Freedom from the High Cost of Removing Your Hardtop

[RussJeep1]

Some background. I'm semi-retired. Like you, I spent a lot of hard earned money on my JL, love it, and even with my eyes wide open, knew that, like you, on top of the purchase expense, there'd be a plethora of gear I'd want to get for it post purchase.

Integral to the DNA of any Wrangler, perhaps more than any one single element, lies in its ability to ride with degrees of open air. Whether that's simply a mindset one has in February, waiting for the end of winter, or the feeling of warm air as you (and the dog) cruise down some beach highway in summer, with all or parts of your Wrangler removed, there's a degree of freedom doing this that no pill can provide, that I know many of you "get"--as you also love this rig.

But dangit, hard top removal can be a pain: in the back and the wallet. Oh sure, there's great gear out there to take the top off solo, be it a Top Lift Pro or Hoist-a-Cart, (both which cost more than I paid for my first car) and with "1000 tries" you too can align your rig just below the hoist in your garage, that is, if you have a garage to pull the top off.

But there has to be a better way, a cheaper way, a portable way, a way that involves no holes or changes to your rig, a way that's safe, that won't let you tip even if you wanted to.

There is.

Did you ever run across a product and ask, why doesn't everyone in this position use this? I did.

https://www.freedom-jack.com/

But it wasn't yet available for the JL. But that's changing, real soon. Prototypes are being tested as we speak.

The, made in the U.S. Freedom Jack cost, including the shop crane you'll need for it, is a fraction of the cost of competing products. A shop crane you gasp....yes a shop crane. Buy a "1 ton" on ebay, or Northern Tool, or one of a zillion (oops, it's now a zillion and one) Harbor Freight stores https://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?dir=asc&order=EAScore,f,EAFeatured+Weight,f,Sale+Rank,f&q=1+ton+shop+crane

or an enormous number of other retail and online vendors.

I'll bet you can put 4 of these cranes and a Freedom Jack together before one of its competitor's products. Here's a young adult operating one for the JK:



Other videos show her putting it together.

Wanna take off the doors and store them? Reasonably priced, made in the U.S. accessories to the Freedom Jack will do that. Want to efficiently store the hard top in the garage, the Freedom Jack design will let you do that. Wanna use the crane for other things, go right ahead: but if you never do, it stills pays for itself in hard top removal that's a fraction of the cost of the competition.

You've already financed your rig. Do you want to also finance the appliance to take its hard top off?

I didn't think so.

This is not an ad. I don't make a penny here. I'm just a product fan.

Who's interested? Thoughts, ideas, suggestions?

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[jeepfreak]

Still kinda pricey. I bought a 600lb winch and 2 pulleys on amazon for under $50. Of course I have a garage, so that helps.

 

[RussJeep1]

Still kinda pricey. I bought a 600lb winch and 2 pulleys on amazon for under $50. Of course I have a garage, so that helps.

Compared to your self made hoist Joshua, agreed....but how's about compared to the garage-less or portable removal device competition, especially if you have other uses for a shop crane?

 

[jeepfreak]

Yep. Definitely cheaper than those. I can't wait to actually get the Jeep so I can take the top off.

 

[RussJeep1]

Joshua, I've heard--and I personally don't believe it, that hoisting from above has issues with stressing the back glass. Personally, if the possibility even exists I suspect it may have to do with the shape of the hoisting device, and means of attachment, (and locations) of such an appliance. Still more, some hoists raise a platform upon which the hardtop sits, eliminating the possibility of such unlikely glass problems even happening.

I'm the exception, but I have relatively frequently used drop down attic stairs in the ceiling of my garage where I'd want such a hoist and stored hard top to be, making it, albeit unique for me, a cumbersome solution.

 

[RussJeep1]

"Yeah...but how's about the Scrambler.....?"

You buy one, you desire hard top removable product for it, I'm pretty sure it can be done.

Hoist-a-Cart, Top Lift Pro.........????

 

[liquids]

I give my neighbor a couple beers to help me lift it off and put it aside for the season Cost: $4 (microbrews).

 

[RussJeep1]

That's a better deal Bill! Unfortunately, my willing neighbors in kind also wear (or should wear) those tee shirts that say, "Instant Idiot: Add Beer," if you catch my drift.

 

[JIMBOX]

I bought a RACOR garage hoist-9 years ago and I've used it for my jeep HARDTOP/storage/various assemblies-ever since-

Hard to beat for $100 bucks--no balance/lean/juggle problems--

Whatever

JIMBO

 

[WXman]

Neat idea. I like it.

Unfortunately, a lot of the reason for a ceiling hoist in the garage is because it still allows the Jeep to be parked in the garage. This method would take up a lot of space which would force the Jeep to stay in the driveway. Not cool.

However, I give props to anyone trying to solve this issue. I agree, it is an issue. My plan is to buy a soft top as soon as I'm financially able to swing the purchase. The new soft tops are SWEET.

 

[Shwaman]

Hello,


This looks interesting, how sturdy is it? I park in a condo parking garage, but it is above ground, and although it is covered, my spot is at a wall that is open air to the outside, so it will be exposed to wind that comes in, and it is on a lakefront, so there is quite often some good wind. Would this be sturdy enough to hold the roof in place if it becomes windy while I am out driving?


I know you mention it won't tip, but what about with some wind?


Thanks

 

[Texcal]

That's nice when you have a place to store it, like a garage. I'd like to see something more compact, lightweight and collapsible. I'll just have to ask a buddy to help for now.

 

[RussJeep1]

Neat idea. I like it.

Unfortunately, a lot of the reason for a ceiling hoist in the garage is because it still allows the Jeep to be parked in the garage. This method would take up a lot of space which would force the Jeep to stay in the driveway. Not cool.

However, I give props to anyone trying to solve this issue. I agree, it is an issue. My plan is to buy a soft top as soon as I'm financially able to swing the purchase. The new soft tops are SWEET.

WXman, if I may say, the setup is designed to keep the hard top on the crane during storage if you want, in the air, and in the reverse direction that the Wrangler is parked (face first in the garage.) The maker sells a device to keep the crane lifted by its shaft, even if months of elevation and the normal long-term air seepage from the gas lifting cylinder would cause height loss (all air devices, e.g.tires lose air over long periods of time.) Or save the money and cut an arc out of a length of PVC and slide it on the crane shaft to effect same.

Like the Top Lift or Hoist-A-Cart, this makes for very efficient storage as the rig's hood drives under the reverse directioned and lifted hard top.

 

[RussJeep1]

Hello,


This looks interesting, how sturdy is it? I park in a condo parking garage, but it is above ground, and although it is covered, my spot is at a wall that is open air to the outside, so it will be exposed to wind that comes in, and it is on a lakefront, so there is quite often some good wind. Would this be sturdy enough to hold the roof in place if it becomes windy while I am out driving?


I know you mention it won't tip, but what about with some wind?


Thanks

Your standard shop crane has long legs which sit vertical for compact storage when not in use, giving the crane a minimal footprint for out of the way garage storage.

But these legs come down when it lifts things, and in so doing provides a remarkably low center of gravity. I invite you to see these legs for yourself, and just how stable this setup is here as the hardtop is tipped near to the ground like a kneeling horse, and sits like a rock with zero front to back tip.



Those outstretched crane legs, pigeon toed out, (and which can go under your rig) provide the same resistance to side to side tip. You see, the device fits snugly into the underside FCA designed corrugation of the hard top, behind the sports/roll bar, and additionally beyond (in the case of the JL's smaller behind the sports bar to rear of the hardtop dimensions than previously designed Wranglers by FCA.

How sturdy: wind won't tip it over especially if you kneel the top like in the video and add a few bungee cords for the worst of the wind. Then you could not tip it over unless you pick the crane up by yourself, with hardtop, off the ground and flip it.

Have an orthopedic surgeon standing by after that.

You say a condo spot? ...fit your stored hard top and rig all in the same place. You can even lock the hard top with some cable locks to the crane, and the crane to the rig if you want.

You want to talk about wind and a Hoist-A-Cart, or Top Lift Pro? I'd rather not go were
these products and the wind will take you. They are not simply not meant for high wind exposed areas.

That top is far more likely to act like a sail with those setups. No way the Top-Lift Pro is as sturdy to side-to-side movement as front to back, and no way front to back is as sturdy as any direction on the Freedom Jack---the Top Lift Pros footprint is just too small--it's physics.

 

[RussJeep1]

That's nice when you have a place to store it, like a garage. I'd like to see something more compact, lightweight and collapsible. I'll just have to ask a buddy to help for now.

Me too. But the Top Off https://top-off.biz/ requires you to drill holes in your hardtop and isn't exactly the fastest device in the world to get your hard top on and off with.

Still more, like with the "portable" (maybe I should say transportable) Top Lift Pro, the gear to make the Top Off work gets placed in your rig.

If you're taking your rig to the campsite and want away from home hard top removal capabilities, don't you want that interior rig space for your gear, or do you suffer from the rare, "I have too much room in my Unlimited for family camping gear problem" ?

The Freedom Jack make has ways for you to transport the crane. As for me, a "two hitch receiver" a hitch platform and some tie downs, and I've got my crane outside precious interior space, and the ability to tow a fishing boat as well with the other receiver hitch.

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