Do you have a soft top jeep and would like to mount a rooftop tent or a rooftop box on the roof of your jeep? Now you are probably wondering if that is possible or not. After all, a soft-top jeep doesn’t have a roof like other vehicles. But I can reassure you that it is actually possible to mount a rooftop tent or a rooftop box on a soft-top jeep.
It is possible to mount a rooftop tent on the roof of a soft top jeep. There are different ways in which you can mount the rooftop tent on your jeep. But I have to tell you that you need a few parts for your jeep and that there are costs involved. You need a special bracket for your jeep or a special roof rack that you have to mount on your soft top jeep.
The cost of getting your jeep ready to use a rooftop tent is also around $ 150 to $ 700.
Now I would like to introduce you to the different roof racks.
Solution 1:
Hooke Road Wrangler JK Roof Rack Topless Cargo Bars
- Hooke Road 2 pcs Roof Rack Cross Bars Compatible with TOPLESS Jeep Wrangler JK 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
- Racks for Topless Wrangler JK & Provide you an open-air atmosphere on sunny days; Suitable for light off-road use & Used for carrying surfboards, kayaks, bikes, cargo basket, etc
- Full-length bars provide plenty of space for carriers and accessories & Load capacity is 150 lbs; The front bar is 60.2 in and the rear is 61.6 in
- High-quality Aluminum Alloy and ABS Plastic construction; Wind noise reducing strips
- Note: You have to remove factory top and roll bar padding before installing these roof racks. No drilling required.
This is probably the easiest and fastest way to prepare your vehicle for the installation of a roof top tent. The cargo bars are attached directly to the roof frame of your vehicle and thus offer a stable hold for the absorption of various loads. The cargo bars are made of high-quality aluminum alloy. The assembly of the cargo bars is extremely easy. The cargo bars are attached to your jeep with a simple screw connection. You can also assemble the cargo bars on your own and do not need any other people to help you with the assembly. Of course, you will also find detailed assembly instructions in the package that explain exactly how to assemble the cargo bars.
The disadvantage of these cargo bars:
The disadvantage of these cargo bars is that you can no longer close the soft top roof of your jeep after installing these cargo bars. You have to pass the cargo bars with the soft top open. The soft top roof is blocked by the assembly of the cargo bars. So you can only use your rooftop tent in good weather.
Solution 2:
Rugged Ridge Sherpa Roof Rack and Steel Roof Rack for Jeep Wrangler
Rugged Ridge
- Black Powder Coated
- Unique tilt feature
- No Drilling required on body
- Integrated light bar
- Limited 5 Year Warranty
Steel Roof Rack
- Fitment: Compatible With 1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler TJ 2-Door.
- Designed for use with almost all aftermarket accessories (Rooftop Cargo Box, roof rack, bike carrier, etc.). Removable cross bars for easy soft or hard top removal.
- Powder coated 2″ x .120″ steel tubing, backed by heavy-duty 3/16-1/4″ brackets. Contemporary contoured design avoid typical boxy look. Lightweight outland rugged rack for the ultimate off road rack / basket combination.
- Four point mounting. Attaches to front door mounts and to the rear frame. Holds up to 300 pounds of evenly distributed cargo.
- Package Included: 1 x Roof Rack. Instruction is not included.
- Fits 2007 – 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK
- A Complete Roof Rack System That Is Tough Enough To Conquer The Trail
- Constructed From Heavy-Duty 2 Inch X 0. 12 Inch Wall Tubing And Featuring 1/4 Inch Thick Brackets For Secure Mounting
- All Parts Are E-Coated Before Powder Coating For The Maximum In Rust Prevention
These models are complete roll bars that are mounted on the outside of your vehicle. The roll bars are screwed firmly and stably to the frame of your vehicle. This makes it possible to mount a roof rack tent or a roof top box on the soft top jeep.
The constructions are made of high-strength steel and offer a very good hold and a high level of load security. For this reason, we recommend that you use this variant. With this variant it is still possible to open and close the soft top of your car.
The disadvantage of this version is on the one hand the higher purchase price of around 700 dollars and on the other hand the assembly of the roll bars on your jeep is not that easy. When assembling the roll bars you should work with at least two people, as the roll bars are very heavy and unwieldy. If you are not careful, you can easily get to the paintwork of your vehicle when installing the roll bars and thus damage the paintwork.
The correct screw connection should also be ensured during assembly. The screws must be tightened according to the manufacturer’s instructions, please pay attention to the correct torque and the use of screw locking varnish.
Conclusion
To install a rooftop tent on your soft-top jeep, you must first install a steel roof rack. These roof racks make it possible to install or transport larger loads on the roof of your soft-top jeep.
The conversion is relatively cheap and installing a steel roof rack is not difficult either. Existing screw points are used, so you don’t have to drill holes or weld on additional reinforcements.
Since your jeep is relatively narrow, we recommend purchasing a hardshell rooftop tent. These roof tents also have the advantage that they are very low when folded and therefore do not particularly affect the aerodynamics of your jeep.
>> Here you will find our recommendations for the most popular hardshell rooftop tents <<