Hard top hoist

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

I have seen some of you mention that you have rigged a hoist to remove and re-install your hard tops. I want to do the same. My neighbor is getting tired of me asking him for help. I was imagining a 4 place block&tackle setup attached to the rafters in the garage, Is that what works, Please advise. Thanks

 

[dmaddox]

I'd like to know the same thing.....that would be cool

 

[REZARF]

Building one as we speak. I am using a hand winch that I got from Grainger. It is good for overhead lifting 1,000 lbs, and it is reversable.

One Swivel Pulley (1,000 lb)

One fixed base pulley (1,000 lb)

Rope to "sling" the top to the hoist.

Mount the swivel pulley above the top, wrap the top in the rope sling. use the fixed pulley to mount the hoist where you want it.

YOu will need a few eye bolts and lag head bolts.

So my hand winch is mounted about chest high on my garage wall. The cable runs up the wall to the fixed pulley, then it heads directly over the top, passing though the swivel pulley. The cable then runs down to a bow shackle that connects the winch to the sling. 'Bout clear as mud isn't it.

I know everything is over built but it was cheap and I would like to over build when possible. plus block and tackle was hard to find locally for me, and grainger had everything in stock right down the street.

I will post some pics when it is done.

Rezarf <><

 

[stayalert]

Back you car into the garage. its easier that way.

 

[IDave]

I have built and used the setup Rezarf describes this summer. The only issue that came up is that the weld on the spool of the hand winch I got from Harbor Freight broke while I was winching . Fortunately, no damage. I was able to stabilize things and have back at it. Then, I rewelded the winch spool.

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

I look forward to seeing the pics. Also, Do you leave the top hanging there? I dont have an extra garage space to tie up all of the time. I was thinking that when it is off and after I drive out from under it, I could lower it down and carry it on my back pack-mule style around to the side of the house. I've packed it before. I think it weighs about 200 pounds or so. I just had a hard time finding one of my testicles that fell off in the process.

 

[stayalert]

I had no idea it weighed that much. I took mine off once by myself and sort walked backwards down a plank off the back while carrying the thing. Oh to be young and and have a 40 again

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

I am just making an educated guess on the weight. To quote Forrest Gump, "I'm not a smart man"
I do know it is pretty damned heavy.

 

[bandy rooster]

ask redrustbucket, jeremy...he hoists his up and it latches onto the roof of his garage but i don't think he does that anymore and his was pretty simple and straight forward...

 

[redrustbucket]

Yeah, mine's on the ceiling high enough to clear the garage door. Had a pic but can't find it. I made a 2x4 frame for the bottom and use straps and rope to hoist it. I tried a block and tackle but the door wouldn't clear. I'll try and take another pic. IDave's set up sounds sweet with the winch.

 

[Capt. Jim]

As Stayalert mentioned, back the vehicle into the garage. You won't have to lift it as high.

I had one with 3 pulleys. two single blocks and one double. One single block was centered above the two rear vent windows and one single block was centered at the approximate center of the front doors. The double block pulley was mounted on the ceiling against the wall, above the winch location. Ran a loop of rope through the rear vent windows and through the front door openings. Connect loops to two halyards (ropes) throught the ceiling mounted pulleys. Halyards were then ran to the double block against the wall and then down to the winch. Unbolt, winch up, and then drive away topless.

Got rid of my hardtop so it now holds my inflatable boat.

 

[IDave]

Here's my setup.

 

[Adventure Teq]

Good lord,

That "garage" is a beauty, you got all kinds a head room. I'd be bumpin my head on it in my garage. It's sitting in the yard right now, been plannin on hangin it in the garage corner sideways. I'll show ya later.

Nice work man. Now you just need to motorize it

 

[IDave]

Nice work man. Now you just need to motorize it

'Specially if my arm gets no better!

But actually, the hand winch is not hard at all.

The aft yellow rope/board is placed at the balance point front to rear.

Yeah, I made sure I had high ceilings in my barn/shop. I can just walk under that top, and if I pull up my truck the hood just clears it.

 

[Hossdog]

Is it just me, or does this seem ridiculous?? Just pull the thing apart and take it off by your self........OR maybe Im just too lazy to make such a gadget.....cuz Im too lazy to take it off myself? Which is worse??

 

[Sparky_Mark]

I doubled up the joists where the pulleys were. I drilled a clearance hole through the seam and use an eye bolt with a large washer at the top. I did not use a lag screw type fastener because it is a little less robust.

I also have a garage built with 10 ft studs (which makes the ceiling 10' 6" tall. I haven't considered what you'd have to do on an 8' ceiling, but there may be some differences. I used loops to wrap around the top from the rear corner of the front door to the outboard corner of the rear door. The loop size limits the height I can lift the top.

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

Please explain in more detail

Here's my setup.

From the looks of the picture, the yellow ropes are fixed to the ceiling and attached to the 2X6's. Are they only for long term storage? I can see the white rope block/tackle assembly but only see one rope. Do you sling and balance the whole top from one point when raising and lowering?

 

[IDave]

From the looks of the picture, the yellow ropes are fixed to the ceiling and attached to the 2X6's. Are they only for long term storage? I can see the white rope block/tackle assembly but only see one rope. Do you sling and balance the whole top from one point when raising and lowering?

That's exactly right! I have 2 one inch webbing straps wrapped around the fiberglas roof and liftup door. One is attached to the frontward 2x6 via eyebolts, the other wraps around the first and the liftup door. That allowed me to slide the hook on the rope/block/tackle to the balance point easily.

 

[Adventure Teq]

Is it just me, or does this seem ridiculous?? Just pull the thing apart and take it off by your self........OR maybe Im just too lazy to make such a gadget.....cuz Im too lazy to take it off myself? Which is worse??

Do you actually remove the sides from the top? Now that would be too much work, not to mention the sealing issues. It's how my buddy did it, good for storage, PITA to reassemble and seal.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I sold my hard top, problem solved. The Kayline top that replaced it is quiter and more air tight than the hard top was. And the ride/drive is much better with a soft top.

When I had the hard top I would "Turtle" it off. Remove the bolts get inside stand up and walk it off down a couple of steps I built out of scrap wood and cinder block. I'm to old for that kind of stuff now.