Rough Country RC85020.35 vs Smittybilt 9970235: TJ replacement soft top

Published 10 September 2026

At a glance

	Rough Country RC85020.35	Smittybilt 9970235
Years	1997-2006 TJ	1997-2006 TJ
Doors	Full steel doors only	No door restriction stated; upper door skins included
TJ Unlimited (LJ)	Does not fit	Does not fit
What it replaces	Fabric skin, 2 quarter windows, rear window	Fabric skin, 2 quarter windows, rear window, 2 upper door skins
Fabric	23 oz vinyl coated polyester cotton, Black Denim	Marine grade vinyl coated, Black Diamond, weight not published
Windows	30 mil, 31% tint, DOT approved	Tinted, DOT approved, thickness not published
Stated install	About 2 hours (retailer); 1-2 hours (RC listing)	About 3 hours (retailer)
Warranty	3-year limited	1-year limited (soft goods)
Price	$249.95 MAP as of September 2026	$349.99 on smittybilt.com, September 2026, limited stock

What each part is, and the problem it solves

Both are a replacement skin. That means new fabric and new windows that mount on the factory frame already on your TJ. The frame outlives the fabric, so a skin is the cheap way back to a sealed top.

Rough Country's RC85020.35 is its full-steel-door TJ top in Black Denim. Smittybilt's 9970235 is its OEM Replacement Soft Top in Black Diamond with tinted windows. Smittybilt also adds two upper door skins, the fabric covers for soft upper door frames.

Both tops replace the dark parts only. The orange factory hardware stays, and both makers require it. · Original diagram

Red Jeep Wrangler TJ from the rear quarter wearing the Rough Country RC85020.35 black soft top with tinted windows — RC85020.35 fitted to a TJ with full steel doors. The rear and quarter windows carry a 31% tint. · Photo: Rough Country

Fitment, side by side

Both cover 1997 through 2006 and both exclude the LJ. The door type is where they part. Rough Country states full steel doors only. Smittybilt states no door restriction and ships door skins.

Rough Country RC85020.35

Item	Rough Country says
Years	1997-2006
Body	TJ 2-door. "Does NOT fit Unlimited models."
Doors	"Does NOT fit half steel door models." Half doors need RC85350.35
Trims in RC's fitment data	SE and Sport 1997-2006, Sahara 1997-2004, X 2002-2006, Rubicon 2003-2006, 65th Anniversary 2006
Hardware	"Requires factory original hardware"
1997 note	Pull the plastic extruded slot off the door surround first
Will not fit	LJ Unlimited, half steel doors, non-factory frames

Smittybilt 9970235

Item	Smittybilt says
Years	1997-2006 (maker page and SEMA data)
Body	TJ. "Does not fit 04-06 LJ Wrangler Unlimited models"
Doors	No door-type restriction published. Upper door skins included
Hardware	"You must have the factory bow assembly, door surrounds"
Will not fit	LJ Unlimited; "other aftermarket bow assemblies unless they are OE versions"

Smittybilt's SEMA data also lists a no-door-skin version, 9971235. We could not find it on smittybilt.com, so we compare the part the maker actually lists. The TJ doors guide explains the door types if you are unsure which you have.

One Rough Country data gap is worth a call. Its fitment rows list the Sahara only through 2004, though its notes exclude only Unlimited and half-door models.

Specs and construction

	RC85020.35	Smittybilt 9970235
Fabric	23 oz vinyl coated polyester cotton, UV and mildew resistant	Marine grade vinyl coated fabric, resists fading and stretching
Thread and seams	135 gauge bonded polyester, double stitched, heat-tape sealed	Heat sealed seams, wick stop threads seal stitch holes
Window thickness	30 mil	Not published
Window tint	31%	Tinted, percentage not published
Zippers	Not described	Self-correcting
Color	Black Denim (RC85020.70 is Spice)	Black Diamond
Weight	16 lb	24 lb (package, SEMA data)
Box size	32 x 10 x 10 in	33 x 11 x 10 in
Country of origin	Mexico	China

Rough Country publishes the harder numbers. It lists a 23 oz fabric, 135 gauge thread and 30 mil windows at 31% tint. Smittybilt describes its materials well but puts no number on them.

Smittybilt's two stated extras are wick stop threads, which seal the stitch holes, and self-correcting zippers. Both target the places old tops leak and fail. The package weight of 24 lb includes the door skins, so it is not a like-for-like weight comparison.

What's in the box

Item	RC85020.35	Smittybilt 9970235
Fabric top	1	1
Quarter windows	2	2
Rear window	1	1
Upper door skins	None	2
Hardware	None, factory parts reused	None, factory parts reused
Tools listed	Safety glasses, Phillips screwdriver	None listed

Install compared

Both installs follow the factory method. Take the old skin off the header and keep the screws. Screw the new skin on, raise the bows and snap it to the rear bow. Then seat the channels and move the tailgate bar onto the new rear window.

Temperature. Rough Country says warm the fabric above 75 F. Smittybilt says above 70 degrees.
Steps. Rough Country's sheet runs 24 steps. Smittybilt's runs 16, including three optional door skin steps.
Door skins. Smittybilt warns that removing an old door skin "may involve cutting it off." This step only applies if you use them.
Time. Neither maker's sheet states a time. ExtremeTerrain lists about 2 hours for the Rough Country and about 3 hours for the Smittybilt.
Video. Rough Country has a 13:23 TJ install video. We found no Smittybilt video.

What it changes on the Jeep, and parts you may need

Nothing mechanical changes. You get no geometry, driveline or steering effect, only a fresh top on the same frame.

Smittybilt is blunt about the frame. The top "will not work with other aftermarket bow assemblies unless they are OE versions." Rough Country likewise requires factory original hardware. Weighing fabric against a hard top? Read soft top vs hard top first.

Warranty and support

This is the biggest gap between the two. Smittybilt's warranty page gives soft goods a 1-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. Rough Country gives a 3-year limited warranty.

Smittybilt's install sheet adds the fine print. The warranty is for the original buyer only and needs proof of purchase. It excludes damage from improper installation, trail hazards and "improper or inadequate cleaning and/or maintenance." Defective parts go back "at customer's expense."

Rough Country's warranty page blocked every fetch we tried, so we could not read its exclusions. One retailer lists 3 years for the Smittybilt. The maker says 1, and we use the maker's number.

Owner reports

We could not retrieve TJ forum or Reddit threads for either top. These are retailer ratings, which are owner reports, not specs.

Smittybilt (owner ratings): 4.7 of 5 from 195 reviews on ExtremeTerrain, with 21 customer answers.
Rough Country (owner ratings): 4.4 of 5 from 103 reviews on ExtremeTerrain.

The Smittybilt has the bigger and better-rated review base. Review text for both was not accessible to us, so we cannot say what drives either score.

Who should buy which

Full steel doors, any budget: Rough Country. It costs less, the warranty is three times longer, and the door skins would go unused.
Half doors with worn fabric uppers: Smittybilt. One box refreshes the top and the upper doors, and the Rough Country full-door top does not fit half doors.
Buyer who trusts crowd ratings: Smittybilt has the stronger retailer score, 4.7 from 195 reviews.
LJ Unlimited: neither.

FAQ

Why does the Smittybilt top come with door skins?

Smittybilt ships two upper door skins with 9970235, and its install sheet treats fitting them as optional. They slip over the frames of fabric upper doors. A TJ with full steel doors has no use for them.

Is Smittybilt's soft top warranty one year or three?

Smittybilt's own warranty page gives soft goods a 1-year limited warranty, and its SEMA data says the same. One retailer lists 3 years. We go with the maker.

Is the Smittybilt 9970235 still available?

Smittybilt listed it at $349.99 on 10 September 2026 with a limited-stock note. It asks buyers to call 888-717-5797 to check availability.

Will either top fit the LJ Unlimited?

No. Rough Country says RC85020.35 does not fit Unlimited models, and Smittybilt says 9970235 does not fit the 04-06 LJ.