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Sliding ragtop

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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 11:42 AM
  #1  
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Default Sliding ragtop

Has anyone done this on the heep?? Name:  Awesome jeep xj sunroof.jpg
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 12:31 PM
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I'm pretty sure Detour did it to his
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 12:31 PM
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No, but I've thought about it. Since the XJ is a unibody vehicle, the roof is part of it's structural integrity. You'd have to reinforce the unibody by building a cage and possibly add some rock sliders. It's not worth it IMO.

Also, the sliding ragtop you're looking at is about $2000 and is non-electric. There is no guaranteeing how well it will seal either, it could leak like crazy like how the KKs were when their sliding ragtop option had just come out. I think the best option to do would be to just add a sun roof. It's a lot cheaper and you won't have to reinforce the unibody.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by 1996XJSport
No, but I've thought about it. Since the XJ is a unibody vehicle, the roof is part of it's structural integrity. You'd have to reinforce the unibody by building a cage and possibly add some rock sliders. It's not worth it IMO.

Also, the sliding ragtop you're looking at is about $2000 and is non-electric. There is no guaranteeing how well it will seal either, it could leak like crazy like how the KKs were when their sliding ragtop option had just come out. I think the best option to do would be to just add a sun roof. It's a lot cheaper and you won't have to reinforce the unibody.

the roof supports every kind of car. not just a uni
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by xPlover24x
the roof supports every kind of car. not just a uni
The roof on a unibody vehicle is a lot more important than a roof on a body on frame vehicle however.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by 1996XJSport
The roof on a unibody vehicle is a lot more important than a roof on a body on frame vehicle however.
well, yes thats true but the roof supports every car. thats why the manufacturer builds the factory ragtop cars differently. so theyre just as sound and just as safe. this ragtop looks like it would totally destroy your structure. unless it has well placed braces(most likely does)

i like the top and i even thought about getting one but its not practical for me
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by xPlover24x
well, yes thats true but the roof supports every car. thats why the manufacturer builds the factory ragtop cars differently. so theyre just as sound and just as safe. this ragtop looks like it would totally destroy your structure. unless it has well placed braces(most likely does)

i like the top and i even thought about getting one but its not practical for me
True, like the ragtop in the KK has a cross brace in the middle.

Youd need to do way too much to an XJ to keep it from folding in half on the trails with that ragtop, I agree.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by cf1k1
I'm pretty sure Detour did it to his
X2 on him doing it pretty sure
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by 1996XJSport
True, like the ragtop in the KK has a cross brace in the middle.

Youd need to do way too much to an XJ to keep it from folding in half on the trails with that ragtop, I agree.
high five
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:16 PM
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Looks like the one in the pic has a cage, and yes, that would be optimal.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by xPlover24x
high five
lol gotta say it with the borat voice.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 05:30 PM
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Originally Posted by garb.man
Has anyone done this on the heep?? <img src="https://www.cherokeeforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52799"/>
Yes. That guy
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 05:42 PM
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Detour did his but he did a full cage at the same time. If you're going to do it, I think that's the way.
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Old Jun 19, 2011 | 05:44 PM
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I have seen those for sale for $600 and they are not electric but they are sweet. The seller suggested frame stiffeners the XJ I saw it in had a cage. If I had the cash I would do it in a hart beat.
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Old Jun 20, 2011 | 07:05 AM
  #15  
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1. Yes, Mark (Detour) did it to his.
2. Yes, cutting the roof for it weakens the XJ's structural integrity as the cross members in the roof are cut out. This means a cage is needed.
3. Frame stiffeners are not needed, but they greatly help ANY XJ's body stiffness.
4. Will I be doing this mod at some point in time? In the words of Barney Stinson - Challenge accepted!
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