Jeep Wrangler TJ Electric Soft Top Install

Just like the factory soft tops, much of the Barker top locks onto the body tub with a fabric-securing lip. The tongue of the top will simply slide under the groove (for the securing lip) to keep a tight seal between the top and tub.

It is a good idea to bolt the motor brackets onto the soft top before setting the soft top on. Once the motor brackets are on the soft top, grab a buddy (the top is a bit bulky for just one person) and lift the Barker top onto the tub of the Jeep.

We had bolted the top on and had it working, save for the windshield bracketry. On a TJ there are two spots that have existing holes where these billet-aluminum brackets line up. You'll have to drill two holes to thread screws into the windshield frame to hold the brackets in place...

...On a YJ, there are no existing holes for the dowel pins of the bracket, so we had to drill and ream out our own two holes on each side of the frame for the brackets. The top has billet clamps that are easy to line up and cinch onto the aluminum windshield brackets. Barker also provides a rubber seal to run along the windshield frame of the YJs to cut down on any wind noise.

The Barker tops come with the plastic windows covered for protection in shipping and installation. Do not pull off the covering until you have completed the top install. The flexible windows can be ordered clear or with tint. We chose tint because we're Californians.

The rear window zips into place in the Barker top and attaches to the tailgate with Velcro. Of course, it's tinted to match the rest of the top. You can see that the Barker top has a slant in the rear instead of the flat back of a factory soft top or hardtop. It gives the Jeep a much sportier look, while still providing enough headroom for rear passengers (if you're sadistic enough to make someone ride in the back of your Wrangler).

An Up-Down switch is included to raise or lower the soft top. We found that it fit perfectly in the hole for the hardtop rear window-wiper switch (that we obviously no longer had use for) on a YJ Wrangler. We deleted the wiper switch and installed the Barker switch without any dash cutting. On a TJ, you'll have to cut a hole in the dash or make other provisions to mount the switch.

When lowered, the top folds onto itself neatly in the back of the Jeep. This might look a bit bulky, but we were still able to see out of the Jeep without issue. The top is a bit bulkier in this pic than it will be in a few weeks because the material has not relaxed yet.