Hardtop Wind Noise

Quigley

New member
I am wondering if any of you are experiencing what you feel is "excessive" wind noise on your 4 dr JL's?

I've heard of multiple complaints of high wind noise at the juncture of the windshield top and the hard top panels. I've personally driven 3 different new JL's and at 65+ mph, the noise is loud enough to have to turn up the stereo to drown out the wind whistle. Since I've owned 3 previous Wranglers, two with hardtops, I think this noise is louder than I remember.

What are your thoughts?

Quigley
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Well, the JL hard top is supposed to be lighter in weight and the Freedom top panels easier to remove because of it. I have to wonder if some of what you're hearing is coming from that. Did any of the JL's you test drove have the optional headliner kit installed? I haven't had a hard top in years and really, both my JK's are running Trektops with half doors and so I'm thrilled about how quite my JL hard top is. :crazyeyes:
 

WWRuby_Svi

New member
I had a hard top with head liners in my JL and my JK. It seems that the JL is slightly louder above 65mph. When I test drove the JL I then took my JK on the same route after and it wasn’t much worse. I would say the JL stock tires are quieter and the stereo is a major improvement so overall better. Yeah I turn the radio up to drown some noise but I’d turn the radio up anyways.

I think what most people are doing is getting in a new JL for the first time and everything is so nice and improved over the JK so when they go down the interstate this gives them something to complain about.

Also, I’m not sure the headliners do much other than radiated heat exchange. They don’t cover the entire panel and there are air gaps so noise likely still comes through.


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Onlyone

Member
Honestly I took issue with the wind noise when I first got it. But after 1500 miles of driving, it’s not louder than my JK. This JL is so much quieter in all areas, that the wind noise is the same, but amplified, because of the quiet cabin. I used sound deadener in my JK and just driving around town this JL is much quieter. I think there was so many upgrades to the JL, wind noise was expected to be reduced but wasn’t. I truly believe that is the problem.

Obviously, I’m not talking about the whistling some people are getting but I think that’s just an adjustment in the top.
 

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