Just bought my first Jeep. Drove it back today. 170 highway miles. The wind hitting the vehicle was so loud that I could not hear the cellular phone ring. Also conversation needed to be at a yell. The only way I could take this kind of noise on a long trip would be with ear plugs. Is this normal for a 94 wrangler or is there some sort of problem? Hard top is on it.
Welcome to the club. I always though a hardtop would eliminate the noise problem. Imagine driving 7 hours at highway speed with a softtop. You end up turning up the radio to try to drown the sound of the softtop. No wonder I always carry a bottle of Excederine.
CTM
The problem you are describing is a bad seal between the front of the hard top and the windshield frame.
Loosen the bolts and screws holding the top on, then lift it enough to run some weatherstripping along the top of the windshield frame, then set the top back down. This should significantly reduce the wind noise.
With the aerodynamics of a brick, it's to be expected... Drive slower and the wind noise won't be as bad or just wear ear plugs... Come to think of it, that's probably the reason that they had the option for the headrest mounted speakers on some of the Jeeps -- so you could actually *hear* the stereo...
The front top seal can be leaky causing noise and the tires can cause a 'lot' of noise.
I find my soft top is quieter than my hard top and my new tires cut down over 75% of the overall noise for both.
I can talk to my passenger and hear the radio.
I have had Jeep pass me and their tires were so noisy 'I' couldn't hear 'my' radio when they were near me.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
He says he has a hard top. The only thing I can think of, besides his being a troll, is that the dealer or previous owner had installed the hard top incorrectly, forgetting a corner seal or getting one of the seals crooked.
Earle
The lip of the hard top where it comes over the windshield does cause a lot of turbulence, and if the seal has shrunk due to age it's like being in a wind tunnel.
*Much* louder than a soft top or no top at all (believe it or not!)I will second that!
I 'only' like the hard top for heat and to carry camping stuff, it is a 'lot' noisier than my original 86's soft top, a 'lot' noisier!
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >In article , INDIVIDUAL wrote: #Just bought my first Jeep. Drove it back today. 170 highway miles. The wind #hitting the vehicle was so loud that I could not hear the cellular phone #ring. Also conversation needed to be at a yell. The only way I could take #this kind of noise on a long trip would be with ear plugs. Is this normal #for a 94 wrangler or is there some sort of problem? Hard top is on it.
Well, for one, lose the top--no realy--please stop laughing. Noise goes down a lot with a soft top and even more (!!!) with the soft top down.
/herb
That is interesting because on my '05 the soft top (factory) is louder than the hard top (also factory). Of course coming from the factory and not having aged, the hard top fits perfectly and all the seals are good. The soft top is louder mainly because wind and air flow will cause it to vibrate and/or snap. I think the rigidity of the hard top also dampens sound waves, just like a wall in a house. I like the hard top for 1) scraping ice off and 2) easier to open access to the trunk and back seat. But a Jeep with no soft top at all just lacking something :-).
-D
Took it in to the local dealer - it is a mismatched hard top designed for some other model but able to 'fit' mine somewhat! Thanks for all the advice!
I am a service advisor at a jeep dealer and you would be surprised at how many Jeep owners think thier Wrangler shouldn't have windnoise and or tire noise.
sometimes the Jeep is making more windnoise than it should but most the time I just wanna say "it's a friggin' Jeep"
My favorite is when a jeep owner comes in and says "my rear windows flop while I am driving on the highway.
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