Some folks don’t have a garage, or perhaps an extra space in their garage, to park their TJ. Some may have a concrete slab without any over head protection or perhaps they have just a carport. Whatever the situation, having a quality vehicle cover for your TJ is an in expensive way to ensure protection from the elements, including the harmful UV rays that are so plentiful here in sun rich Arizona.
If you find yourself in one of the above situations, consider one of several available Jeep TJ covers from Empire Covers. Empire Covers offers a wide selection of truck covers to fit your price range, starting as low as the cost of a single tank of gas. After looking over the specs of a half dozen available covers, I decided on “The Max” cover, one of several that offers maximum UV protection.
Shipping was fast and the FedEx delivery truck had a box at my door in short order. When Saturday morning rolled around, it was time to see how it fit. Speaking of fit, I’ll admit that I initially had some concerns while ordering my cover. The Empire Covers web site gave dimensions for the SUV cover and according to my tape measure, I was right at the edge of those numbers. Although my TJ is far from stock, it retains the stock body configuration. My concern was the 35″ spare tire holder at the rear and Troy’s bumper with winch at the front. I was pretty sure things would be OK but there was that lingering feeling. With that being said, it was time to get it on the TJ and see how it fit.
First step was to unpack the cover and give it a quick once over. No, it isn’t an un-inflated life raft. <grin> The cover was packed in a storage bag that was made from the same material. The storage bag was a pleasant surprise as I didn’t realize the cover came with one. Props to Empire Cover for that! Also included in the shipping box was a single page information/instruction sheet and a pair of small blue squares (more on the squares later).
The information sheet explains how to install the cover. Granted, this isn’t a rocket science kind of project, but it had a couple of good tips that could make things easier. What it didn’t take into consideration is the height of my TJ…..so, as is often the case, I had to improvise a bit….and that simply comes with owning a modified TJ. The info sheet also included care instructions for the cover (yes, it is washable) and how to manage various inclement weather conditions. All good stuff….take the time to read it.
While checking the cover, I paid particular attention to the stitching. I was glad to see that the seams were double stitched. This will go a long ways in keeping the cover from coming apart down the road. Did I mention “The Max” cover comes with a lifetime warranty? You can’t give that to your customers when the cover isn’t a quality product.
The cover uses a heavy duty elastic band around the bottom edge. It too was very well stitched. Overall, I’d have to say the quality assurance folks are doing a good job to ensure the covers leave the factory assembled very well.
One more item to mention…..about mid distance (front to back) on the cover, there are two well reinforced grommets. They are attached to multiple pieces of material which are well stitched to the lower edge of the cover. These grommet are located on both sides of the cover. They are intended to secure the cover to the vehicle during a high wind situation. It looks as though they are up to the job.
The instruction sheet mentioned radio antennas and what to do about them in regards to using the cover. If the antenna retracts into the body, do so before using the cover. In my case, the TJ’s antenna does not retract. To accommodate this, the antenna is removed for now prior to the first installation of the cover. When the cover is installed, the spot where the antenna will protrude through the cover is marked. A hole is made then made in the cover at that spot. The hole will be reinforced by applying the two self-adhesive squares (one on each side of the cover).
Jeep TJ Wrangler Vehicle Cover
OK….time to get the cover onto my TJ. As you can see, the front bumper is far from stock. As I said before, it was this and the rear tire carrier that could present a problem, if any. Enough talk….time to see how it is going to fit.
Contrary to the suggestion in the information sheet, I started by putting the front edge of the cover in place beneath my bumper. I did this simply because it was easier to do so as the hood is not as high as the top and so it is easier to work the cover up onto the vehicle.
The cover does not use pockets for the side mirrors. It is large enough to accommodate the mirrors. In a way, this is a good thing since if one were using mirror relocators, the new mirror position may not match up properly. This way, it is a guaranteed fit.
The cover completely covers the body and had no issues with my rocker guard sliders. If desired, the cover can be pulled down over the tires. I gave it a try and the cover extended down enough to cover about 1/2 of my tire. Of course, the lift height and tire size will determine just how much of the tire can be covered.
Here you go….you can see how far the cover will extend down to cover the tires. However, I really don’t think I’ll be using it to cover my tires. That was not my intended purpose for the cover.
A photo from the rear of the vehicle. My 12.5″x35″ spare tire is fully covered. In fact, you can just barely see my aluminum gas tank skid. The elastic hanging down can either be used to secure the rear edge of the cover to something on the vehicle or it be be removed.
So there you have it. A very well covered Jeep Wrangler TJ ready for the punishing Arizona sun and the occasional thunderstorm we get during the summer monsoon season. As I mentioned earlier, Empire Covers has a half dozen models available for the Wrangle body style. You can find a cover that will fit your budget. They even have one designed just to cover the windshield and windows. If you need a truck cover or SUV cover, they have them too. They got your truck, car, and auto covered, literally!