DIY Hardtop hoist ideas - brainstorming

[jhonn236_AZ]

wow - went through 11 pages and there's plenty of good options. Also longest lunch hour ever, lol.

Following! interested to see those topsy brackets in action. Post pics please!

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[Sgt Beavis]

@bbuck7777 j

Adjusting the travel for the garage door opener did the trick. Once I found the manual I was able to get it done in just a couple minutes. Now I can safely raise the hard top a few more inches.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

I got my Topsy brackets in yesterday. I reinstalled my hardtop and installed the brackets. The install is relatively simple but the rear glass hinges are spring loaded. After loosening the bolts for a hinge, you'll need to press on the center of the lower half of the hinge. This opens up a gap between the hinge and the washer you want to put the bracket under. It took a little work but I was able to get it installed. It looks pretty nice IMO.

 

[jhonn236_AZ]

I got my Topsy brackets in yesterday. I reinstalled my hardtop and installed the brackets. The install is relatively simple but the rear glass hinges are spring loaded. After loosening the bolts for a hinge, you'll need to press on the center of the lower half of the hinge. This opens up a gap between the hinge and the washer you want to put the bracket under. It took a little work but I was able to get it installed. It looks pretty nice IMO.

awesome!

is this a tight fit? Does the hard top look in stress or not at all?

 

[bbuck7777]

I got my Topsy brackets in yesterday. I reinstalled my hardtop and installed the brackets. The install is relatively simple but the rear glass hinges are spring loaded. After loosening the bolts for a hinge, you'll need to press on the center of the lower half of the hinge. This opens up a gap between the hinge and the washer you want to put the bracket under. It took a little work but I was able to get it installed. It looks pretty nice IMO.

Look nice!

Maybe it is an optical illlusion, but is the rear glass have a bow in it? If I look at the bottom of the garage door reflection I was thinking is should be flat. Yet it is not. Is the bottom of the door flat? ?

 

[Sgt Beavis]

awesome!

is this a tight fit? Does the hard top look in stress or not at all?

I haven't lifted the top off with these brackets yet. However, as you can see in previous pages, I have lifted my top by the hinges using a cargo strap. This doesn't appear to put any stress on the top. Topsy made these brackets before on the JK and I couldn't find any complaints about them. I'm not planning to pull it back off until my JTop comes in. Also, I've ordered some short straps and carabiners to use on these brackets.

Look nice!

Maybe it is an optical illlusion, but is the rear glass have a bow in it? If I look at the bottom of the garage door reflection I was thinking is should be flat. Yet it is not. Is the bottom of the door flat? ?

I see what you mean and there is a distortion in the reflection there. The glass itself does have a curve to it. I went down and looked at it again and it doesn't look like it's being stressed anywhere. The brackets don't seem to alter the glass. I compared it to my wife's JLU, which has no brackets, and they look identical.

 

[jrohan07]

In 2007 when I got my JKU, Harken Hoist was only $80, now $145. Some boards and bolts, pool noodles, and a cheap boat trailer crank works very well and you can adjust the straps so you can raise the top almost all the way to the garage ceiling. Moved twice and each time was able to remove and reinstall in my new garage.

Before install, pull in your Jeep and mark your back tires and front tires with your color choice paint on the garage floor and check your garage door fully opened so your top lifted up will not hit the garage door.

Now so easy to back Jeep in and park in your marks. Remove Freedom Panels, put in storage bag from Jeep, use cordless screw driver undo HT bolts, connect straps with pool noodles and crank away. The Harken hoist has a brake system and is very easy to raise and lower the HT without the hand crank but be sure to put an extra eye bolt in the wall to wrap the excess rope when the HT is raised for double security.

If you ever want to paint or Plasti dip, or install Mopar headliners, the Hoist makes it really convenient.

 

[JeepJets]

All done. Fit is great. Got the steel 1/4" cable cam drivers from Topsy as well for added insurance from the Racor plastic ones. I also added stainless steel pulleys to replace the plastic ones. Better safe then sorry.
That red on the Topsy braclet ie SUPER SHARP. Identical match to the other red accents. Overall very easy installation instructions from Topsy. If your doing the Racor lift these Topsy brackets are a must!!!!

 

[Blu bi Kong]

This weeks project. My primitive sketch certainly illustrates the point

 

[Brandonjjon]

Not sure if this has been posted here before, but I'm considering doing something like this: http://www.gregwessels.com/2015/06/01/jeep-lift.html

 

[JeepJets]

Not sure if this has been posted here before, but I'm considering doing something like this: http://www.gregwessels.com/2015/06/01/jeep-lift.html

Interesting.
What's your plan for the freedom tops? My garage space is really tight so the Racor lift came in handy.

 

[JJW_ND]

Here is my Lange hoist setup. Modified with conduit and pipe insulation. Works great. I do it myself with no help. I expect it to work with no mods with the new JLUR I get.

I have my Bikini soft-top on now with all the hardtop stuff stored.

JJW
ND

 

[pittperson]

Here's a quick time lapse of my $30 hardtop removal process.

 

[brow]

Here's a quick time lapse of my $30 hardtop removal process.

Cool video! How are you securing your rear corners? Any pics from behind? I'm doing the ratchet strap method too, works fine. I ended up building a "table" on wheels for roof to sit on, freedom tops and doors store below when needed. I can move the whole setup around the garage so it is out of the way, I didn't have enough room above to keep top up there.

 

[brow]

Here's a quick time lapse of my $30 hardtop removal process.

Cool video! How are you securing your rear corners? Any pics from behind? I'm doing the ratchet strap method too, works fine. I ended up building a "table" on wheels for roof to sit on, freedom tops and doors store below when needed. I can move the whole setup around the garage so it is out of the way, I didn't have enough room above to keep top up there.

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