Hardtop storage solution (1 Viewer)

[pondjumpr]

I have a 78 model 40-series that I keep topless most of the time. I have owned a mini-warehouse facility for the past 10 years so when it was off, I had a place to store it away from home. A few months ago, we got a sales contract on the property so I had to go pick up the top. I put it back on for a few months during the winter but the family loves it being topless so I pulled it off a few weeks back. After sitting it in my garage for a few weeks, I tried to come up with a solution for storage in my standard size residential garage. Full disclosure, my ceiling is over 8' in the garage so that helps.
My neighbor told me he had a hoist that he had never used and I thought I would try it. I think it is rated for 200-250#. At first, I hooked the rubber coated hooks directly to the side of the top and thought I had found a quick, simple solution. After getting it up off the ground, I realized that the pulley mechanism was digging into the side of the top.... not good.
On to plan B. I decided to try a lift sling. HF had a 6' on sale for $10 so I bought one and this past weekend I tried it out. The 6' sling will likely only work of you have wing vent windows so if you don't, you may need a 8' or 10' lift sling. Tree saver may even work. I also bought some 2x4 lumber to span the ceiling joists to spread the weight and to make sure my eye bolts had good anchor points in the ceiling and wall.

As you can see in the pictures below, the 6' worked great and the cheap amazon pulley system worked great. I would pull the pulley rope until it started tilting forward, then would pull the large ratchet strap on the front of the top to level it out. I basically walked it up about a foot at a time until I ran out of rope and strap. The green strap under the front side of the top is simply a safety strap that while possibly overkill, makes me feel better about walking under it.

The headliner portion of the top is probably 8' off the garage floor and I have my 40 pulled under it. Because of the layout of the ambulance doors, I can still get to my workbench, hanging wall storage, toolboxes, etc. I am 6'5" so I couldn't walk under the side without ducking but I imagine they are almost 6' off the garage floor.

It may not be the best solution but if you have a standard garage, this may be a good, cheap solution for you.

Please excuse the mess in may garage. The other side of the garage is clean, I promise...

 

[pondjumpr]

The hoist is considered a kayak hoist. It is similar to the one pictured and actually is listed as 125# capacity. This is why I had the large 10,000# ratchet strap hooked up while I was using it. The pulley system had no issues hoisting it and I am sure the rope is more than enough to carry the capacity of the top, just keep in mind that caution should be used as the top is likely over capacity of the stated system. Amazon sells these for around $25 each.

 

[Flatlandr]

What about your window seals?

 

[C6H12O6]

I've got one of those kayak hoists holding up a kayak in the garage right now. Pretty solid, but the weak point is the attachment of those crappy hooks to the pulley. Room for improvement, for sure. I was eyeballing it for the hardtop when I was hanging the kayak. If you're concerned about the weight, that's where I'd look to beef it up. I yanked the crappy hooks and drilled the pulley out for a U-bolt. I just attached the plastic hooks on some nylon straps for my kid's kayak, but you could easily attach some beefier locking rings, heavier straps, whatever.

I'd also be concerned about deforming the window seal. I bet you could rig up some way to lift the top by the bottom lip without doing damage to the side. Great use of a cheap system. I'm right behind you on this, I just need to get my pontoon boat off the roof of the garage first.

 

[pondjumpr]

What about your window seals?

I am not sure what issues I will have with the window seals. I put the tension on the large ratchet strap and also the smaller strap once I had it up because I wasn't sure how much I trusted the hooks as mentioned in the post above. What is your concern with the seal? Flattening it out? I figure replacing the seal would still be cheaper than paying for off-site storage.

 

[Flatlandr]

I just question how long that rubber will remain available, and strap tension across the seal will at the least lead to compression memory at the top of the seal. Any abrasion in handling won't help. YMMV, suppose. the thread caught my eye since I'm in the process of building my own hoist system since the Racor hoist on Amazon didn't seem up to the job as its only rated 200#. I plan on stashing my amby doors up there, too and reports of the top alone weighing #250 had me nervous.

I'm familiar with these bike/kayak hoists, and find them [barely] adequate for my longtail cargo ebike (surly big dummy), and it's probably #50...

https://www.amazon.com/Racor-PHL-1R...ocphy=1027669&hvtargid=pla-273151882929&psc=1

I'll build mine from unistrut and a worm-gear winch mounted to the wall for peace of mind.

 

[zebrabeefj40]

I am not sure what issues I will have with the window seals. I put the tension on the large ratchet strap and also the smaller strap once I had it up because I wasn't sure how much I trusted the hooks as mentioned in the post above. What is your concern with the seal? Flattening it out? I figure replacing the seal would still be cheaper than paying for off-site storage.

You can easily slide the vent window seal off the metal of the hardtop side and then run the strap through the window opening...otherwise nice job!

Nick

 

[troy scott]

hard top storage dolly

 

[Varty Yo]

This ^^^^^^ Made one last summer and its fantastic

 

[bikersmurf]

I need a dolly and a hoist to make removal quick and painless.

Oh to be 18 again... I used to solo it on and off all the time.

Someone needs to come up with a clever solution to lifting tops off:
I don’t own a forklift, tractor, backhoe.
My garage ceiling seems too low to hoist it upwards (<8’)
My neighbors are cranky old fuddy duddies (to be polite).
I don’t own a crane (or have one at work).
I don’t have a way to bring my hardtop home if I removed it elsewhere.

So how to get it off safely... for me and the top?
Any clever hoist solutions?

Now that I’ve put it out there... I’m trying to come up with a clever solution.

Any ideas how high a stock hardtop needs to go up so that the 40 can be driven out from under it?
It would be worth deflating the tires if it’d get me enough.

Perhaps an ingenious design for a hoist that could attach to the side of the house. Or perhaps one that’ll attach to the rear bumper of my ambulance or a Class V receiver hitch.

The trailer hitch would be a winner... even better would be if it could connect to a receiver hitch on the 40, lift it up and lower it to a dolly.

 

[pondjumpr]

I would really like to know how much the top actually weighs. The reason I ask is that I have heard 250# but I can lift it and move it by myself on my back/shoulders. I would estimate mine to be more like 150# but I really don't know.
as for the dolly... That was one of my options. I was worried about stress on the top on the backside. I thought about putting a brace between where the ambulance doors normally go. Then I thought about having to move it around my garage and I have enough stuff to work around and didn't want or need one more thing. So, vertical overhead space was what I decided to utilize.
-
As for damage to the weather stripping seal..... Every time I take my top off I mess something up. First time it was my washer nozzle. The second time, the long posts dug into the bedside as I worked it past the roll bar. It's rare that a project like that goes smoothly in my garage. Rubber weather stripping is the least of my concerns.

 

[pondjumpr]

So how to get it off safely... for me and the top?
Any clever hoist solutions?


Any ideas how high a stock hardtop needs to go up so that the 40 can be driven out from under it?
It would be worth deflating the tires if it’d get me enough.

Perhaps an ingenious design for a hoist that could attach to the side of the house. Or perhaps one that’ll attach to the rear bumper of my ambulance or a Class V receiver hitch.

The trailer hitch would be a winner... even better would be if it could connect to a receiver hitch on the 40, lift it up and lower it to a dolly.

In my experience, once you get the posts that are just rearward of the door, clear of the tub, you can walk it back. So, 8-10" would be enough. I am just not sure how you would get the strap/hoist system connected before you got it that high.
I just get in the bed of mine after removing all the bolts and lift it up. I am honestly thinking of cutting down the posts/tubes to about 2". I do not know why they would need to be as long as they are. Other than help aligning the top, everything is held on by many, many bolts.

 

[melvinjo]

I use the same setup, but with a cheap, Harbor Frieght made for ATV winch

 

[retinadoc]

No personal knowledge here, but when I was looking at this topic I was somewhat afraid of trying one of my typical MacGyver solutions. Add properly spec'd hand winch or electric winch and you should be good to go.
Hoist-A-Top Crank Land Cruiser