corner. I'm a little worried about how that will age. I will likely sell the door skins as others have, and probably sell them with my soft doors as I don't ever plan on using them. My watertightness test arrived in the form of Hurricane Arthur, which slammed 60 mph winds and buckets of rain vertically from all sides for about 12 hours. I'm happy to report there were no leaks, and the top held well. Good purchase.

The Shipping was fast and packaging was great!---SAILCLOTH VS DIAMOND---I was curious the main difference between Sailcloth and Diamond, but was unable to find any images to visibly show the difference.----> I decided to go with the black diamond and W O W, it looks incredible!! Its rich in color with a minimal texture and the sheen is perfect to ensure an easy clean without giving the black a dull appearance.---INSTALL---The install was very easy!---->I installed the new top during the winter. Do not worry about finding a warm/dry place to park the Jeep so the material doesn't retract or get wet while installing. Simply loosen/remove the 4(ea) star screws that hold the roof hardware bars in place (located just aft of the front seats on the roll bars) and bring the whole set up inside. Now you can take your time and install the new top in the comfort of your warm/dry home. Once the new top is installed on the hardware frame, take it out and install it on the Jeep. install the 4(ea) screws you removed earlier and then begin with the latches up front (behind the visors) first and work your way back. The new top is nice and tight.---ROAD TEST---Road test was great.---->I have an aftermarket radio with Bluetooth/mic. Phone calls at 60 mph were amazingly clear. This was confirmed by my wife. She use to complain about phone calls with the old top. Success!!----> Vibrations and noise were pleasantly reduced.----> A MUST Buy -- The front door skins have strong durable metal zipper pulls and they simple rattle against one another while driving. This is a simple fix with a corded zipper pull which you can find many a options right here on Amazon. You will not regret this Add-on.---TINT---The tint on the 3 rear windows are professionally tinted black. There is NO PURPLE hue at all.---REAR WINDOW---The rear window has a much improved zipper compared to the OEM rear window. Also, my OEM top did not come the rear window roll-up straps to hold it in place without removing the window. This top has the straps installed and I am looking forward to this option!! This simple, yet genius addition allows you to have the rear window open but partially installed and readily available in case it starts to rain and you need to button the ole' girl up real quick.

Read reviews here and there and got the top. I am extremely impressed for what I got for the price.2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport, 6 cyl, full doors, soft top.First, the bad:1.) I'm not much of a fan of the tinted windows, but i'll learn to live with it.Next, the Mediocre:1.) The factory screws didn't have a wide enough head to catch the plastic rail across the front so I simply screwed it down as it were. That plastic rail seems to act solely as a stiffener, not necessarily a solid point to bolt to. The way it is installed (just like the factory top), this shouldn't be much of a problem. Overall, I do not think this will affect the performance, fit or finish of the top so it's a wash.Finally, the Good:1.) For the price, it's well built. The material is clearly not factory replacement and you should not expect it to be. It's a lighter, quieter top. I've got a thing about road noise and I notice a distinct difference between the tops.2.) Installation is a snap. Remember how you took the old top off and reverse it to install the new one.3.) Zippers were impressive! I expected pot-metal crudely hammered into vague zipper shapes but these are well built and feel very sturdy. They're also double sided so you can unzip windows from inside the vehicle. How novel! (You listening, Chrysler?)4.) I recouped some cash by selling the half-door tops on Craigslist.Overall, I am extremely pleased with the top. If you're looking for a quality inexpensive replacement, this is it. (This does not mean you can go up on your price, Smittybilt!)