Carrying Spare Tire On Roof Rack

Hey guys. My hard top for my 73 cj5 should be finishing up soon. Not to be one thats easily satisfied, Im thinking of adding a basket rack on the top to add the finishing touch. Being these things are dangerous enough to drive without a metal hardtop, I want your opinions on adding a cargo basket rack and spare tire on top.

Would this make it "too" top heavy? I haven't found anything that offers a tire rack on the back and besides that area is off limit because I use a storage/bike rack there and the tire would interfere with that.

 

JMO - I would not have another steel cab, much less a steel cab with a heavy tire and rack on top. The difference in handling is clearly apparent when you drive the same CJ, with and without. Soft top or no top for me.

 

I wouldn't be as worried about slow tipovers as much as I would be concerned with higher-speed evasive maneuvers in a panic situation. Hard, fast shifts in COG (i.e., slam on brakes while cutting the wheel) are where the dangers become evident. That's a lot of weight (inertia) to try to change direction, and it is a far distance (leverage) from the road.

 

Absolutely. Driving the same Jeep with a full Meyers top and a soft top is like day and night. No comparison of the stability. I too will never have another steel top on a Jeep.

 

I purchased the steel top from a member here. Ive had a fiberglass top on a previous CJ-7 and enjoyed it but know the 2 aren't the same from the comments on this site.

So help me out here. The only metal jeep top I have ever seen is the one I have. So I have no clue how it will ride. Granted from the comments its going to be an adjustment but how much? Like Ill hate driving it ??

 

Nope you won't hate it. Come to think of it I don't know how you could hate driving a five. Think like it's tall skinny and top heavy. Abrupt maneuvering can cause butt puckering. Drive it like it is top heavy and you will be fine.

 

Exactly. My Jeep leans a lot on corners with the steel top on, but it's warm and dry inside. Without the top it's like a go kart but I get wet when it rains. If you need a top to stay dry or keep your stuff secure, the "handling" tradeoff is worth it. If you don't need one, you don't need one. I've never had a soft top so I can't speak to that but I do know it would take less time to break into a jeep with a soft top than with a hard top. Mine spends a lot of time parked in an urban situation so that matters.

 

I have a soft top now (Tiger Top) with buttons. The top has been well worth the money but after 14 years its finally worn out. I can replace just the vinyl for around $400. I would prefer to replace it with a Supertop and avoid the buttons but the new Supertop is roughly the same price as it would cost to restore my current hard top...

 

I run the hard top all year round . it's not my daily driver anymore . just too hard to remove . been on it for 20 years I like it . but as to adding a roof rack and tire on it . I wouldn't even consider it . like any jeep you just have drive it with respect

 

unfortunately the quality of the replacement fabric wont be as good as the old one.

 

Its from Best top directly...

 

Like I said the quality is not the same, I've had three that were either junk out of the package or didn't make a year. Bad zippers cheesy seams/stitching snaps either missing or in the wrong spot one had studs instead of sockets,just not really impressed. I am teaching myself to sew my next skin is canvas.

 

Sterlclan, Thats crazy. I assumed that the replacement vinyl would be the same as what you would get originally...

 

Why I like the military repros, even on a CJ.

 

shrinkage and such.most likely will be some type of synthetic sailcloth like stuff

 

As simple as it sounds, I'm having the most difficulty over this. I can't decide. Each one has its reasons. It is nice to be able to take the top off but the tiger top is a Bi**h to put back on by myself.

 

If you want another testimonial, I had exactly one steel hard top (on a '65 w/V6 transplant). Not a fan. It was cold in the winter, hot in the summer, very noisy (trapped and magnified noises), and without some sort of vapor barrier inside, a sudden temp swing will make the inside sweat and drip on your head. Visibility is less than ideal, and yeah... the top heavy feeling is for real.

Just my $.02.

 

Responding to the original question about a spare on the roof, what if you kept the soft top, but went with an over-the-top type rack? This would add the spare's weight up high, but save the added weight of the hard top.