DIY Hardtop hoist ideas - brainstorming

[Twistedfab]

Just bought the Racor lift on Amazon for $225: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product...2f5-9ae91aab54f2&pf_rd_r=CZ4DW3MWD7A8ZTH0SPKZ

When I looked a few days ago the cheapest one was $499.

They fluctuate like crazy. I got mine for $240 last week.

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[BrntWS6]

Looks like the prices are back to reasonable but fuck this company. I decided to build my own electric hoist in spite of their inflated prices.

 

[Mjmi69]

Yes 4 door unpainted if that matters. While it was on the ground I crawled underneath it, lifted up with my back and crawled my way on my knees onto a scale I put underneath it. It was very awkward but I needed to know the weight for my garage hoist I'm building.

Lol

 

[desert runner]

Here is how I hoist my hardtop in a one-man operation.
I use the 250lb Heavy Lift storage platform from Home Depot ($190).

1. Remove all bolts holding down the top
2. Insert wooden platforms under the sides of the hardtop

3) Attach hooks

4) Hoist up

5) Summer has officially started

 

[BrntWS6]

This is what i ended up with, total cost about $150 with an electric hoist.

 

[srt20]

@RAZA I put the pool noodles on for my personal satisfaction. The support rods come with rubber covers to prevent dings etc.
All the yellow is a rubberized paint.
I don't have a concrete pad or a garage. So, as long as I am careful and mindful of positioning, and balance, it works really well. Takes me about 20-30 minutes to do it myself, from start with unbolting the top, removing doors and then pulling top off.

Thanks for the pics. It made up my mind for me. Freedom jack for me.

 

[fatnbald1]

Has anyone installed a joist system on engineered beams/trusses? A ceiling hoist is clearly the most logical but I'm concerned as my entire garage has engineered trusses and I'm not comfortable drilling into them to hang and store the hardtop. The ceiling is drywalled as well. Thoughts?

 

[Shots]

If you look at mine, you'll notice the hoist is recessed into the ceiling. I didn't drill into my trusses. I cut a hole in the drywall (obviously non-structural) large enough to put the hoist in. Someone also mounted one above the ceiling panels and made a hole small enough that just the cable fits through.
Anyway, with the hole cut, I mounted the hoist to a metal bar (two actually but a single larger beam/bar will also work). The beam spans the trusses, and sits on top of rafters. I used a small metal strap to secure the bar and keep it from moving, even though I doubt it would/could. I secured the strap with a single #8 wood screw, but you could also wrap the strap around the rafter and use a bolt through the strap to its self, if you don't want any holes at all in the wood.
Long story short. Yes you can mount an electric host with no holes in your trusses. I'm sure with a little effort you could come up with a similar configuration for the Recor style hoist. Hope that helped.

 

[SuperNerdEE]

Here is what I did, man. Worked awesome for 3 years until I sold the JK.

ATV winch, DIY Cables with eyes, and some pulley's. Winch controller runs off a 12 volt battery, which I just used my jump box. I mounted it at the exact distance from the garage door to park the JK under it and it takes up no more room than if I just parked the JK in the garage with the top on. Then If I need it out of the way, I could lower the winch onto my cart and wheel it around. Total to do this was under $110 bucks. No issues with rafters and bolts pulling through. Nothing like that.

It also served many other purposes! It held as much as 400 pounds with zero problems. Included a few pics of working on bikes for reference.

Saw your post and this is really similar to what I want to build. Question: does having the hardtop hanging on straps across the rear window seal cause any problems with the seal? My concern is the seal deforming where the straps press/dig into it.

 

[chevymitchell]

Saw your post and this is really similar to what I want to build. Question: does having the hardtop hanging on straps across the rear window seal cause any problems with the seal? My concern is the seal deforming where the straps press/dig into it.

I haven’t run into any issues with the seal. The seal pushes back a little bit and then the top itself takes all the weight. My top is actually hanging down in the garage now. No issues that I’ve seen.

 

[californiajeeping]

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...ardtop-storage-and-removal-works-great.29016/

 

[Jammer]

This is what I am going to build when my JL arrives. Very simple. I would not worry too much about your trusses As long as you span 2 trusses with the 2x4 cross members you should be fine. I don't think the hard top weights that much.

very nice you use the lift even when the top is on the jeep also

 

[Jammer]

You could still go with option 3. However when using the straps just hook 2 of them together in the middle of the top so it is only the straps that are touching the painted areas versus the plastic lined hooks. I still have my 4 straps hanging from my rafters that I used for my jk top, my '96 bronco top and will also use for my JL top.
EDIT: I found the video I used for ideas when looking at doing my own.

I have seen this one before / these girls did a good job. I was just wondering I guess are they are really deaf I love the sign language they ere using

 

[Jammer]

Do any of you know if the same hoist I used on my JKU (picture attached) can be used on the JL? I assume it can, but I haven't read much on the differences in weight of the two Jeep-tops.
Thanks!

I looked at this one on Amazon and several reviews said it fell on the ground

 

[Jammer]

Here's what it looks like with the Racor lift .

How did you get a white hard top ?

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