02' Jeep Wrangler black soft top leaving black streaks down entire Jeep, how to i prevent this?

[SOREBACK]

My wife has a yellow 2002 Jeep Wrangler sport with a black soft top. It sits out side and everytime it rains it leaves streaks down the entire jeep that are a pain to get off and look horrible. I never put any product on it. Im ordering her a new top since her's is in dire need of replacement. So with this new one i want to protect it and keep it from leaving those ugly black streaks down it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. thank you.

[RevitalizeAutoSpa]

A good fabric protectant like GTechniq Smart Fabric (http://www.autogeek.net/gt-i1-500.html) or 303 High Tech Fabric Guard (http://www.autogeek.net/32ozsize.html) would be advisable.

[wdmaccord]

Since you say it is "in dire need of replacement" I would guess the protective coating is gone and the colorant is leaching out of the fabric? Just a guess on my part though.

[SOREBACK]

Thanks I will try one of those products. When i order the new top I will put protectant on it first and keep up with it. The top on it now is 12years old and never had any kind of protectant or conditioner put on it.

[Guessless]

Is it a vinyl top or fabrique?
Look into Raggtopp products, they have a cleaner and protector set for vinyl tops and another for fabrique. I haven't used these on my vinyl hardtop yet, but they were recommended highly by other users.
You may wanna try these on your current top first,if the only problems are streaking and no tears, cuts etc., they may save you.

[theblob640]

Since you said the car sits outside, the accumulation of dirt could be what the streaks are made of. The rain probably washed off all the loose dirt and runs down the side of your vehicle causing these streaks when the water dries.

[MPBGT]

Typically jeep tops are vinyl. Your going to want to use a protectant with high UV screening. Ragg Topp and 303 Aerospace Protectant are the 2 that typically come up and are usually highly recommended.

I work for 303 so I can speak to that product. While it is a water based product and will appear to be gone after a few rains. The UV protection is still there and is not washed away by the rain. You basically need to reapply every month to renew the uv protection. Also check with the manufacturer and see what material the flexible windows are. If they are eizenglass then 303 will keep it from turning yellow, if it's Strataglass then your going to have to go buy the Imar Strataglass cleaner and protectant

[Guessless]

Typically jeep tops are vinyl. Your going to want to use a protectant with high UV screening. Ragg Topp and 303 Aerospace Protectant are the 2 that typically come up and are usually highly recommended.

I work for 303 so I can speak to that product. While it is a water based product and will appear to be gone after a few rains. The UV protection is still there and is not washed away by the rain. You basically need to reapply every month to renew the uv protection. Also check with the manufacturer and see what material the flexible windows are. If they are eizenglass then 303 will keep it from turning yellow, if it's Strataglass then your going to have to go buy the Imar Strataglass cleaner and protectant

Cool, I have a whole bottle of 303 protectant and was asking in another thread if I could put that on my white (Refrigerator white) vinyl hardtop and the few who answered recommended raggtopp.
Now my question is would topping up 303 protectant with Sonax BSD add another layer of protection? I've already done it and the top beads really nice, just not sure if BSD adds another viable layer of protection?

[MPBGT]

Cool, I have a whole bottle of 303 protectant and was asking in another thread if I could put that on my white (Refrigerator white) vinyl hardtop and the few who answered recommended raggtopp.
Now my question is would topping up 303 protectant with Sonax BSD add another layer of protection? I've already done it and the top beads really nice, just not sure if BSD adds another viable layer of protection?

Ragg Topp is a good product with a great reputation.

As far as topping with Sonax BSD. I have my suspicions about how it would work, but I'll ask the chemist for his opinion before I weigh in on that.

[S2K]

When I had my Honda I used 303 AP on the top and it would run in the rain and leave streaks down the side of the car. I switched to RaggTopp for vinyl and it looked awesome, lasted a pretty long time and I never had another streak down the side of the car.

[S2K]

My wife has a yellow 2002 Jeep Wrangler sport with a black soft top. It sits out side and everytime it rains it leaves streaks down the entire jeep that are a pain to get off and look horrible. I never put any product on it. Im ordering her a new top since her's is in dire need of replacement. So with this new one i want to protect it and keep it from leaving those ugly black streaks down it. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Soreback, find out if that new top is vinyl or fabric and if it's vinyl I can hook you up.

[Guessless]

Ragg Topp is a good product with a great reputation.

As far as topping with Sonax BSD. I have my suspicions about how it would work, but I'll ask the chemist for his opinion before I weigh in on that.

Thanks.


When I had my Honda I used 303 AP on the top and it would run in the rain and leave streaks down the side of the car. I switched to RaggTopp for vinyl and it looked awesome, lasted a pretty long time and I never had another streak down the side of the car.

That's why I'm wondering about a topup with BSD. Thanks for the info.

[Niblick]

303 protectant is an excellent product. CG fabric guard is also superb and a little easier on the nose :xyxthumbs:

[Jaretr1]

Typically jeep tops are vinyl. Your going to want to use a protectant with high UV screening. Ragg Topp and 303 Aerospace Protectant are the 2 that typically come up and are usually highly recommended.

I work for 303 so I can speak to that product. While it is a water based product and will appear to be gone after a few rains. The UV protection is still there and is not washed away by the rain. You basically need to reapply every month to renew the uv protection. Also check with the manufacturer and see what material the flexible windows are. If they are eizenglass then 303 will keep it from turning yellow, if it's Strataglass then your going to have to go buy the Imar Strataglass cleaner and protectant

Why Aerospace protectant and not high tech fabric guard? (between those two 303 products) Just curious.

[SOREBACK]

It's marine grade durable black denim vinyl.