Hello. I was going to make a hardtop hoist in my garage for my 40 and thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas on how to do it or could share there experience in doing this, good or bad. Thanks for the help.
Homemade Hardtop Hoist (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Merman26
- Start date
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I used ratchet straps, not ideal but it allows me to take it on and off by myself. Not very quick system either.
upperblack
SILVER Star
Check this thread out
FJ40 Hardtop Lift Storage System
FJ40 Hardtop Lift Storage System
2fpower
SILVER Star
Racor PHL-1R Pro HeavyLift 4-by-4-Foot Cable-Lifted Storage Rack - Ceiling Mounted General Purpose Storage Racks - Amazon.com
$127 on amazon with free shipping.
Works great, but blocks my TV
$127 on amazon with free shipping.
Works great, but blocks my TV
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks all. That thing looks perfect and a pretty good price.
Here is what I made.
I went shopping at Home Depot and Harbor freight.
Home Depot list:
1. One piece of unistrut (10 or 12 Ft)
2. Hardware to bolt unistut together
3. (3) 3" x 1/2' eyebolts (the shorter the better....so the top will be closer to the ceiling.)
4. (3) 24" x 1/2" all thread bolts ( to make big sturdy hooks to lift top)
Harbor Freight
1. Worm drive boat winch
2. (2) small sheaves/pulleys (to guide the cable through. Make sure they can handle the weight you are lifting.)
Cut and make the Unistrut into a Tee shape.
Bend 1/2 all thread bolts and pad for hangers and insert into unistrut.
Mount eye bolt on unistrut and slide it back and forth to find balance point after top is removed.
Mount sheave/pulley on ceiling.
Mount sheave/pulley on wall at ceiling.
Mount worm gear boat winch on wall.
I went shopping at Home Depot and Harbor freight.
Home Depot list:
1. One piece of unistrut (10 or 12 Ft)
2. Hardware to bolt unistut together
3. (3) 3" x 1/2' eyebolts (the shorter the better....so the top will be closer to the ceiling.)
4. (3) 24" x 1/2" all thread bolts ( to make big sturdy hooks to lift top)
Harbor Freight
1. Worm drive boat winch
2. (2) small sheaves/pulleys (to guide the cable through. Make sure they can handle the weight you are lifting.)
Cut and make the Unistrut into a Tee shape.
Bend 1/2 all thread bolts and pad for hangers and insert into unistrut.
Mount eye bolt on unistrut and slide it back and forth to find balance point after top is removed.
Mount sheave/pulley on ceiling.
Mount sheave/pulley on wall at ceiling.
Mount worm gear boat winch on wall.
Im going to say less than 300#.
I use a harbor freight atv winch that cost me $40 to lift it off my truck.
I mounted the the 1/2"eye bolts using (2) 1/2" nut and (2) 1/2" fender washers and sandwiched the two boards. I mounted the boards using 3" deck screws, screwed across 3 ceiling joists.
I did not use a lag eye bolt because I do not believe it will hold over time.
I did not use a lag eye bolt because I do not believe it will hold over time.
ATV winch sounds like a great idea, especially the price.
I like my worm gear boat winch. It is slow and holds the load, even when I let go of the handle. But yes it is a manual operation as oppose to pushing a button. May be when Ill get a little older Ill up grade to electric winch.
I like my worm gear boat winch. It is slow and holds the load, even when I let go of the handle. But yes it is a manual operation as oppose to pushing a button. May be when Ill get a little older Ill up grade to electric winch.
Racor PHL-1R Pro HeavyLift 4-by-4-Foot Cable-Lifted Storage Rack
Ditch the cables as it is hard to keep it tight on the rotating spindle. Changed to high strength 3/8 rope like spectra or dyneem and tie on utilty hooks from home depot/lowes. Works well, one man job on and off.
Ditch the cables as it is hard to keep it tight on the rotating spindle. Changed to high strength 3/8 rope like spectra or dyneem and tie on utilty hooks from home depot/lowes. Works well, one man job on and off.
corleykj
Jack of some, definately master of none.
I love these ideas. I have heard of hard tops bending when lifting with hooks or small straps or rope. I would like to come up with a system for outside since we use our small garage so much in the summer. But I probably won't get to building it this year.
Here is what I did last summer and it worked well. 2x4's for rigidity and spreading the weight of the ratchet strap hooks. It allowed me to raise it off myself. If I could just come up with a way to protect the hard top from getting scratched from roll bar bolts.
Here is what I did last summer and it worked well. 2x4's for rigidity and spreading the weight of the ratchet strap hooks. It allowed me to raise it off myself. If I could just come up with a way to protect the hard top from getting scratched from roll bar bolts.
1911
chupacabra
Now that is a good idea, I'm going to have to do that. My wire cables don't wind on evenly and the top ends up not level when dropping it back on.
JDNs78FJ40
SILVER Star
I know this is an old thread but curious how this homemade system is holding up? The Racor system is currently pushing $700 and that is ridiculous. I bought the 440# rated electric hoist from HF and mounted it in the attic. I cut a hole in the drywall and fed the double cable through. How did you bolt the unistrut together at the "T". To me that seems like the only weak point in this system. Thanks for any feedback you can provide.
This is the third time I have mounted my hoist system since I first built it. I keep taking it with me everytime I move.
The only problem I having is that my current
I need to try and flush mount my rigging on the ceiling so that gain a few precious inches. A smaller block from the ceiling would help.
Here it is as of this afternoon.
fjc-man
SILVER Star
Is there attic space above that ceiling? If so, mount your rigging up above the drywall.
1911
chupacabra
An ingenious solution! Thanks for the details and building list.
I may have to make one like it; due to a variety of circumstances, I left my Racor hoist in my last shop. It wouldn't mount well in my current shop or garage anyway.
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JDNs78FJ40
SILVER Star
I copied this design. Only difference was I used 3 rubbermaid fasttrack storage hooks instead of the threaded bolts and I installed a 450# HF electric hoist in my attic which made it pretty slick! Like @oldschool4wheeling mentioned you just need to find the balancing point where the hoist connects to the unistrut "T".
