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J.Strong Industries EK206 Top Review - Polaris RZR
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J.Strong Industries EK206 Top Review
Upon commencement of the RZR project we immediately wanted some overhead protection from the elements. We looked at several tops for the Polaris RZR, most of which were similar in design. In our searches we found a top from J.Strong Industries that was extraordinarily nice and really was in a class of it’s own.
The Polaris RZR top from J.Strongindustries.com is a very innovative piece of equipment available for your Polaris RZR SxS. The J.Strong roof features twin sheet thermoformed construction which allows the integration of an AM / FM CD stereo, four speakers a dome light and a switch panel to allow you to control a multitude of lights and other accessories.
Here are some specifications on the J.Strong Industries EK206 Top.
Removable
Easily mounted
Black powder coated light bar
Lights are triple chrome 100 watt super white bulbs
Lights are installed on the bar and ready to plug in to the wiring harness.
An extra auxiliary hook-up.
Twin Sheet thermoformed construction
Made of HMWPE polyethylene with UV protection
Top comes with stereo system and speakers installed.
Marine cover protection
Marine grade speakers
While this top is packed with many features we felt the price was out of our budget and began looking for some alternatives to provide the same or at least similar creature comforts.
While there are a multitude of setups on the market we kept falling back to the conveniences and aesthetics the J.Strong top provided to the user. But after we factored what we wanted to ultimately accomplish we were beyond our budget and were afraid that we would be dissatisfied with the final outcome.
With some skill in metal fabrication we decided to design and build our own top with the J.Strong design as a similar template. However, after pricing all of the components and raw material to produce anything close to the same as the J.Strong top we were still above our intended budget and over the cost of the J.Strong top. No matter which way we sliced it, the RZR top from J.Strong Industries was the best value.
First Inspection
When the J.Strong roof arrived, I couldn’t wait to open the package. J.Strong went to extraordinary lengths to ensure that no damage would occur to the new RZR roof during transport.
The top seemed very well made, all corners were smooth, and free of any blemishes or defects in workmanship. It appeared heavy duty, but not heavy. We set the top flat on the ground to determine how rigid it was; pleased that under the weight of 180 lb. person the J.Strong top held it’s form without collapse.
We cross checked the inventory list to ensure that all the mounting hardware was included; satisfied we began to get started with our installation.
Installation
The color illustrated instructions J.Strong provided with the roof, left no room for guessing. The J.Strong stop is also contoured to slip over the RZR cage and indexes with the cross bars of the cage. This ensures a low roof profile and more importantly prevents it from shifting around while riding.
The top installs extremely easy with the use of 4 provided bolts and backing plates which allows installation to be accomplished with only one person. We were also very happy that we did not have to permanently modify the RZR roll cage in order for the J.Strong roof to work. J.Strong provides all of the hardware necessary for the installation. We were also happy that J.Strong went the extra step to provide Ny-Lock style nuts for the fasteners. This ensures that the top will not loosen up during your riding.
Once the rooftop is installed, you need to run the wires to your RZR’s power source in order for the radio and lights (if equipped with the light bar model) to work. We tied the wiring into a master switch in which we installed into the center console / shift area of the RZR. This switch gave us master control over all of the J.Strong tops electronic accessories.
That’s pretty much the installation. The main top install time took less than 5 minutes while the electrical takes around 30 minutes and most likely no longer than an hour for a novice with limited experience in basic electronics.
First Test
With the J. Strong Industries roof top installed we hit the trail to determine how well it performed. This is something that I love about the top; turn on the radio, and just ride. For some reason there is something great about the ability to listen to your favorite music while you are losing yourself on the trail. The marine AM/FM/CD player does a very good job at driving the 4 perfectly placed speakers at a level that is easy to hear at nearly all trail speeds while wearing a full faced helmet. The head unit also comes with a weatherproof housing to protect it from dust and water.
With the position of the stereo, you are conveniently in touch with all controls to be able to increase or decrease the volume quickly and safely. This is very important as many systems require you to avert your attention.
The other great things about the J.Strong Industries roof top are the auxiliary switches. This was really our other reason for selecting J.Strong Industries for our project. We wanted to be able to control all our auxiliary lighting from one panel without having to permanently modify the dash of our RZR. The J.Strong has 5 auxiliary switches that can be wired into a variety of different items that need to be switched with 12 VDC power. Additionally the switches are lit to indicate what auxiliary equipment is on or off at a quick glance.
J.Strong also went one step of the way to integrate 2 super bright LED dome lights into the top. This was a great feature and certainly beats trying to read a map with a flashlight in the middle of the night while on the trail.
We had absolutely no problems with the fit or function of the J.Strong top during our ride testing. Nothing shifted, and everything performed above and beyond our expectations in this department.
The rear and side designs of the roof top provides ample overhang to prevent the weather from entering into your cab area. This was a major complaint of the Pure Polaris sport roof which really only provided some shade from the sun and offered limited protection from Mother Natures elements.
Check out the video...
The J.Strong roof top certainly adds a new level of riding enjoyment with the Polaris RZR. This new “Convenience Package” takes off road riding to a whole new level of comfort and protection. When we originally looked at this top, we felt it was out of our budget, however after using it for some time, we are happy to report that we’ll not hesitate on purchasing one of these tops for our next side by side UTV.
When you consider the cost of the J.Strong roof top, the costs of AM/FM CD player, wiring, speakers, and the switches you find that the roof top nears very closely to one you could build of similar design and function.
Our ability to be able to control all of our lighting, and the ample protection from the elements are clear exhibits that J.Strong Industries put a lot of thought into this system to help riders drive their SxS UTV’s longer and safer. We have to give J.Strong RZR top a 10 out of 10 for quality, and innovation.
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