Jeep JKU soft top flutter noise with new Rack

[NonStop]

Hello Off Road Enthusiast & Overlanders,

I have a situation of a loud fluttering soft top on my Jeep JKU. This has started once I have installed my Gobi Stealth Roof Rack.

I have the Gobi wind fairing in place too.

The soft top is stock jeep equipment.
Noise starts about 34-40mph
65-70 I'm concerned it may shred my soft top it's so loud.

Please send ideas & photos of what you or your friends have used to address your soft top flutter issues.

Thank you very much!

 

[MOAK]

Many years ago I had the same experience with my ragtop 04 rubicon. I even installed a brand new top in an attempt to make it go away, to no avail.. the only thing that kept the top from fluttering was when the rack was loaded up.. it was so loud that we had to yell in order to have any conversation.. the ultimate solution is to get a hardtop, which we did.

 

[NonStop]

Many years ago I had the same experience with my ragtop 04 rubicon. I even installed a brand new top in an attempt to make it go away, to no avail.. the only thing that kept the top from fluttering was when the rack was loaded up.. it was so loud that we had to yell in order to have any conversation.. the ultimate solution is to get a hardtop, which we did.

I'm thinking of installing full diamond plate on top of the open diamond mess. Maybe I'll do a mockup from osb board as a cheap test. Or friction wedge black foam pool noodles between rack & soft top?
Thanks

 

[Rolando]

I have a different roof rack (so YMMV), and the wind reflector helped a lot. I ran it without (sperate package that came a few days late) and had the same experience. The deflector brought it down by 90%.

What i also did was to add a "floor" to the rack -mostly to prevent stuff falling through on the soft top- using plastic for chicken coops. We had some leftover, but those are cheap to get at a home improvement store, and you just need a bunch of zip ties or paracord (the UV light kills the zip ties over time).

I still hear the roof rack, but it is much less than before.

 

[MOAK]

I'm thinking of installing full diamond plate on top of the open diamond mess. Maybe I'll do a mockup from osb board as a cheap test. Or friction wedge black foam pool noodles between rack & soft top?
Thanks

Yea, I’d definitely do a mock up first. Have you considered 7071-T6 1/8” aluminum? I installed a sheet over wire mesh on my trailer floor. I sourced it from a scrap/recycle yard for 78 cents a lb. It is really light weight and easy to cut an bolt down.. I’d be careful of the foam wedges, the ragtop is a lot like a tent, anything touching might get you wet.

 

[RootedWanderers]

I had the same problem with my Premium twill top. I recently replaced the soft top with a hard top and problems solved. :)
I have a Garvin Expedition rack w/ the wind deflector. The only thing the wind deflector did was prevented it from whistling. I still had the buffetting.